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Classic Cake Recipes with a Modern Twist

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Home » Cakes » Chai Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Chai Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

By Olivia, 134 Comments

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Jump to Recipe

This Chai Cake is a special treat for chai tea lovers. Packed with fragrant spices and paired with a simple cream cheese frosting.

A decorated cake on a cake stand

Any chai tea lovers out there?? I’m actually not one of them (gasp!), but I do love a good spice cake, and that’s exactly what this is. But before we get into the details all of the deliciousness that is this Chai Cake, let me tell you about the adventure I had trying to decide how to decorate it. Ugh.

I was kind of at a loss for ideas. I was very uninspired, so I started looking at Fall food decorating ideas on Pinterest. Somewhere along the way, in the masses of pumpkins, and pears, and pecans, I stumbled across gooseberries. Now, there are no gooseberries IN the actual cake. They are purely decoration, and I think they do a pretty good job of that. But my quest to find them was not so easy.

Overhead shot of the cake

I also decided that I wanted some white currants to go with the gooseberries on top of the cake. I had seen some at my local farmers market a few weeks ago, and crossed my fingers they were still there. They were not. Nor were the gooseberries. It wasn’t until my 5th stop (!!) that I actually found gooseberries. And it was in a store I never go into and hadn’t planned on going to, but there they were. Success! Partial, anyhow.

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It was around store #7 that I gave up on finding the white currants. My backup plan, which I didn’t have until  I gave up on the currants, was to pair the gooseberries with whole spices. None of which I had at home, of course. I hit up store #8 for the whole cardamom pods (since I knew they had them — I should have bought them the week before when I got the ground cardamom there) and loose leaf chai tea. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any other whole spices, so I had to go back to stores #2 and #5 to get them, UGH.

Close up of the top of the cake

THREE hours later, I was finally home. I didn’t get everything I wanted, but it was good enough. I was most happy with finding whole star anise. It’s not actually in the cake either (lol), but it’s so pretty!! Omg is it aromatic though. Not a pleasant smell unless you like liquorice (which I don’t).

For those of you who are unfamiliar with chai tea, it’s a very aromatic and spicy tea originating from India. The ingredients vary slightly depending on where you get it (or how you make it), but it typically consists of a black tea with cinnamon, cloves, ginger, black pepper, and the key ingredient, cardamom.

It’s cardamom that gives chai tea its unique flavour, and I think it’s a love/hate thing, like cilantro. It’s very strong, so you want to be careful not to use too much of it.

A piece of cake on a plate

Since this is a spice cake, I chose to pair it with a cream cheese frosting, but you could use a vanilla frosting if you prefer. The flavour of this cake is delicious, and the texture is perfect. But if you don’t like chai, you probably won’t like the flavour of this cake, though I’m not a chai lover, and it still tastes delicious to me. You can always adjust the amount of cardamom in it too, or just leave it out altogether for a regular spice cake.

Tips for this Chai Cake:

  • You can use regular milk if you’d prefer not to make the chai milk.
  • Whole spices shown as garnish in the photos are star anise, cloves, allspice, and cardamom.
  • If you don’t like chai, you can leave out the cardamom for a plain spice cake.
  • If you like this chai cake, be sure to check out my  Earl Grey Cake, Spice Cake, and Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake.
  • To help ensure your cake layers bake up nice and flat, see my Flat Top Cakes post.

A decorated cake on a cake stand
Print Rate
4.92 from 23 votes

Chai Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This Chai Cake is a special treat for chai tea lovers. Packed with fragrant spices and paired with a simple cream cheese frosting.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Cake
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 717kcal
Author Olivia

Ingredients

Chai Tea Milk:

  • 1 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 Tbsp Chai tea leaves 2 tea bags

Chai Cake:

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsps baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp ground allspice
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cups light brown sugar packed
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup Chai tea milk

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 8 oz cream cheese full fat, room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter room temperature
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Assembly (optional):

  • cape gooseberries
  • whole allspice
  • whole star anise
  • whole cloves
  • whole green cardamom pods
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Chai Tea Milk:

  • Bring milk and tea to a boil in a small pot over med-high heat. Turn heat off and steep for 10mins. Strain and measure out 1 cup. Top up with milk if needed.

