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Chai Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 115 reviews
  • Author: Jessica
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 12 slices
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This Chai Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting is a flavorful and aromatic dessert that combines warm chai spices infused into a moist cake, topped with a rich and nutty brown butter cream cheese frosting. The chai tea steeped in milk enhances the cake’s spice profile, while the browned butter adds depth to the frosting, resulting in a decadent treat perfect for any occasion.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Chai Cake

  • 1 1/2 cups Whole Milk (360g)
  • 4 Chai teabags or 4 tablespoons loose-leaf chai
  • 1 cup Unsalted Butter (227g), room temperature
  • 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar (150g)
  • 3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar (165g)
  • 4 large Eggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup Sour Cream (120g), room temperature
  • 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil (54g)
  • 3 cups All-purpose Flour (360g)
  • 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 tablespoon Ground Cardamom
  • 1 tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon Ground Ginger
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

For the Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1 1/2 cups Cream Cheese (340g), room temperature
  • 1 cup Unsalted Butter (227g)
  • 5 cups Powdered Sugar (600g)*
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt

Instructions

  1. Steep the chai tea: Heat the milk in a saucepan over low heat with the chai teabags or loose-leaf chai until it just begins to simmer. Remove from heat immediately and let the tea steep as the milk cools. Once cooled, strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove tea leaves or bags.
  2. Prepare cake pans and preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease two 8-inch cake pans to prevent sticking.
  3. Cream butter and sugars: In a mixing bowl, beat together the room temperature unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, incorporating air for a tender cake.
  4. Add eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to ensure even incorporation and a smooth batter.
  5. Add wet ingredients: Mix in the vegetable oil, sour cream, and vanilla extract until fully combined, creating a smooth and creamy batter base.
  6. Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and black pepper until evenly mixed.
  7. Mix wet and dry ingredients alternately: Add one third of the flour mixture into the wet batter and mix slowly until incorporated. Then add half of the steeped chai milk, mixing fully. Repeat with another third of the flour, the remaining chai milk, and finally the last third of the flour, ensuring the batter is smooth and cohesive after each addition.
  8. Bake the cake: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool completely in the pans.
  9. Level and slice cakes: Once cooled, trim any domed tops from the cakes. For two layers, leave as is; for four thinner layers, slice each cake in half horizontally using a cake leveler for even cuts.
  10. Brown the butter for frosting: While cakes bake or beforehand, place the unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Let it melt and froth as the water evaporates, producing crackling sounds. Watch carefully as the butter changes color and gives off a nutty aroma; once browned, remove from heat and transfer to a bowl to cool and thicken. Stir to evenly distribute the milk solids.
  11. Make the frosting: In a mixer bowl, beat the cooled brown butter with room temperature cream cheese until smooth and combined. Gradually sift in the powdered sugar to avoid lumps, mixing slowly at first. When fully incorporated, add vanilla extract and salt, then beat on high speed for 1 minute to aerate the frosting. Adjust thickness by adding more powdered sugar for a firmer frosting or a splash of milk for a thinner consistency.
  12. Assemble the cake: Spread the brown butter cream cheese frosting evenly between the layers and over the top and sides of the cake as desired.

Notes

  • Do not let the milk boil while steeping the chai tea; remove it from heat as soon as it begins to simmer.
  • Both chai teabags and loose-leaf chai work equally well; always strain the milk to remove tea particles before mixing into the batter.
  • Prepare the brown butter ahead of time for optimal cooling and consistency before frosting.
  • If using spreadable cream cheese from a tub for the frosting instead of block cream cheese, you may need to add an extra cup (120g) of powdered sugar to achieve desired thickness.
  • Chilling the frosting after mixing can help firm it up for easier decorating.

Find it online: https://jessicasrecipes.com/chai-cake-with-brown-butter-cream-cheese-frosting-recipe/