Easy Chai Cake Recipe with a Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
There’s nothing quite like the smell of warm chai spices in the fall. Whether it’s in the form of a dirty chai latte or chai cookies, both stir up the cozy, fall vibes that I love. That’s exactly what you can expect with this chai cake recipe. This aromatic delight has easily become one of my family’s favorite cake recipes and will quickly become yours as well!
I know you would want to pair a traditional chai cake recipe with cream cheese frosting but sometimes you just have to shake things up a bit. Trust me when I tell you that this pairing of aromatic spices and vanilla frosting is flawless! Sometimes cream cheese frosting can be a bit overbearing and distract you from the real star of the show…the cake!
Although buttercream frosting has a distinct flavor, it does not block the warm and welcoming blend of spices from coming through the cake, making this an ideal choice to enjoy this all season long.
When Should I Serve this Cake?
A wonderful occasion for serving chai spice cake is during a cozy fall gathering. The aromatic chai flavor, with its blend of warming spices like ground cinnamon, ground cardamom, ground ginger, and ground cloves, make it an ideal dessert choice for a crisp autumn day. Whether it’s a casual family get-together, a friends’ potluck, or an afternoon cup of chai, this cake’s rich and comforting taste adds a delightful touch to the ambiance. Its inviting aroma and cozy flavors will create a memorable experience, perfectly capturing the time of year.
Cake Batter Ingredients
- All purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Chai spice
- Brown sugar
- Eggs
- Sour cream
- Whole milk
- Unsalted butter
- Vanilla extract
See recipe card for quantities.
Frosting Ingredients
- Unsalted butter
- Vanilla extract
- Whole milk
- Chai spice
- Icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- Salt
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions for Making Chai Cake Recipe
I’ve included a few process shots along with step-by-step instructions.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and chai spice. See recipe card for homemade chai spice mix ingredients. In a large bowl, beat together eggs and vanilla extract then whisk in brown sugar.
Add in milk, sour cream, and cooled butter. Mix well. You can use a whisk or electric mixer for this. Pour flour mixture into bowl of wet ingredients. Combine well with a rubber spatula.
Coat 2, 8 inch round cake pans with butter then dust with flour. Pour an even amount of cake batter into each, prepared cake pan. I used a kitchen scale to make sure each pan had an equal amount. Bake at 350°F for 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow cake to cool in pans on a cooling rack for about 30 minutes before removing from the cake pans. Allow the cakes to cool on the wire rack for another 20 minutes before adding the frosting.
Add all your frosting ingredients into the bowl of your stand mixer. Use the paddle attachment and speed setting to medium speed. Mix for a few minutes until you get a smooth, airy texture. When frosting your layers, place top of each cake layer, upside down. Add thin layer of frosting over the flat part of the first layer then add second cake layer on top. Flat side should be face up. Spread the rest of the frosting on the entire cake, including the sides. You can use a frosting spatula or cake scraper like I did.
Decorate the top of the cake with cinnamon sticks, star anise or any other fun, fall items. This amount of frosting is enough to cover a “naked” style cake. Feel free to make more if desired!
This delicious chai cake recipe is a classic that you and your family will enjoy for years to come!
Substitutions
Below are a few substitution ideas you may consider when making this recipe.
- Sour cream – you can use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
- Cake layers – instead of making a 2-layer cake, you can make it in the form of a sheet cake or a single layer cake. For making a single layer cake, I recommend using a 10 inch, springform cake pan. Be sure to adjust your baking time.
Variations
This is the perfect cake recipe for making the following variations:
- Chai Cake Trifle: Cube the chai cake and layer it in glasses with chai-infused whipped cream, crushed cookies, and caramel sauce. Repeat the layers for a stunning and decadent chai cake trifle.
- Chai Cake Muffins: Transform your chai cake batter into muffins for a convenient on-the-go option. Fill each muffin cup two-thirds full and bake until golden.
- Chai Ice Cream Sandwiches: Sandwich a scoop of vanilla ice cream between two slices of chai cake for an irresistible frozen dessert that combines the best of both worlds.
- Chai Cake Parfait: Layer chai cake cubes with Greek yogurt, fresh berries, and a drizzle of honey in serving glasses. Repeat the layers for a wholesome and delicious parfait.
Whichever one you try, be sure to enjoy it with a cup of your favorite tea! Don’t be afraid to get creative. Experiment and have fun with the variations that you can add to this chai cake recipe.
Equipment
- Stand mixer or an electric hand mixer
- 2, 8 inch cake pans
- Kitchen scale
- Measuring cup
Storage
Store vanilla chai cake at room temperature in an airtight container or in a wood and glass cake storage container for 4 days.
Top tip
You can make the cake layers ahead of time. You can make them the day before you plan on frosting and serving them. Simply wrap each individual layer in plastic wrap. Keep them stored at room temperature. Wrapping each layer in plastic wrap will ensure that you’ll have a perfectly moist cake.
Chai Spice Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Equipment
- 2 8" round cake pans
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp of salt
- 1 tbsp chai spice mix
- 1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp chai spice mix
- 2 tbsp whole milk
Chai Spice Mix
- 1 tbsp ground cardamom
- 1 tbsp all spice
- 1 tbsp nutmeg
- 1 tbsp ground cloves
- 5 tsp cinnamon
- 7 tsp ground ginger
Instructions
- Melt 1/2 cup butter and let it cool. Coat 2, 8 inch round cake pans with butter then dust with flour. Set aside. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and chai spice. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat eggs and vanilla extract together then whisk in brown sugar. Add in milk, sour cream, and cooled butter. Mix well. You can use a whisk or hand mixer for this.
- Pour bowl of dry ingredients into bowl of wet ingredients. Combine well with a spatula. Pour an even amount of cake batter into each, prepared cake pan. I used a scale to make sure each pan had an equal amount.
- Place cake pans in the oven, on the bottom rack. Bake at 350°F for 28 minutes. Allow cake to cool in pans on a cooling rack for about 30 minutes before removing from the cake pans. Allow the cakes to cool on the wire rack for another 20 minutes before adding the frosting.
Buttercream Frosting
- In a stand mixer, add in softened butter, powdered sugar, salt, chai spice, vanilla extract, and milk. Mix until you get a smooth, airy texture. When frosting your layers, place top of each cake layer, upside down. Add thin layer of frosting over the flat part of the first layer then add second cake layer on top. Flat side should be face up. Spread the rest of the frosting on the top and side of the cake. You can use a frosting spatula or cake scraper like I did.
- This amount of frosting is enough to cover a "naked" style cake. Feel free to make more if desired!