Chai Cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour three 6" cake rounds and line with parchment.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, spices, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
  • Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars on med-high until pale and fluffy (approx 3mins).
  • Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time fully incorporating after each addition. Add vanilla.
  • Alternate adding flour mixture and Chai milk, beginning and ending with flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of milk). Fully incorporating after each addition.
  • Bake for 35-40mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
  • Place cakes on wire rack to cool for 10mins then turn out onto wire rack. Allow to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • Beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy (2 mins). Add powdered sugar one cup at a time. Add vanilla and beat until fluffy (3 mins).

Assembly:

  • Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Top with 2/3 cup of frosting and spread evenly. Repeat with remaining layers and apply a thin coat of frosting all over the cake. Chill for 20mins.
  • Use the remaining frosting to frost the cake and do a rustic swirl on the sides and top with a large offset spatula if desired.
  • Decorate top with whole spices and gooseberries if desired. 

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Calories: 717kcalCarbohydrates: 86gProtein: 6gFat: 39gSaturated Fat: 24gCholesterol: 151mgSodium: 246mgPotassium: 197mgSugar: 67gVitamin A: 1315IUCalcium: 112mgIron: 1.6mg
The nutritional information and metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this data. If this important to you, please verify with your favourite nutrition calculator and/or metric conversion tool.

Cake photo collage

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October 8, 2017

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Susan says

    January 25, 2021 at 1:29 AM

    5 stars
    This looks fabulous! Do you think it would take it too far in another direction to add a light smattering of toasted walnuts to the batter? I can see how a plain vanilla frosting would be delicious with it – do you think a maple SMBC might also pair well with this cake? (or too many flavors?) Thank you!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 25, 2021 at 10:17 AM

      Hi Susan! I think both the walnuts and maple SMBC would be delicious additions/changes. It really just depends on the flavours you like. The chai might stand out less, but I think the maple would compliment it well and the walnuts too. Let me know if you try it 🙂

      Reply
      • Susan says

        February 12, 2021 at 11:16 PM

        5 stars
        Thank you!

        Reply
  2. Sadiyya Badat says

    December 23, 2020 at 8:30 PM

    If I were to add 1/4th or 1/2 a cup less flour to this recipe would it make the cake slightly less dense?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      December 24, 2020 at 9:37 AM

      Hi Sadiyya! No, don’t reduce the flour. You can use cake flour if you prefer. My cakes tend to be more on the dense side rather than light and fluffy, but it shouldn’t be too dense. Overly dense cakes can be from overmixing the cake batter once the flour is added — it develops too much gluten.

      Reply
  3. Jessica says

    November 11, 2020 at 4:04 PM

    Hi, I would like to use this recipe to make cupcakes. Do you have any recommendations for the cooking time and temperature?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 11, 2020 at 4:39 PM

      Hi Jessica! The temperature should stay the same but start checking them at 15mins or so.

      Reply
  4. Jess says

    October 17, 2020 at 3:31 AM

    Hey Liv,
    Could I bake this in two tall 6” pans?
    Wanting to make it a 4 layer 6” cake, so would slice the two. I’m thinking if you split the batter in two 6” rounds, as long as they’re tall tins, it’ll be fine right?
    Thank you!
    Jess xx

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 19, 2020 at 10:23 AM

      Hi Jess! Yes, that should be fine. Make sure they are at least 3″ tall. You’ll need to increase the baking time due to the extra batter in the pans.

      Reply
  5. Aurora says

    October 13, 2020 at 3:37 PM

    Hello Olivia,
    First of all thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us! I have made quite a few of your recipes and they are perfect every single time. I have one question, I have been wanting to use a cream cheese icing for quite a long time now but I’m afraid that it’s going to be too soft for the type of decoration that I want. I has thinking of frosting this cake with sharp edges and doing a ganache dripping. Would this work? Is there any firm cream cheese frosting? I really like the texture of the Swiss meringue buttercream but it’s a bit too buttery for my liking, and this time wanted something a bit more tangy. Thanks a lot in advance!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 14, 2020 at 9:22 AM

      Hi Aurora! Thank you so much for the sweet comment! CC frosting will be really hard to get sharp edges. I did a ganache drip over CC frosting here so you can see what it looks like: https://livforcake.com/eggnog-cake/ It’s a naked cake, but there is a layer of frosting on the top. You could always fill the cake with CC frosting and use an SMBC for the outside? I’ve never made a CC frosting that was firm enough to get sharp edges 🙁

      Reply
  6. Nayantara Govindrajan says

    October 9, 2020 at 1:05 AM

    5 stars
    Excellent,very subtle but nice chai flavour !3

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 9, 2020 at 10:35 AM

      Hi Nayantara! So happy you liked it 🙂

      Reply
  7. Ashley says

    October 7, 2020 at 12:11 PM

    I baked this cake, but I accidentally added all of the milk instead of just 1 cup… I’m a bit confused as to why the recipe has you make 1 1/2 cups of chai milk, but then you only use 1 cup. Going to add a swiss meringue buttercream. We’ll see how it tastes when it’s finished!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 8, 2020 at 9:40 AM

      Hi Ashley! Heating the milk will cause some to evaporate which is why I suggest making more than needed. You could also use any excess to drizzle over the cake layers once baked to add more moisture/flavour.

