Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour: This forms the base of the cake.
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder: To help the cake rise and stay fluffy.
- ½ teaspoon baking soda: To balance the acidity of the buttermilk.
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon: For that chai-spice flavor!
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger: Adds a little heat and warmth.
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom: The star spice of chai, giving the cake that aromatic touch.
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves: A hint of clove to round out the chai spices.
- ½ teaspoon salt: To balance out the sweetness.
- 1 cup brown sugar (packed): This adds that deep, molasses-like sweetness and richness.
- 2 large eggs: To bind the cake together and add richness.
- 1 cup buttermilk: Keeps the cake moist and adds a bit of tang.
- ½ cup vegetable oil: For moisture and a tender crumb.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract: To enhance the flavor profile.
- ½ cup brewed chai tea (cooled): The secret ingredient that gives this cake that lovely chai taste.
- Optional: Powdered sugar for dusting or a simple glaze
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prepare your pan
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan or a loaf pan—whatever you prefer! If you want to be extra careful, you can also line the bottom with parchment paper to make removing the cake easier. - Mix your dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, and salt. It’s so important to sift these ingredients together to make sure everything is evenly distributed, especially the spices. Trust me, you don’t want a bite of cake that’s too spicy or too bland. - Mix the wet ingredients
In another bowl, whisk the brown sugar and eggs until smooth. Add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated. Then, pour in the cooled chai tea. It’s really important that the tea is cooled so it doesn’t curdle the buttermilk or eggs when you mix them. - Combine the wet and dry ingredients
Gradually add the wet mixture to the dry mixture, stirring gently. Don’t overmix—just stir until everything is combined. The batter will be a little thick, which is totally normal. If you overmix, your cake might be dense, and we definitely don’t want that! - Bake the cake
Pour the batter into your prepared cake pan. Smooth the top with a spatula, and then pop it into the preheated oven. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The aroma of the spices will fill your kitchen, and it will be hard not to peek into the oven every few minutes! - Cool and serve
Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, dust with powdered sugar, or drizzle with a simple glaze made from powdered sugar and milk. Slice it up, and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 350
- Fat: 16g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Protein: 4g