Brown Butter Chai Latte Cake
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Prep Time: 30 mins | Bake Time: 38 mins | Total Time: 1H 8M
Fall flavors are calling! Cozy up with this chai-inspired cake topped with decadent brown butter cream cheese frosting.
What is Brown Butter Chai Latte Cake?
This cake takes all the flavors of your favorite chai latte and turns them into a soft, spiced, and indulgent cake. The brown butter frosting adds a nutty richness while the chai milk soak makes every bite moist and aromatic. Think chai latte meets bakery-style cake at home.
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What Ingredients Do You Need to Make Chai Latte Cake?
Here’s the magic that turns your kitchen into a chai paradise:
All-purpose flour
Ground cinnamon
Ground ginger
Ground allspice
Ground nutmeg
Ground cardamom
Ground cloves
Baking powder
Baking soda
Salt
Unsalted butter
Neutral oil
Granulated sugar
Light brown sugar
Eggs
Vanilla extract
Buttermilk
Cream cheese
Powdered sugar
Whole milk
Chai tea bags
Sweetened condensed milk
Our Tips for Baking the Best Chai Latte Cake
Steep your tea: Steep the chai bags in warm milk before adding to cake for maximum spice flavor.
Use room temperature ingredients: Eggs, milk, and butter at room temp = lighter, fluffier cake.
Brown the butter carefully: Watch it closely to avoid burning; you want nutty aroma and golden color.
Chill frosting if needed: Spread when soft but slightly chilled to avoid sliding off cake.
Brown Butter Chai Latte Cake
Fall flavors are calling! Cozy up with this chai-inspired cake topped with decadent brown butter cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¾ tsp ground cardamom
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- 1 ¼ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup (60 ml) neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter
- 8 oz (226 g) cold cream cheese
- 2 cups (260 g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk
- 2 chai tea bags
- 1/4 cup (75 g) sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C)°F. Grease a 9×9 inch light metal baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together for 2 minutes using an electric mixer on high speed.
- Add in the eggs and vanilla, mixing on medium speed until the mixture becomes pale and smooth, about 1 minute.
- Gradually alternate adding the buttermilk and dry ingredients, mixing on low speed until the batter is smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 3538 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then carefully lift it out using the parchment paper and cool completely on the rack.
- While the cake bakes, melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Let it simmer, stirring occasionally, until the butter turns a deep golden brown and has a nutty aroma (about 1012 minutes).
- Transfer the browned butter to a large bowl and refrigerate until it solidifies but is still soft.
- Once chilled, whip the browned butter with an electric mixer on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5-10 minutes.
- Add the cold cream cheese and beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
- Sift in the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until fully combined, then beat on high for 1 minute until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- While the cake cools, heat the whole milk in a small saucepan over low heat until steaming. Add the chai tea bags and steep for 20 minutes.
- Remove the tea bags, let the milk cool, then mix in the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract. Set aside.
- Assembling the Cake: Once the cake has cooled completely, use a sharp knife to trim a thin layer off the top, creating a flat surface for the soak to absorb.
- Place the cake on a serving plate and poke holes across the surface using a wooden skewer or the handle of a wooden spoon.
- Slowly pour the chai milk soak over the cake, allowing it to absorb through the holes.
- Spread a generous layer of the brown butter cream cheese frosting over the top of the cake using an offset spatula.
- Sprinkle cinnamon on top of the frosting, cut into 16 slices, and serve!
Notes
- Enhance the Chai Flavor: For a deeper chai flavor, steep your tea bags in warm milk for 10–15 minutes before adding it to the batter. This ensures the warm spices infuse thoroughly, creating a rich and aromatic cake.
- Room Temperature Ingredients Are Key: Make sure your eggs, milk, and butter are at room temperature before mixing. This helps the batter combine smoothly, resulting in a lighter, fluffier cake.
- Romans 10:9–10 If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
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