      Reply
  8. Evelynmaria Arriaza says

    October 7, 2020 at 5:25 AM

    Hi,
    I’m hoping to make this cake soon, maybe for Thanksgiving. It’s looks so good and beautful. I had a question though. I only own Chai Tea Latte Powder. You mix it with hold or cold milk to make a sort of coffee. Would that be okay to use??

    Thank You!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 8, 2020 at 9:38 AM

      Hi Evelynmaria! I think that should be fine. Let me know how it turns out!

      Reply
  9. Livi says

    October 1, 2020 at 2:03 PM

    I thought that those were tomatillos on top for some reason! Thank you for the highly cozy recipe! 🙂

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 1, 2020 at 3:20 PM

      Hah! They do look a bit similar 🙂 I hope you love this one!

      Reply
  10. Snuggly Bunny says

    September 22, 2020 at 1:26 PM

    5 stars
    First, let me just say; this cake is delicious! I’d go as far as to say it’s bake off tent worthy! (Being from the UK that’s high praise!) I baked this cake using two 8″ cake pans. The cake came out dry and holey. I bake all the time and I’ve never had either happen before. Next time I’ll use vegetable oil in place of butter as that guarantees the cake will be oh so spongy. And check on it after 25 mins. I made a vanilla buttercream frosting and sprinkled some chopped up crystalized ginger on top. Next time I’ll add the crystalized ginger to the frosting.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 23, 2020 at 5:10 PM

      Hi Snuggly Bunny! That is such high praise, thank you!! I love Bake Off, but only the British versions. The others are lacking. So, thanks! 😀 The holes in cakes are either caused by overmixing the cake batter (develops too much gluten) or improperly dispersed raising agent (if it’s not whisked well with the flour, etc). Let me know how your second attempt turns out. Love the addition of the crystallized ginger!

      Reply
  11. Sarah says

    September 7, 2020 at 11:32 AM

    4 stars
    I wanted to make a chai tea cake for a friend’s birthday and spent hours researching recipes. I made this one and a different recipe one and compared. This one was far better than the other one but I still didn’t care that much for it. It turned out well, it just tasted nothing like chai tea. This is essentially a spice cake, and my personal opinion is that no one would ever notice the difference if plain milk were used instead of chai tea milk. It was fine as far as spice cake goes, but I wanted to be able to taste tea, and I couldn’t. The spices were super strong and there was no chance that a subtle tea flavor could shine through. Guests enjoyed it more than I did, I think, but I got the sense that they would have enjoyed that cream cheese frosting on literally anything.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 8, 2020 at 5:15 PM

      Hi Sarah! Cardamom is what gives Chai its distinct flavour. Did you use that in the cake as well as the chai milk? The milk alone definitely wouldn’t have had the flavour impact needed. Sorry it didn’t live up to your expectations!

      Reply
  12. Rida says

    September 3, 2020 at 9:47 PM

    Made this cake tonight as practice for my sister’s small wedding. It was DELICIOUS! I was wondering- when it says to add the flour mix and chai milk, do I do that using the electric mixer or fold them in using a spatula? Thanks again for this wonderful recipe!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 4, 2020 at 3:22 PM

      Hi Rida! So glad you loved it 🙂 I use a stand mixer to do that part, but a hand mixer will work fine.

