Mrs Doyle's recipe: Chai-Spiced Tea Cake
Ingredients:
For the Cake:
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons loose leaf chai tea
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Glaze (optional):
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons brewed chai tea (reserved from the tea-infused milk)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions:
- Infuse the Milk:
- In a small saucepan, heat the milk until it's just about to boil.
- Remove from heat, add the loose leaf chai tea, and steep for 10 minutes.
- Strain the tea leaves, pressing them to extract as much flavor as possible. Let the chai-infused milk cool to room temperature.
- Preheat the Oven:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan or an 8x8-inch square pan.
- Prepare the Dry Ingredients:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and cloves.
- Cream the Butter and Sugar:
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Mix in the vanilla extract.
- Combine the Ingredients:
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the chai-infused milk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Bake the Cake:
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the Glaze (Optional):
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, brewed chai tea, and cinnamon until smooth.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake.
- Serve:
- Slice and enjoy this chai-spiced tea cake with a warm cup of chai or your favorite tea.
This chai-spiced tea cake is rich with the warming flavors of cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and cloves, making it perfect for cozy afternoons or festive gatherings. The subtle chai infusion in both the cake and glaze adds a delightful depth of flavor that's sure to impress.
