Chai Cake with Orange Curd and Cinnamon Frosting
Ingredients
For the Chai Milk:
- 1 1/2 cups milk (355 ml)
- 2 chai teabags
For the Chai Cake:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purrpose flour (250 g)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/8 tsp finely ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup oil (118 ml)
- 1 cup sugar (200 g)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (50 g)
- 3 large eggs room temp
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup chai milk (237 ml) room temp
For the Orange Curd:
- 2 large eggs not separated, room temp
- 1 1/2 tsp orange zest (1/2 of a large orange)
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice (60 ml) from 1 large or 2 medium oranges
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1/4 cup sugar (50 g)
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 tbsp butter (43 g) softened
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
For the Cinnamon Frosting:
- 1 cup butter (227 g) softened
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 1/3 cups confectioner's sugar (400 g)
- 1/4 cup buttermilk (60 ml)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
Chai Milk:
- Add the milk to a 2 qt saucepan. Snip open the 2 chai bags and add them to the milk, then cook on medium heat until the milk comes to a simmer. Continue to simmer for about 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the milk sit for at least 20 minutes to infuse the tea.
- Strain the milk through a sieve. You should be left with about 1 cup of chai milk. If you have any extra, reserve it for another use.
Chai Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350° F (180 C) and grease and flour (or spray) 2 9-inch (23 cm) cake pans and line them with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, and black pepper. Stir these together until they are well mixed.
- In another large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Once these are well combined, whisk in the chai milk.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, about 3/4 a cup at a time, whisking gently each time until the flour is incorporated. Be careful not to overmix.
- Divide the batter into the two cake pans and bake them at 350° F (180° C) for 23-25 minutes, or until the tops of the cakes spring back when you poke them lightly.
Orange Curd:
- In a medium bowl, whisk the 2 whole eggs until the whites and yolks are well combined. Zest the oranges, then juice them. Mix the cornstarch into the orange juice first, then add the sugar, orange juice mixture, orange zest, and salt to a small saucepan.
- Cook on medium low heat until the mixture begins to bubble and thicken. Remove the pan from the heat and ladle or pour it slowly into the eggs, whisking constantly.
- Return the saucepan to low heat and cook, whisking constantly. The curd will thicken further once it reaches about 160° F (71° C.) At this point, remove it from the heat. Stir in the cubed butter and vanilla extract while it is still hot.
- Let it cool at room temperature for about 20 minutes, then move it to a wide, shallow bowl. Cover it with paper or plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming, and chill it in the refrigerator for at least a 1 1/2 hours.
Cinnamon Frosting
- Add the butter to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until is is fluffy. Add the salt and about 1 cup of the confectioner's sugar and continue mixing until it is well combined. Next, add about half the buttermilk and mix well, then mix in the cinnamon and half of the remaining flour, scraping the bowl in between additions. Mix in the remaining buttermilk, and then, finally, mix in the rest of the sugar.
Assembly
- Remove the cakes from their pans. If the tops have formed domes, carve them off so that they are flat. Place one of the cake layers on a plate or cake board. Using a pastry bag, pipe a ring of the frosting around the edge. Pour the orange curd and spread using a rubber spatula so that it fills in the circle. Place the second cake layer on top, then frost. Store the cake in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.