      Reply
  13. Sherrie says

    August 29, 2020 at 3:54 PM

    For my 60th birthday this week, I am treating myself to the ultimate spice cake and your recipe looks great. I have 2 9″ cake pans, how much time do think they would take. I don’t want to be opening the doors to keep checking. I do not have cardamom so thought about replacing with chinese 5 spice or just leaving it out, thoughts?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 31, 2020 at 9:52 AM

      Hi Sherrie! The layers would be thinner in two 9″ pans, but it’s hard to say how long they would bake as ovens differ. I would take a look at them at 20mins and see how they are coming along. Cardamom is a key ingredient in Chai, but I think the Chinese 5 spice could be a unique and delicious addition. Let me know if you try it! And Happy Birthday! 🙂

      Reply
  14. Betty says

    August 29, 2020 at 9:04 AM

    I’m really excited to try this recipe! I was just wondering if you can sub the spices for the contents of tea bags instead?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 29, 2020 at 3:33 PM

      Hi Betty! You can give that a try but you’d want to make sure they are ground to a fine powder. And I’m not totally sure how many you’d need to use!

      Reply
  15. Rebecca E says

    August 15, 2020 at 10:02 PM

    5 stars
    Easily the best cake I’ve EVER made. It came out perfect and delicious. Couldn’t be happier!!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 17, 2020 at 9:33 AM

      Yay! So happy you liked it 🙂

      Reply
  16. Susie J says

    July 26, 2020 at 7:59 PM

    4 stars
    Delicious spice mix, but the cake seemed a bit dense. I’m wondering if I overmixed the batter, activating the gluten. I read “mix until fully incorporated”, so did so, but I know typically you mix until “just incorporated”, with a few lumps being okay. Thoughts?

    I also paired this with German buttercream instead and it was a delicious pairing!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      July 27, 2020 at 2:06 PM

      Hi Susie! I do like my cakes more on the dense side vs light & fluffy, but they should not be *too* dense. Overly dense cakes can be from overmixing the cake batter once the flour is added — it develops too much gluten. I often fold in the last little bits by hand. Otherwise, how do you measure your flour? I always recommend spooning flour into the cup and leveling it off rather than using the cup to scoop it. The latter can add too much flour to a recipe.

      Reply
  17. Money says

    July 23, 2020 at 11:32 AM

    Hi Olivia! How deep are your 6 inch pans? I am looking to purchase them right now however I see 2 inch deep and 3 inch deep.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      July 24, 2020 at 10:15 AM

      Hi Money! Mine are all 2″ tall and the cakes bake right to the top. 3″ tall ones will work fine too!

      Reply
  18. Uzma says

    July 22, 2020 at 8:51 AM

    Hi! If you aren’t a fan of super sweet frosting, can we use less sugar in the frosting? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Uzma says

      July 22, 2020 at 9:01 AM

      To clarify, I meant that it shouldn’t affect the frosting, right? It will still be stable and usable?

      Reply
    • Olivia says

      July 22, 2020 at 3:49 PM

      Hi Uzma! I wouldn’t reduce the sugar here as the frosting is already very soft and cutting back on the sugar would make it softer.

      Reply
      • Uzma says

        July 22, 2020 at 4:35 PM

        Okay, thank you!

        Reply
  19. Uzma says

    July 15, 2020 at 11:31 AM

    LOL I’m so so so so sooo sorry, one last question! If I were to make this in the 8 inch pans and have four layers to my cake (cutting the two cakes in half), is there enough frosting or should I make a double batch just to be safe? Thank you for your patience 🙂 <3

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      July 15, 2020 at 3:01 PM

      I would 1.5x the frosting just to be safe, but I always prefer too much frosting rather than not enough!

      Reply
      • Uzma says

        July 15, 2020 at 7:41 PM

        Same, I would rather have more than less! Thank you so much!!! 🙂

        Reply
  20. Uzma says

    July 15, 2020 at 8:01 AM

    Hiii!!! I have another question! Say I don’t have 6 inch pans, should I change the serving size at the bottom from 12 to 14 to use two 8 inch pans or do you suggest I just buy three 6 inch pans?
    Thank you so much!!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      July 15, 2020 at 9:26 AM

      Hi Uzma! The recipe as-is will work fine for two 8″ pans. The baking time might be slightly shorter.

      Reply
      • Uzma says

        July 15, 2020 at 9:51 AM

        Ohh, perfect! Thank you so much! I’m so excited to make this! 💗
        –
        I’ll def tag you on my post! I tagged you on my black forest post and you saw it, it made me so happy!!! 🥰

        Reply
  21. Uzma says

    July 13, 2020 at 12:40 PM

    Hi!
    I want to make this cake for Eid (July 31st), I was wondering if I could use tea bags in milk in the recipe instead of buying the leaves because my family drinks chai from tea bags, so we have a lot. Is that what the recipe meant? Use 2 teabags in 1 1/2 cups of milk for the same effect?
    –
    Uzma

