Chai Tea Cake with Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting

A beautifully fragrant spice cake flavored with classic masala chai spices and topped with fresh ginger cream cheese frosting. This cake is sure to make your mouth water and is always a great crowd pleaser!

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 40 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
• Calories: 327 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup white sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup molasses
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 2 cups water
• ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 (1/2 inch) piece fresh ginger root, peeled
• 3 teabag (blank)s tea bags of strong black tea
• 3 whole cardamom pods, or more to taste
• ¾ teaspoon ground cloves, divided
• 2 teabag (blank)s tea bags of strong black tea
• 3 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.

Step 2

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges to loosen. Invert carefully onto a serving plate or cooling rack. Let cool, about 30 minutes.

Step 3

Begin cake by combining water, 3 tea bags, ginger root, cardamom pods, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon cloves in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and keep warm.

Step 4

Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add molasses and egg; mix well.

Step 5

Mix flour, baking soda, cardamom, and salt with remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon cloves in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, one half at a time; stir to combine. Strain hot tea and slowly pour into the batter and stir until smooth; batter will be thin. Pour into the prepared cake pans.

Step 6

While the cakes are cooling, combine water, sugar, and tea bags for simple syrup in a small pot over medium-high heat. Cook until sugar has dissolved, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Step 7

Brush simple syrup over cooled and leveled cakes until the majority of the cake has absorbed the syrup. Do not oversoak the cakes; you want enough syrup to soak in and keep cakes moist and flavorful without flooding them. Place cakes in the refrigerator for 1 hour or until ready to decorate.

Step 8

Combine cream cheese, butter, and ginger for frosting in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add sugar and blend until smooth. Frost cake.