I’ve got a Chai Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting that’s impossibly tender, loaded with chai spices and spiced cream cheese, and I’m warning you now: don’t plan on leftovers.

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I’m obsessed with this Chai Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting because it tastes like someone smuggled a spice bazaar into a slice of cake. I love how the chai infused milk gives the crumb a weird, addictive warmth, and the spiced cream cheese frosting is the kiss I wait for.

It’s not precious. It’s buttery, spiced, slightly tangy from cream cheese, softened, and a little messy when you bite in.

But damn, every forkful hits the right notes. And I catch myself thinking about it all day.

Chai Frosting Recipe? Yeah, it’s the reason I keep making this.

Again, constantly.

Ingredients

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Flour: the cake’s body, gives structure so it doesn’t fall apart.
Leaveners: add lift and light crumb, so it’s not dense.
Salt: tightens flavors, keeps sweet from tasting flat.
Cinnamon: warm hug in every bite, very cozy.
Cardamom: fragrant, floral spice that makes it feel special.
Ginger: zippy warmth, wakes up the chai spices.
Cloves and nutmeg: little depth notes, not overpowering.
Butter (batter): richness and tender mouthfeel, makes it buttery.
Sugars: sweetness plus slight caramel notes from the brown sugar.
Eggs: bind everything and give body, they’re the glue.
Vanilla: rounds flavors, makes it taste homemade and familiar.
Chai milk: actual chai personality, tea + milk soak for flavor.
Yogurt: keeps cake moist and adds slight tang.
Cream cheese frosting: tangy, creamy contrast; it’s cozy and smooth.

Ingredient Quantities

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (about 1 1/4 sticks)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs, room temp

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chai infused milk (see note: steep 2 chai tea bags or 2 tbsp loose chai in 1 cup hot milk, cool)

1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream, room temp

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (for frosting)

2 to 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for frosting)

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (for frosting)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for frosting)

Pinch of salt

Optional: extra chai spice or cinnamon for sprinkling

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350 F and grease and flour a 9 inch round cake pan, or line it with parchment; set aside.

2. Make the chai milk: steep 2 chai tea bags or 2 tablespoons loose chai in 1 cup hot milk until cool, about 15 minutes, then remove tea and chill if needed.

3. Whisk together dry ingredients in a bowl: 2 cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp cardamom, 1 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp cloves, 1/4 tsp nutmeg. Set aside.

4. In a large bowl beat 10 Tbsp softened butter with 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape sides, don’t rush this part.

5. Add 2 room temp eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, then stir in 1 tsp vanilla.

6. With mixer on low, add the dry mix in two additions alternately with the chai milk and 1/2 cup plain yogurt (or sour cream), beginning and ending with the dry mix. Mix just until combined, a few strokes more and stop so the cake stays tender.

7. Scrape batter into prepared pan, smooth top and bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let the cake cool in the pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely before frosting.

8. For the spiced cream cheese frosting: beat 8 ounces softened cream cheese with 4 Tbsp softened butter until smooth, then add 1 to 1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar at first, taste and add up to 2 1/2 cups total until you reach desired sweetness and consistency. Mix in 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp cardamom and a pinch of salt. Adjust sugar if too loose.

9. If frosting is too soft chill it for 10 to 15 minutes. When cake is fully cool spread the frosting evenly over top. Use an offset spatula or a knife, whatever you have.

10. Sprinkle with extra chai spice or cinnamon if you want, slice after frosting sets a bit, and store leftovers covered in the fridge. Cake tastes even better the next day.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheated to 350 F)
2. 9-inch round cake pan (greased and floured or lined with parchment)
3. Mixing bowls (one large for batter, one for dry ingredients)
4. Electric mixer or hand mixer (for creaming butter and for frosting)
5. Whisk and measuring cups + measuring spoons
6. Rubber spatula and wooden spoon (for scraping and folding)
7. Cooling rack (to cool the cake before frosting)
8. Offset spatula or butter knife (to spread the frosting)
9. Fine-mesh sieve (for sifting powdered sugar and dusting cinnamon)

FAQ

Q: Can I make this cake ahead of time?

A: Yes. Bake and cool the cake fully, wrap it tightly and store in the fridge for up to 2 days. Frost it the day you plan to serve for best texture. You can also freeze an unfrosted cake for up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge overnight before frosting.

Q: What can I use instead of chai tea bags?

A: Use 2 tablespoons of loose chai tea or 1 tablespoon chai spice mix added to 1 cup hot milk to steep for about 10 minutes. If you dont have chai at all, use black tea and add extra cinnamon and cardamom to the batter.

Q: My frosting is runny, how do I thicken it?

A: Chill the frosting for 10 to 15 minutes, then beat it again. If it stays loose, add more sifted powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time until it firms up. Make sure your cream cheese and butter are not too warm.

Q: Can I make this cake as cupcakes or in a loaf pan?

A: Yes. For cupcakes, fill liners 2/3 full and bake 18 to 22 minutes. For a loaf, bake about 45 to 55 minutes, test with a toothpick. Keep an eye because bake times change with pan size.

Q: How do I prevent the cake from sinking in the middle?

