Golden Chai Layer Cake

Golden Chai Layer Cake

I have two special treats to share today! The first is this golden chai cake, which is richly spiced with cinnamon, cardamom and ginger. It’s covered in honey-cream cheese frosting and together that makes  the cake reminiscent of my favorite cup of tea. The second treat is a fun giveaway sponsored by Fair Trade brands. One lucky reader will receive a big box of Fair Trade products and ingredients in honor of Mother’s Day!

Each year at Mother’s Day I partner with Fair Trade USA to help raise awareness about the important work they do to empower women. Did you know that women produce half of the world’s food yet only own 2% of land? (Wow!) Fair Trade provides women with resources to start businesses and helps provide maternity leave and childcare. This helps increase educational opportunities and better medical care for their families. All we have to do to help this effort is to buy Fair Trade brands! It’s so easy – it’s a no-brainer!

Here’s a quick how-to video with some very dramatic Chopin music (Fantaisie Impromptu, if anyone is interested). I think it’s good to have a visual when building a tall layer cake such as this one.

Golden Chai Layer Cake

How seriously adorable is the printed Chuao chocolate bar on this cake? It makes a fitting decoration because the dark chocolate has crisp bits of caramelized honey throughout.

Golden Chai Layer Cake

The frosting is lovely with a hint of honey. Like most cream cheese frosting, it’s soft (not stiff) so filling and frosting your layers may cause some wobbling to-and-fro. Just be sure to chill the cake well and the frosting will set firm.

Golden Chai Layer Cake

The Fair Trade ingredients in this cake are Numi Golden Chai, Frontier Cinnamon, Chuao Honeycomb Dark Chocolate Bar, and Guittard Semisweet Chocolate Chips.

Golden Chai Layer Cake

One more thing – the participating Fair Trade bloggers are having a friendly pinning competition May 7-14th. Check out our Pinterest Board to find new delicious recipes, and pin your favorites!

Special thanks to the Fair Trade Certified companies that made this giveaway possible! Please visit their websites for more product info: 

Wholesome!, KashiNumiGuittardChuaoFrontierSpectrum

ImmaculateSun Ridge FarmsSheila G’s.

Golden Chai Layer Cake

Heather Baird
I made this cake in three 6-inch cake pans, but you can also use two 8-inch pans, which is a more standard size. Use about a 6 tea bags steeped in 2 cups of water to make the strongly brewed tea required for this recipe. Leftover tea can be used in the frosting to thin the icing to spreading consistency.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

Cake:

  • 1/2 cup 1/4 lb. unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 3/4 cups 350g sugar
  • 3 eggs at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups 255g all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon Frontier ground cinnamon
  • 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cups 300 ml strongly brewed Numi golden chai tea

Frosting:

  • 1/2 cup 1/4 lb. unsalted butter, softened
  • 8 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1 lb. confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 teaspoons wildflower honey

Ganache and décor:

  • 6 ounces Guittard semisweet chocolate chips
  • 5 ounces heavy whipping cream
  • Rosemary sprigs
  • 6 oz. Fresh raspberries
  • 1 Chuao honeycomb dark chocolate bar
  • and other assorted chocolates

Instructions
 

  • Make the cakes: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray three 6-inch pans with flour-based baking spray (or grease and flour pans).
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt and add to the mixer bowl in three batches alternating with the strongly brewed golden chai. Begin and end with flour. Scrape down the bowl and beat again on high speed for 1 minute.
  • Divide the batter evenly into pans no more than 2/3 full. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a tooth pick tester comes out clean when inserted into the centers. Let the cakes cool slightly in the pans. Remove and let them cool completely on a wire rack. Level the cakes if needed (these don’t crown much). Use a cake leveler or a large serrated knife to cut each cake layer in half horizontally so that you have 6 layers.
  • Make the frosting: Combine the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until combined. Add sugar and honey. Beat again until well incorporated. If frosting is too stiff to spread, add cooled chai tea 1 tablespoon at a time until spreading consistency.
  • Fill layers with frosting and stack. Insert a long skewer or lollipop stick into the center of the cake to stabilize the cake for frosting the outside. Cover the outside of the cake with frosting and remove most of it using a bench scraper or cake smoother. Chill until firmly set, about 2 hours.
  • Make the ganache: In a heat-proof microwave-safe bowl, combine the cream and chocolate. Heat at 30 second intervals until the mixture can be stirred smooth. Let cool slightly. Pour the ganache onto the center of the chilled cake and push some of the ganache toward the edges with the back of a spoon creating a ‘drip’ effect.
  • Garnish the top of the cake with fresh rosemary, raspberries and chocolate bar. Store cake in the refrigerator loosely covered in plastic wrap.
Keyword golden chai, honeycomb chocolate bar, wildflower honey
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Holly Seely
Holly Seely
6 years ago

What a wonderful recipe for Mother's Day! My mother always appreciates something homemade on this holiday, and as children my sister and I always jumped at the opportunity to bake something for her–especially from that ancient Better Homes & Gardens illustrated cookbook! If I were able to get my hands on the fair trade items available in this giveaway, I would infuse brownies with chai and coffee flavors (coffee is a must to really bring out the earthiness of chocolate); continue to perfect my pie crust made with coconut oil; and even attempt some chai kombucha, as I recently started… Read more »

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
6 years ago
Reply to  Holly Seely

I have that book and I LOVE IT.