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      July 14, 2020 at 9:29 AM

      Hi Uzma! Yes, you can just use the tea bags. And yes, that is what I meant 😀

      Reply
      • Uzma says

        July 14, 2020 at 12:39 PM

        Awesome!!! Thank you so much! I’m such a huge fan of your blog and recipes! I can’t wait to try this one out soon!!! 💗

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          July 15, 2020 at 9:15 AM

          I hope you love it! Let me know 🙂

          Reply
  22. Aanchal Gupta says

    July 3, 2020 at 11:12 PM

    I am planning to make cupcakes out of this. How many cupcakes will it make? Also will the frosting measurements mentioned here will be enough ? Or should i reduce it?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      July 6, 2020 at 9:15 AM

      Hi Aanchal! It should make 18-24 depending on size. The frosting here should be enough!

      Reply
  23. Gurpreet says

    June 25, 2020 at 1:42 AM

    Hi Olivia , This cake looks sooooo good. I am planning to bake this cake, was going through the ingredients, wondering what is All Spice ? Can we make it at home if it’s not available in the supermarkets.? What are the ingredients required? Also was wondering as it is just 1/2 a tsp of all spices , can we skip it or is it going to effect the taste?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      June 25, 2020 at 10:01 AM

      Hi Gurpreet! Allspice is a berry from the Jamaican Bayberry Tree. It has a similar flavour to the combination of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. You can make it yourself at home. Here’s a recipe for it: https://anitalianinmykitchen.com/homemade-allspice/

      Reply
      • Gurpreet says

        October 5, 2020 at 10:06 PM

        Ohk ….thank you ! 😊

        Reply
  24. Lisa says

    May 18, 2020 at 10:50 AM

    5 stars
    Sounds delish! Any thoughts about baking in a bundt pan or 9×13 pan….all I have.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      May 19, 2020 at 10:14 AM

      Hi Lisa! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html

      Reply
  25. Gina says

    April 26, 2020 at 11:35 AM

    I don’t have smaller cake pans but wanted to use a smaller higher design like you.

    Do you think I can use glass pans and place them in a water bath to achieve even baking and a flat cake?

    Thanks, Gina

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      April 26, 2020 at 4:25 PM

      Hi Gina! I haven’t tried that myself so I’m not sure if that would work. You could give it a try though!

      Reply
  26. Kathleen says

    February 15, 2020 at 6:38 AM

    5 stars
    This cake is SO perfect! I was apprehensive about the amount of spice, as it thought it would be too much, but it’s just right! Awesome for all occasions. Yum in every way!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      February 15, 2020 at 3:20 PM

      Hi Kathleen! So happy to hear you loved it. Thanks for the feedback!

      Reply
  27. Amber says

    January 6, 2020 at 5:55 PM

    5 stars
    I never write reviews but felt obligated to review this cake as I just made this cake and it is sooo delicious! Only thing I Added was a squeeze of lemon into the icing. Thank you so much for sharing this — I will definitely be making it again!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 8, 2020 at 4:36 PM

      Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review, Amber! I really appreciate it. I’m so happy you liked this cake!

      Reply
  28. Hope says

    December 23, 2019 at 7:20 AM

    I was planning on making this cake for a family gathering! I was wondering if you had any ideas of how to just add a little bit of crunch in between the layers. Also, would caramel go well with this dessert?
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      December 23, 2019 at 10:55 AM

      Hi Hope! You could make a streusel of sorts to go between the layers. Like this but with regular sugar (https://livforcake.com/maple-cake/). I think caramel would go really well. Let me know how it turns out 🙂

      Reply
  29. Tammy says

    September 21, 2019 at 6:13 AM

    Could you use a nondairy milk to make the Chai Tea?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 23, 2019 at 10:34 AM

      Hi Tammy! For sure! That would work great.

      Reply
  30. Vanessa says

    September 13, 2019 at 12:51 PM

    Thanks for sharing! How far ahead of time can I make it?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 16, 2019 at 9:23 AM

      Hi Vanessa! The cake will be fine in the fridge for a day or two, but any longer it will start to dry out. You also freeze the whole cake for longer though, as long as it’s properly wrapped.