A: Dont overmix the batter once you add flour, mix just until combined. Make sure your baking powder and baking soda are fresh. Also avoid opening the oven door during the first 20 minutes of baking.

Q: Any tips to boost the chai flavor?

A: Increase the chai steep time or add a pinch more ground cardamom and cinnamon to the batter or the frosting. You can also brush the warm cake with a little chai syrup made from equal parts sugar and chai-infused milk to make the flavor pop.

Chai Cake With Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour: swap for cake flour for a lighter crumb (use 2 tablespoons less per cup), or use a 1-to-1 gluten free baking blend if you need gluten free; whole wheat pastry flour works too but the cake will be slightly denser and nuttier.
Unsalted butter (in cake or frosting): can use equal amount of room temp salted butter, just reduce added salt elsewhere, or use neutral vegetable oil in the cake (about 3/4 cup oil for 10 tbsp butter) for a moister, quicker-mix cake.
Plain yogurt or sour cream: replace with buttermilk (use 1/2 cup buttermilk plus 2 tbsp yogurt if you want same tang and texture), or use an equal amount of full fat coconut yogurt for a dairy free option, flavor will be a bit different.
Chai infused milk: make a strong chai concentrate with brewed chai tea and hot water, then mix with milk (or non dairy milk like almond or oat) to equal 1 cup; or stir 1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground chai spice mix directly into the batter if you’re out of tea bags.

Pro Tips

1. Steep the chai stronger than you think, then taste it. If it’s too weak, the cake will barely taste chai. Let the milk cool fully before adding so it doesn’t melt the butter or mess up the batter, and if you used loose chai, strain well so no gritty bits stay in.

2. Make sure the butter, eggs and yogurt are actually room temp. Cold ingredients make the batter lumpy and dense. If you’re in a rush, sit eggs in warm water for 10 minutes, and microwave butter in 5 second bursts until just softened, not melted.

3. Don’t overmix once the flour goes in. Fold just until you see no streaks of flour. Overmixing gives a tough cake, especially with yogurt in it. Scrape the bowl sides, but stop mixing as soon as it’s combined.

4. For the frosting, start with less powdered sugar than you think. Add sugar gradually until it’s spreadable but not rock hard. If it gets too soft chill it 10 to 20 minutes, then re-whip. If it’s too thick, a teaspoon of chai milk at a time loosens it without watering down the flavor.

5. Let the finished cake rest in the fridge overnight if you can. The spices marry and the texture mellows, it actually tastes better the next day. Bring slices to room temp before serving so the frosting softens and the flavors come through.

Chai Cake With Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Recipe by Samantha Dalling

0.0 from 0 votes

I’ve got a Chai Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting that’s impossibly tender, loaded with chai spices and spiced cream cheese, and I’m warning you now: don’t plan on leftovers.

Servings

servings

Calories

468

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheated to 350 F)
2. 9-inch round cake pan (greased and floured or lined with parchment)
3. Mixing bowls (one large for batter, one for dry ingredients)
4. Electric mixer or hand mixer (for creaming butter and for frosting)
5. Whisk and measuring cups + measuring spoons
6. Rubber spatula and wooden spoon (for scraping and folding)
7. Cooling rack (to cool the cake before frosting)
8. Offset spatula or butter knife (to spread the frosting)
9. Fine-mesh sieve (for sifting powdered sugar and dusting cinnamon)

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (about 1 1/4 sticks)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temp
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chai infused milk (see note: steep 2 chai tea bags or 2 tbsp loose chai in 1 cup hot milk, cool)
1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream, room temp
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (for frosting)
2 to 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for frosting)
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (for frosting)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for frosting)
Pinch of salt
Optional: extra chai spice or cinnamon for sprinkling

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F and grease and flour a 9 inch round cake pan, or line it with parchment; set aside.
Make the chai milk: steep 2 chai tea bags or 2 tablespoons loose chai in 1 cup hot milk until cool, about 15 minutes, then remove tea and chill if needed.
Whisk together dry ingredients in a bowl: 2 cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp cardamom, 1 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp cloves, 1/4 tsp nutmeg. Set aside.
In a large bowl beat 10 Tbsp softened butter with 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape sides, don't rush this part.
Add 2 room temp eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, then stir in 1 tsp vanilla.
With mixer on low, add the dry mix in two additions alternately with the chai milk and 1/2 cup plain yogurt (or sour cream), beginning and ending with the dry mix. Mix just until combined, a few strokes more and stop so the cake stays tender.
Scrape batter into prepared pan, smooth top and bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let the cake cool in the pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely before frosting.
For the spiced cream cheese frosting: beat 8 ounces softened cream cheese with 4 Tbsp softened butter until smooth, then add 1 to 1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar at first, taste and add up to 2 1/2 cups total until you reach desired sweetness and consistency. Mix in 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp cardamom and a pinch of salt. Adjust sugar if too loose.
If frosting is too soft chill it for 10 to 15 minutes. When cake is fully cool spread the frosting evenly over top. Use an offset spatula or a knife, whatever you have.
Sprinkle with extra chai spice or cinnamon if you want, slice after frosting sets a bit, and store leftovers covered in the fridge. Cake tastes even better the next day.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.