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    Home » Recipes » Cakes

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    Easy Chai Cake Recipe with a Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

    This delicious chai cake recipe is a classic that you and your family will enjoy for years to come!

    There's nothing quite like the smell of warm chai spices in the fall. Whether it's in the form of a chai latte or some chai cookies, both stir up the cozy, fall vibes that I love. 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 bean buttercream is flawless! Sometimes cream cheese frosting can be a bit overbearing and distract you from the real star of the show...the cake! Although this buttercream 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 fall season.

    Cake batter ingredients

    • All purpose flour
    • Baking soda
    • Salt
    • Chai spice
    • Brown sugar
    • Eggs
    • Sour cream
    • Milk of choice
    • Butter
    • Vanilla extract

    See recipe card for quantities.

    Frosting ingredients

    • Butter
    • Vanilla extract
    • Milk of choice
    • Chai spice
    • Icing sugar
    • Vanilla bean (optional)
    • Salt

    A double layer cake with frosting.

    Chai Spice Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

    A twist on your traditional spice cake! Paired with a vanilla bean buttercream frosting, makes this an ideal choice to enjoy this fall season.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Frosting the cake 5 mins
    Total Time 45 mins
    Course Dessert
    Servings 14

    Equipment

    • 2 8" round cake pans
    • Bake even strips (optional)

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cups all purpose flour
    • ½ tsp baking soda
    • big pinch of salt
    • 1 tbsp chai spice mix recipe in notes
    • 1 ¼ cup packed brown sugar
    • 2 eggs
    • ½ cup sour cream
    • ½ cup milk or milk alternative
    • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract

    Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting

    • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 3-4 tbsp milk or milk alternative
    • ½ tsp chai spice mix
    • 3 cups confectioners sugar
    • 1 vanilla bean
    • pinch of salt

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray your two 8" round cake pans with cooking spray. Have "bake even" strips ready if you plan on using them. Set aside.
    • In stand mixer, combine sugar and butter. Beat on medium high for 2-3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl and add in eggs, one at a time. Add in sour cream, ½ cup of milk and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
    • In a medium sized bowl, whisk flour, salt, baking soda, and chai spice.
    • Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix by hand with a spatula.
    • Place your "bake even" strips around the cake pans. Pour even amount of cake mixture into both pans. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothoick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
    • Allow cake to cool in pans on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes before removing from cake pans. Be sure to level your 2 cakes if you did not use the "bake even" strips. Wait until cake is completely cooled before frosting.

    Buttercream Frosting

    • You can make this while your cake is baking. Using your stand or hand mixer, mix the butter, confectioners sugar, and 3 tablespoon of milk together. Then add in vanilla extract, chai spice, and scrapings from vanilla bean.
    • This amount of frosting is enough to cover a "naked" style cake. Feel free to make more if desired!

    Video

    Notes

    Chai Spice Mix Recipe:
    • 2 teaspoon ground cardamom
    • 2 teaspoon ground all spice
    • 2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 2 teaspoon ground cloves
    • 6 teaspoon ground ginger
    Mix all ingredients together. Store in a small container.
    Chai spice mix recipe by Lee at Fit Foodie Finds
    Keyword buttercream, buttercream frosting, cake, chai cake, spice cake

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