      Reply
  31. Suzanne says

    September 13, 2019 at 12:50 PM

    This looks so good! What a great fall dessert for a shower or brunch!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 16, 2019 at 9:22 AM

      Hi Suzanne! I think so too! I hope you try it 🙂

      Reply
  32. Clare says

    August 13, 2019 at 11:55 AM

    5 stars
    I don’t normally leave comments, but I just made this cake and brought it into work and I’ve gotten so many compliments! I bring baked goods to work all the time, but this is probably the most compliments I’ve ever gotten. The cake is full of spice, but the cream cheese frosting gives it that balance. I would highly recommend this!

    I followed this recipe to a “tea” (pun intended), but baked it in two 9″ rounds as I didn’t have 6″ rounds. Baked them for 20 min and they were perfect. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 14, 2019 at 3:56 PM

      Hi Clare! First of all, thank you for taking the time to leave a comment, I really appreciate it! Second, I’m so happy to hear everyone loved it! Thanks for your tips re: baking in the 9″ pans 🙂

      Reply
  33. Richard says

    August 11, 2019 at 4:24 AM

    How long does it take to bake in a 8inch pan without separate it?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 12, 2019 at 1:42 PM

      Hi Richard! You’d need a 4″ tall 8″ pan if you wanted to bake it all at once. I’m honestly not sure on time, probably around an hour but maybe longer.

      Reply
  34. Sara says

    April 24, 2019 at 9:05 AM

    This cake looks amazing! Would you make any adjustments for this cake at high altitude?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      April 26, 2019 at 1:08 PM

      Hi Sara! I haven’t baked at High Alt myself before, but here’s some good tips to follow. It might require some experimenting. https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html

      Reply
  35. Krista says

    January 28, 2019 at 12:48 PM

    5 stars
    Thanks so much for a great recipe! I baked it in 9inch pans, (2 recipes for 6 layers) only 20minutes bake time. Layered them with Mascarpone whipped cream & cardamom/wine poached pear slices. Your cream cheese frosting on the outside & decorated with colored dried pear slices. It was a huge hit & the entire cake was devoured in one birthday party evening! I’ll be making it again & look forward to trying more of your recipes in the future! 😃

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 28, 2019 at 4:48 PM

      Hi Krista! Happy to hear that you liked it! And thanks so much for all your tips 🙂

      Reply
  36. Amanda says

    January 18, 2019 at 8:15 AM

    Did you use 6 inch pans that are 2inches tall or 3 inches tall?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 18, 2019 at 9:39 AM

      Hi Amanda! For this cake they were 2″ tall.

      Reply
  37. David says

    November 25, 2018 at 10:05 AM

    Do you think this would work in loaf pans, or would it not rise enough, or be raw in the center ? It sounds delicious, and I was thinking of something diffetant for Christmas dinner. Thank you !

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 28, 2018 at 2:28 PM

      Hi David! You’d need to bake it for longer but it would totally work in loaf pans!

      Reply
  38. Arre says

    November 25, 2018 at 7:03 AM

    5 stars
    Hey, Olivia! I would love to make this cake but have no access to cake flour. Is it possible to use just lain flour instead?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 28, 2018 at 2:25 PM

      Hi Arre! I used all-purpose flour for the recipe, but either works!

      Reply
  39. Lauren says

    October 3, 2018 at 10:46 AM

    5 stars
    I made this cake for an office birthday party. It was a huge hit! There’s not really a simple way to explain its flavor because it’s so beautifully complex. The spices are nicely layered and in perfect amounts. I can’t wait to make it again! Thank you, Liv!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 5, 2018 at 10:21 AM

      Hi Lauren! So happy to hear it was a hit!! Glad you liked it 🙂

      Reply
  40. Randa says

    September 30, 2018 at 8:59 AM

    Hi , this looks and sounds amazing 😉.. my question is we are gluten free and what flour would you recommend as a substitute for regular flour.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 1, 2018 at 12:08 PM

      Hi Randa! Any all-purpose gluten free flour blend should work!

      Reply
  41. Amanda says

    September 25, 2018 at 9:22 AM

    I made a tester cake of this today because I plan on making it for an anniversary party this weekend. The flavors are very good but I found the cake to be a tad dry. What can I do different to help this? Thanks a bunch.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 27, 2018 at 1:54 PM

      Hi Amanda! Is it possible it was overbaked a bit? You can always brush a simple syrup over the baked layers to add a bit more moisture if you like.

      Reply
      • Doreen says

        December 2, 2018 at 6:35 AM

        That was going to be my question, as usually in my opinion, Cakes with butter tend to be a bit dryer than a cake with oil or buttermilk in my opinion. I have been asked to make this for a friend’s Christmas and there is nothing worse than dry cake. I will try a test run with and without simple syrup.

