One of my favorite holiday flavors is Chai. The spicy scent and flavor is the epitome of getting cozy during winter. I will admit that after my pumpkin craze is fully out of my system then I go chai mad! My obsession of my Chai Spiced Cinnamon Rolls has now veered over to this chai bundt cake.
When the holidays are looming and I know my mother is coming to town, you may remember from my Banana Chocolate Marble Loaf post that I get a little nuts preparing for her stay! I clean my house about three times and prepare a stellar butter cake like this one or Great Grandma Sophia’s Butter Cake!
This snazzy bundt cake is a cream cheese pound cake on a chai high. It’s amazing! The spices of chai are infused into a creamy and luscious butter cake. But that’s not all! There is a soft cake crumb with a rich, crackly bundt crust that gets you all excited about dessert to the point you will be eating this for breakfast! That is how to sum up this chai bundt cake.
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Let’s Talk Bundt Cakes
Bundt cakes are all about that distinctive cake ring shape. The bundt cake, though inspired by Gugelhepf, a European yeast cake, was made popular in the USA when Nordic’s ware trademarked the famous “bundt” pan.
There are even original bundt pans in the Smithsonian!
Bundt cakes are a staple at every function I’ve ever been to throughout my life! You cannot hide from the bundt! Not that I would ever want to.
The design of bundt pans create that perfectly sugary, almost crunchy crust. The only issue that ever arises with bundt a is how to get a cake out of a bundt pan without it sticking to the pan.
Because bundt pans have definitely evolved over the years, and there are some very intricate and ornate bundt pans these days. For this chai bundt cake, I cut the recipe in half and made a smaller cake using this 6-Cup Bundt Pan. However, one of the awesome aspects of this chai bundt cake recipe is that you can also double it to fit a standard size bundt pan like this one, Nordic Ware Platinum Collection Heritage Bundt Pan.
Chai Spice
Before I start baking, I always get my pan prepped, oven heated, and all of my ingredients out. The best way to get a bundt cake to slide right out of your bundt pans is very simple. Butter (or spray with cooking spray) the hell out of your pan, getting every single nook and cranny. Then dust it with flour so there’s a light flour coating. Remember: Every. Single. Nook. And Cranny!
When making cakes like this chai bundt cake, make sure that your ingredients are room temperature. Because using room temperature ingredients will ensure that the texture of your cake is soft, fluffy, and exact.
The holiday star of this chai bundt cake is the special homemade chai spice mix. This chai is a blend of ground spices including: cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, allspice, cloves, and black pepper. Blend up you chai spice mix and set it aside.
Using your Hand Mixer or a Stand Mixer , cream your butter and cream cheese for a moment before adding your granulated and brown sugars. Allow this to cream on speed 6 for at least 5 minutes, until pale in color and fluffy. Since this cake has the warm chai spices, the bit of brown sugar will enhance all of those beautiful flavors.
Then add your eggs and vanilla bean paste or extract. Cream another couple of minutes. Then take a moment to scrape down the bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together all of your dry ingredients, including the chai spice mix. Then with your mixer on the lowest setting, gradually add the dry ingredients until it is mixed to a batter. Next, just do a final folding with a spatula. Lastly, scoop the batter into your bundt pan. Since it is a thick batter, you cannot pour it evenly. You will need to spoon it in and spread it out a bit.
Bake The Bundt!
The 6 cup bundt cake always takes me about 45-50 minutes of baking time. It is important to let your bundt cake bake through until you get that cracked top and the moist crumb. Fun fact, bundt cakes will crack due to their density and the fact that the exterior of the cakes cook faster.
After baking, leave your bundt cake in the pan for no more than 15 minutes or it will start sticking to the pan.
Then the bundt cake slides right out! Cool it until you are ready to serve it. This chai bundt cake can be served warm or at room temperature.
Chai Bundt Cake Recipe
Chai Bundt Cake
This snazzy bundt cake is a cream cheese pound cake on a chai high. It’s amazing! The spices of chai are infused into a creamy and luscious butter cake. But that’s not all! There is a soft cake crumb with a rich, crackly bundt crust that gets you all excited about dessert to the point you will be eating this for breakfast! That is how to sum up this chai bundt cake.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 ounces cream cheese (full fat) room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1.5 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1.5 cups AP flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons chai spice see next step
Chai Spice Mix
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- pinch ground black pepper optional
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter up a 6 cup bundt pan and dust with flour. Set aside.
Make your chai spice mix.
With a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream your butter and cream cheese. Then add sugars and cream for a few minutes until pale and fluffy.
Then add eggs and vanilla and cream for a couple of minutes more.
Next, in a separate bowl, whisk together all of your dry ingredients and the chai spice mix.
Turn your mixer to the lowest setting before adding flour mixture. Whisk gently until it is just combined.
Then scoop the chai cake batter into the bundt pan. It will be very thick. It is supposed to be, so spoon it rather than trying to pour it out.
Lastly, bake it for about 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Allow to cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes before turning into a wire rack to finish cooling. Serve warm or at room temp. Sprinkle with a dusting of powdered sugar, if desired.
Tools For This Chai Bundt Cake Recipe
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