The Cake Slice Bakers: Chai Spiced Cake with Honey Ginger Cream

A great man once said "If at first you don't succeed, don't cry about it, you big baby! Do it again!"

Or something like that.

I initially made this cake for Easter dinner.  It was very easy to put together.  Very straightforward.  Mix the dry ingredients.  Mix the wet ingredients (minus the milk).  Add butter and some milk to the dry mix.  Then add the wet ingredients.  Pour in pan. Bake. Eat and enjoy.

Here is what I did:

Mix the dry ingredients.  Mix the wet ingredients.  Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.  Curse the fact that I forgot to add the butter.  Try to add the butter at the end, watching it clump and coagulate.  Take a spatula and try to press the lumps of butter out.  Beat for ten minutes.  Fret the entire time that I am overbeating the batter. Pour uneven amounts into pans.  Overbake. Shape cake sloppily.  Ice cake sloppily.

What was amazing about this cake, however, is that after the disaster that was my experience baking the cake, it still tasted good.

Great, in fact!  It was slightly dry and didn't rise at all, but the cake was still delicious.  It was a hit at Easter dinner.  People commented on how amazing the cake was.  They paired it with strawberry ice cream.  Even more amazing! 

So I tried it again, knowing that if the cake was that good after I pooped all over the process, it would be amazing when I didn't poop all over the process.

And WOW, was this cake amazing.  I mean, really. WOW.  The batter was light when I poured it (in even amounts this time) into the pans.  The cake rose beautifully.  For the first time ever, I took my time to even out the edges carefully.  The cake was light with a gorgeous crumb when I evened out the tops.  To ensure moistness (why do people hate that word when describing cakes?  It is the ultimate compliment!), I added some ginger simple syrup to the layers and frosted the cake.  

The dynamic chai flavors of cardamom, star anise, ginger, cinnamon, peppercorn and cloves shone through and paired perfectly with the sweet and slightly tangy honey ginger frosting.  

Without a doubt - and I mean this wholeheartedly - without a doubt, this is my favorite cake I have ever eaten. Ever. Ever, ever, ever.  

Please, if you can, for all that is good and holy, make this cake.  You don't know what you are missing.  Check out the other Cake Slice Bakers here. And check out the book, Sky High:  Irresistible Triple Layer Cakes here.

Chai Cake with Honey Ginger Cream adapted from Sky High:  Irresistible Triple Layer Cakes

1 1/3 cups milk
6 chai tea bags
4 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ¾ cups cake flour
2 cups sugar
4 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
Honey Ginger Cream (recipe below)
 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.   Butter the bottoms and sides of three 8-inch round cake pans.  Line the bottoms with rounds of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.
 
In a small saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer over medium-low heat.  Add the tea bags, being careful not to let the paper tags dip into them ilk. Remove from the heat and allow the tea to steep for about 5 minutes.  Remove the teabags carefully squeezing the milk from them back into the pan.  Let the chai milk cool completely.
 
In a medium bowl, combine whole eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, and 1/3 cup of the chai milk.  Whisk to blend.
 
Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt in a large mixer bowl.  Beat on low speed for about 30 seconds the dry ingredients.  Add the butter and the remaining chai milk and, with the mixer on medium low, beat to blend well.  Raise the spread to medium and beat until light and fluffy.  Add the egg mixture in 3 additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl and mixing only to incorporate after each addition.  Divide the batter evenly among the 3 prepared pans.
 
Honey-ginger cream


2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

6 ounces softened cream cheese

6 tbsp. unsalted butter at room temp

1/2 cup honey (liquid)

1 tsp. freshly grated ginger


 
Place all the ingredients in a food processor. Pulse to incorporate, then scrape down the bowl and process until smooth and well blended.  Transfer to a bowl and chill for an hour before using to fill and cover the cake layers, allowing any excess to drizzle down the sides.

Decorate as desired.

Comments

[Tracey]

Wow, that's a fantastic review! Glad you were such a huge fan! I love when I find a really great recipe. The cake looks marvelous - layer cakes are so beautiful!

[Jude]

Look at that shimmering frosting. Would it be wrong if I made just that and ate it with a spoon?
Been wanting to check out that book as well.

[Phyllis (me HUNGRY!)]

The cake looks/sounds delicious - nice job! Printing out the recipe - my hubby will love the flavors of chai in a cake.

I could totally feel your frustration and the panic while I was reading this post - I'm the exact same way when baking (especially the part about trying to work in the butter last minute - this happened to me last week and it didn't turn out so well). And I'm so impressed that you tried making it again, with great success!

[Phyllis (me HUNGRY!)]

okay, panicked a little when I couldn't find the link to the recipe. Had to dig a around a bit but I finally got it!

[RecipeGirl]

I absolutely adore spice cakes. Will def. bookmark for future cravings!

[Sandy]

Ooh-la-la, this is a beauty! I want! :)

[cafe johnsonia]

This is my very favorite cake, too. I made it twice! We just finished up the last bit of the second cake today.

Your cake is stunning! I love the billows of frosting.

[Jessie]

that cake looks luscious! so moist too :)

[lisaiscooking]

These flavors sound fantastic for the cake! And, that frosting must be the most delicious thing ever.

[pinkstripes]

I love chai. This sounds like a delicious cake. Especially with the frosting.

[Katie]

Your chai cake is scrumptious! Lucky you "had" to make a second one!

[mary jo]

i agree, the cake is amazing! great job trying it again after a not so successful first try :)

[SStockwell]

I love this chai idea! we are all hooked on chai around here since our recent trip to India. We will make this one for sure. Namaste

[Megan]

It's a good thing I dropped out of Cake Slice - because I would have devoured that entire cake. Honey Ginger Cream? Can I just get an IV started with that?

[Cathy]

No pooping all over the process here -- this cake is a vision of perfection. And that is some kind of enthusiastic review - I cannot wait to try this; we love spiced cakes around here!

[Katrina]

Fabulous! Thanks for passing this along. I'll be sure to link to it on my blog.

[Jen Schall @ My Kitchen Addiction]

This cake looks delicious! Now I just wish I had a good reason to make it.

[Leslie]

Chai spices in a cake? I am so going to make this cake! I love how shiny the icing looks, almost like a meringue. Beautiful!

[Ellie]

This cake sounds so yummy!!!

[Caroline]

Look at that shiny icing, yummy! And great idea about using ginger syrup in the layers. Moistness is my new word, btw :)