        Reply
  42. Lin says

    May 15, 2018 at 7:11 PM

    I made this for mother’s day and the taste was great but it didn’t rise very much. I think the biggest culprit is that my baking powder was probably old but I’m wondering if this is meant to have a dense structure?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      May 17, 2018 at 3:11 PM

      Hi Lin! It should not be too dense, no. The baking powder could be a culprit. Also make sure to not overmix the cake batter!

      Reply
  43. Megan Talbott says

    May 4, 2018 at 6:37 AM

    I would like to make these into cupcakes for 60 or so. I see from other comments that you suggest baking them at the same temperature and checking after 15 minutes. Do you have any tips about doubling or tripling the recipe? Do you think it would just be proportional or would there be other adjustments? Thanks for your ideas. This will be for my husband’s 50th birthday party and he just loves chai and also spice cake, so I’m hoping it works out well.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      May 4, 2018 at 3:34 PM

      Hi Megan! The recipe as is should make about 24 cupcakes (ish), so you would probably want to make 3 batches. Although, maybe start with just doubling it and see how many cupcakes you get? Depending in the size, it might make enough 🙂 I’ve never 3x a recipe before (my mixer couldn’t handle it!) and I know there could be issues when scaling up so much so it might be safer to double and start there.

      Reply
    • Olivia says

      May 4, 2018 at 3:35 PM

      Err no, bad math on my part. 2.5x the recipe not 3x unless you want a crazy amt of leftovers 🙂 You can use the slider in the Servings in the recipe to adjust for size.

      Reply
  44. Ferjana says

    April 15, 2018 at 6:09 PM

    5 stars
    This cake was delicious! The perfect amount of spices and chai flavor. I made half the recipe and it made 12 decent sized cupcakes. I didn’t make the frosting but I am sure it’s good 🙂

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      April 16, 2018 at 2:40 PM

      Hi Ferjana! I’m so glad you liked it 🙂

      Reply
  45. Arlie says

    April 5, 2018 at 12:27 PM

    I made this into cupcakes, and they were amazing! Thank you so much for this recipe 🙂

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      April 5, 2018 at 4:43 PM

      So glad you liked it Arlie!

      Reply
  46. Gigi says

    January 24, 2018 at 7:39 AM

    5 stars
    Delicious! Made this last night and it could not have come out better. Yum.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 25, 2018 at 3:27 PM

      Hi Gigi! So happy to hear that you liked it! 😀

      Reply
  47. Ella says

    November 18, 2017 at 1:28 PM

    5 stars
    This is delicious! I have made it twice and it has turned out perfectly each time.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 19, 2017 at 10:02 AM

      Hi Ella! I’m so happy to hear this! Thanks for the feedback 🙂

      Reply
  48. bridget says

    November 6, 2017 at 2:03 AM

    5 stars
    Love it! so original and pretty decoration.
    But the gooseberries are actually Peruvian ground cherries or in Spanish “ahuaymanto”.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 6, 2017 at 10:48 AM

      Thanks so much Bridget! It’s the same thing, they are called Cape Gooseberries here.

      Reply
  49. Amy says

    October 16, 2017 at 1:13 PM

    Would this work for cupcakes?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 17, 2017 at 9:15 AM

      Hi Amy! Yes, but you’d have to adjust the baking time to 15-20mins or so.

      Reply
      • Lauren says

        October 23, 2017 at 11:51 AM

        5 stars
        How many cupcakes do you think this would make? I’m trying to figure out if I should double the recipe or not for 24 cupcakes…

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          October 23, 2017 at 8:16 PM

          Hi Lauren! I’ve never made this into cupcakes, so I’m not 100% sure on the yield, but I would imagine about 20 or so, give or take? Bake at the same temperature, but check them after 15mins or so as they may be done by then.

