Description
This Vegan Chai Cake is a fragrant, moist dessert infused with warming chai spices like cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and nutmeg. Sweetened naturally with maple syrup and featuring a creamy cashew butter base, it’s a perfect plant-based treat ideal for any occasion. The cake is complemented optionally with a luscious vegan vanilla cream cheese frosting, making it both flavorful and comforting.
Ingredients
Scale
Chai Mixture
- 5 tablespoons loose chai tea or 5 chai tea bags
- â…“ cup oat milk (or other plant-based milk)
- ½ cup water (boiled)
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup smooth cashew butter (or smooth almond butter)
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- â…“ cup apple sauce
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour (sifted)
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder (sifted)
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda (sifted)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Optional
- ½ batch vegan vanilla cream cheese frosting
Instructions
- Prepare Pan and Oven: Line an 8×8″ square baking pan with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F) to ensure it reaches the right temperature for baking.
- Make Chai Infusion: Place loose chai tea or contents of chai tea bags into a saucepan along with oat milk and boiling water. Simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and let steep for another 5 minutes. Strain the mixture through a sieve to remove tea leaves and set aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the chai infusion with cashew butter, maple syrup, apple sauce, and vanilla extract. Whisk these together until the mixture is smooth and even.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Gently fold in the sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and ground spices (cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg) using a spatula. Be careful not to over-mix; it’s okay if a few flour pockets remain.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick or knife into the center; it should come out clean when the cake is ready.
- Cool the Cake: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for approximately 20 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Frost (Optional): While the cake cools, prepare the vegan vanilla cream cheese frosting if using. Once the cake is fully cooled, spread the frosting on top evenly.
- Storage: Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If refrigerated, bring the cake to room temperature before serving so the frosting softens.
Notes
- You can substitute almond butter for cashew butter if preferred.
- Adjust sweetness by varying maple syrup quantity slightly based on taste.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free blend and ensure baking powder is gluten-free.
- Using fresh spices will enhance the chai flavor significantly.
- Tea bags can be cut open if you want to avoid string tying or better infuse flavors.
- Ensure the cake is completely cool before frosting to avoid melting or sliding of frosting.
- Leftover cake can be frozen for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature before serving.
