Mini Single Layer Chai Latte Cake | 6 Inch
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Prep Time 15 mins | Bake Time 55 mins | Chill time 30 mins | Total Time 1 hr 40 mins
A tiny chai latte cake with absolutely no interest in sharing.
What is a Single Layer Chai Latte Cake?
This Mini Single Layer Chai Latte Cake is everything you want from a cozy chai latte, just in cake form. The cake is soft and buttery with warm chai spice throughout, while chai steeped milk gives it that subtle tea flavor that makes it taste like your favorite coffee shop order. A simple vanilla chai buttercream finishes the cake with even more warm spice without overwhelming the delicate crumb. It is small enough for a few servings, which is either perfectly practical or a very convenient excuse to eat cake for breakfast.
Ingredients You Will Need
All purpose flour
Cornstarch
Baking powder
Salt
Unsalted butter
Vegetable oil
Granulated sugar
Large eggs
Vanilla extract
Whole milk or milk of choice
Chai tea bags
Chai spice mix
Powdered sugar
Our Tips for Single Layer Chai Latte Cake
Do not skip steeping the chai tea bags. The chai infused milk is what gives this cake its latte quality instead of simply tasting like a spiced vanilla cake. Give the tea bags enough time to release their flavor before removing them.
Let the chai milk cool slightly before adding it to the batter. The milk should be warm and fragrant, not piping hot. Adding very hot milk to the eggs can interfere with the batter and make the mixture more difficult to emulsify.
Do not overbake the cake. Because this is a small single layer cake, it can go from perfectly moist to dry surprisingly quickly. Start checking toward the lower end of the baking range and use a toothpick inserted into the center to check for doneness.
How to Store
Refrigerator: Place the fully frosted cake in an airtight cake container or loosely tent it with plastic wrap, making sure the wrap does not press directly into the buttercream. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Let the cake sit at room temperature for about 20 to 30 minutes before serving for the best texture.
Freezer: For longer storage, freeze the unfrosted cake tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil, for up to 2 months. The buttercream can be stored separately in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw the cake and buttercream in the refrigerator overnight, then bring both to room temperature before assembling and serving.
Watch the Video!
Single Layer Mini Vanilla Bean Raspberry Cake
A tiny chai latte cake with absolutely no interest in sharing.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour, sifted
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup milk of choice, heated
- 2 chai tea bags
- 2 tablespoons chai spice mix
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 teaspoons chai spice mix
- 1 tablespoon milk of choice
Instructions
- Prepare the Chai Milk: Heat the milk in the microwave for about 30 seconds, or until warm but not boiling. Add the chai tea bags and let them steep for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the tea bags and allow the chai milk to cool slightly.
- Prepare the Oven and Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 6 inch cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. * See note for 8 inch pan size)
- Combine the Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and chai spice mix.
- Cream the Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the room temperature butter, vegetable oil, and granulated sugar until smooth and well combined. Do not whip the mixture excessively.
- Add the Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.
- Combine the Batter: Add the dry ingredients in two additions, alternating with the slightly cooled chai milk. Mix just until the batter is smooth and no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Place the cake on the bottom rack of the oven and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs and the top springs back lightly when touched. If the top begins to brown too quickly, place a sheet of aluminum foil on the oven rack above the cake to shield it from direct heat. Do not place the foil directly on the cake.
- Cool the Cake: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack. Let it cool completely before frosting.
- Make the Buttercream: Beat the room temperature butter until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until creamy. Add the vanilla bean paste, chai spice mix, and milk. Beat until smooth and spreadable, adding a little more milk if needed.
- Frost the Cake: Once the cake is completely cool, spread the chai buttercream evenly over the top. Slice and serve.
Notes
- This Is a Tall Six Inch Cake: This recipe creates a taller than average 6 inch cake, so expect a slightly longer bake time than most small cakes. If the top starts browning before the center is fully baked, loosely tent the cake with aluminum foil during the last 5 to 10 minutes. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs remaining.
- 8 Inch Pan Alternative: You can bake this cake in an 8 inch round cake pan, but the cake will be thinner and will bake more quickly. Start checking for doneness around 25 to 30 minutes, and remove it when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The finished cake will not have the same height as the 6 inch version, but it will still have the same soft, buttery crumb and powdered sugar donut flavor.
- Loaf Pan Alternative: For a loaf pan, use an 8½ x 4½ inch loaf pan and fill it no more than about two thirds full. Bake at 350°F for approximately 40 to 50 minutes, checking around 40 minutes. If the top begins browning too quickly, loosely tent it with foil. Let the loaf cool completely before brushing it with melted butter and coating it generously with powdered sugar.
- Chai Tea Strength Matters: Steeping the tea bags directly in warm milk creates a concentrated chai flavor without adding extra liquid to the recipe. For a stronger tea flavor, allow the bags to steep toward the longer end of the recommended time, but avoid aggressively squeezing the bags when removing them because this can add bitterness.
- Cool Before Frosting: The cake must be completely cool before adding the buttercream. Even slightly warm cake can soften the buttercream enough to make it slide, melt, or become difficult to spread. If the cake is still warm, patience is unfortunately the ingredient you are missing.
- Bible Verse: Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights. James 1:17