          Reply
  50. Cindy Rodriguez says

    October 13, 2017 at 11:15 AM

    Such a gorgeous cake! I love chai tea so am sure this will taste so delicious. I can’t believe how many stores you had to go to for the deco but it was so worth it. It’s perfect for fall!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 14, 2017 at 1:43 PM

      Thanks Cindy! It was a trek but it was worth it 🙂

      Reply
  51. Valeriya says

    October 11, 2017 at 8:37 PM

    5 stars
    OMG – your struggle of 8+ stores to make 1 cake is so familar. I live in Hong Kong and thought only we are doomed here. In a strange way nice to know other cities struggle in availability and consistency of availability of simple items. Beautiful cakes – will try making one for this weekend’s belated Canadian Thanksgiving Party :))

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 12, 2017 at 4:42 PM

      Hah! I am glad to know I’m not alone!! I feel like people that live in the US have easy access to SO much more than we have here. It can be frustrating. And thank you! Let me know which one you end up making and how you like it 🙂

      Reply
  52. Susan Sands says

    October 11, 2017 at 7:46 PM

    This looks amazing!! I absolutely love Chai and would love to try this cake! I don’t have any 6″ cake pans at the moment..do you think this would work with 2-9″ pans instead?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 12, 2017 at 4:41 PM

      Hi Susan! I think the cake layers will be too thin in 9″ pans. Maybe 1.5x the recipe if you’re trying that? Only fill the pans 2/3rds full and if you have extra batter you can always make cupcakes 🙂

      Reply
      • Ruth-Ann says

        February 19, 2018 at 2:45 PM

        How about 8″ pans? I’d love to try this recipe but only have 8″ and 9″ pans.

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          February 19, 2018 at 4:55 PM

          This recipe will work as is in two 8″ pans 🙂

          Reply
          • Ruth-Ann says

            February 20, 2018 at 8:02 AM

            Awesome!! On my list now… I just have to remember that my frosting won’t look even an 1/8th as nice as yours. 🙂

          • Olivia says

            February 21, 2018 at 3:54 PM

            I bet it will look just fine and the important thing is how it tastes 🙂

          • Ruth-Ann says

            March 30, 2018 at 8:32 PM

            5 stars
            Do you think it would work in the heritage or blossom pans? Thanks!

          • Olivia says

            April 2, 2018 at 3:04 PM

            Hi Ruth-Ann! Yes, I think it would work well with either of those, though it might not bake up to the top of the pans.

      • Sam Kwon says

        April 23, 2020 at 7:33 AM

        If I want to do three layers with 9” pans, do you recommend doubling the recipe?

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          April 23, 2020 at 9:30 AM

          Hi Sam! Yes, I would double the recipe for three 9″ pans. The layers might be slightly thinner, so reduce baking time if needed.

          Reply
  53. Elaine Cobb says

    October 10, 2017 at 8:13 AM

    5 stars
    This cake looks so yummy and beautiful. I love Chai tea. I must try it in this cake. Thank you.
    I love your recipes!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 10, 2017 at 10:20 AM

      Thanks so much Elaine! I hope you like it 🙂

      Reply
  54. Linda Szymoniak says

    October 9, 2017 at 11:04 PM

    This sounds wonderful, although I’d have to omit the anise from the garnish. Can’t stand the stuff myself, although it is pretty.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 10, 2017 at 10:19 AM

      Hi Linda! I can’t stand it either!! The smell is horrible, but it looked so pretty that I made do for the pics 🙂

      Reply
  55. Lovefoodies says

    October 9, 2017 at 1:31 PM

    5 stars
    This looks so beautiful and the decorations are perfect! I’m a huge fan of mascarpone frosting as I like a less sweet cake (must be the British side of me!). I’m going to try this cake when I get my new kitchen finished. I can smell the lovely aromas now!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 10, 2017 at 10:20 AM

      Thanks so much Mary! Cheese frostings are really delicious, and they contrast well with the sweetness of the cakes like you say. I hope you like it! 🙂

      Reply
  56. Sue says

    October 9, 2017 at 11:28 AM

    I think that the fruit you used as a garnish is really ground cherries a relative of Chinese Lantern and tomatillos. The husk around the fruit is indicative. Gooseberries are naked on the bush fruits more like a current type fruit. Either way the result is beautiful.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 9, 2017 at 11:56 AM

      Hi Sue! Thank you! I think they’re actually called Cape Gooseberries (http://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-deal-19-34637) which are related to the tomatillas.

      Reply
  57. Hakima says

    October 9, 2017 at 6:23 AM

    YAAAAAAAAASSS!

    I LOVE Chai. My dad is from South Yemen, and they make a similar chai. For mine, I only add cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg.

    Anyway, this looks amazing and I have all the ingredients, so soon, I shall be making this cake!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 9, 2017 at 11:51 AM

      Yay!! I hope you like this one 😀 Let me know how it turns out!

      Reply
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I'm Olivia, a professionally trained pastry chef, recipe developer, and photographer from Vancouver, BC. Creating classic cake recipes with a modern twist.
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