((Good luck with your kombucha!)) xo

Coco Cake Land
Coco Cake Land
6 years ago

Woh, great little video – I've never put tea into a batter like that, so cool! Also, good call on the dowel for tall layers and chilling cakes with creamcheese frosting! Thank you for bringing my attention to these Fair Trade brands, too – off to explore more brands. XO

Coco Cake Land
Coco Cake Land
6 years ago

Whoops I would definitely make some beautiful chocolate dessert … ^__^ and try your tea-infused batter method! xo

Lacey
Lacey
6 years ago

I would make my go-to chocolate chip cookies!

Chrisi
Chrisi
6 years ago

My brain went to brownies, as well, only I was thinking of combining the chocolate and cinnamon! I love using cinnamon as a flavor-enhancer – I even put it in my coffee!

Danielle
Danielle
6 years ago

I love to bake, so I would love using these ingredients! I make birthday treats for my coworkers and have one coming up, so I'm planning to make her favorite vanilla scones!

Ann
Ann
6 years ago

Yum! With those ingredients I'd make cookies for days!

Anonymous
Anonymous
6 years ago

I would definitely start by making this cake! And then cookies, and cups of tea, and ice cream. =)

Anonymous
Anonymous
6 years ago

Tempted to try this in cupcakes, do you foresee any issues with that? Other than adjusting baking time to probably more like 20-25 minutes.

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
6 years ago
Reply to  Anonymous

I believe I just answered your question on FB 🙂 but I'll answer here too in case someone else has the same question.

These would work well as cupcakes! I feel that they'd be done at around 20 minutes but everyone's oven is different. I'd estimate a range of 17-25 minutes. Thanks for asking!

Rusthawk
Rusthawk
6 years ago

I would make chocolate chip snickerdoodles.

T. Koeneman
T. Koeneman
6 years ago

What would I make with those delicious products — the problem is what WOULDN'T I bake with all of that? I love this. I would love to figure out some kind of honey cake. <3 Love your blog. Thanks for sharing your beautiful work.

Unknown
Unknown
6 years ago

I loooooove chai too! I was going to make a chai cake with condensed milk frosting.

Leah | So, How's It Taste?
Leah | So, How's It Taste?
6 years ago

I would definitely make something with chocolate! Although this cake has me inspired to do something with tea!

Ace @ the toasted sprinkle
Ace @ the toasted sprinkle
6 years ago

An over the top decorated cake for my mom's birthday (but I'd save the Chuao chocolate bars for myself)

Jessie
Jessie
6 years ago

Oh yum this cake looks so goooood! If I win this, I will make a chocolate tart for my mom for mother's day! It's her favorite and good chocolate makes all the difference. <3

Bethany, Rob and Ben
Bethany, Rob and Ben
6 years ago

Looks like a Mother's Day cake to me! 🙂

Unknown
Unknown
6 years ago

That cake sounds amazing! I'm not a coffee drinker, so I'm always on the lookout for great Chai flavors in desserts.

Winddove
Winddove
6 years ago

Delightful! A beautiful piece of art and I am sure tasty too! A lil' sunshine for us all! Thank you! I endorse and support free-trade and this package looks amazing too. Pure indulgence too! 🙂

Unknown
Unknown
6 years ago

I would love to make the same cake actually but maybe with cinnamon frosting! Definitely supporting free trade and thanks for posting!

Jacey
Jacey
6 years ago

Ugh, I love everything chai flavored. For Christmas I went nuts making chai snickerdoodles. This looks like an excellent chai cake. I think I'd probably have to attempt some chai sticky buns or chai cinnamon rolls for a homemade brunch.

All That's Left Are The Crumbs
All That's Left Are The Crumbs
6 years ago

I love to bake, so definitely a dessert.

bryn
bryn
6 years ago

I'll be making making this cake. That frosting alone looks wayyyyy too tempting

Lita
Lita
6 years ago

This cake and especially the frosting sound wonderful. I am making this soon.!! I love chai-spiced anything, but especially my tea in the mornings. Would love this lovely package of goodies.

Wishes for tasty dishes,
Linda

Anonymous
Anonymous
6 years ago

I've been having a serious cookie craving, so I'd definitely bake some cookies 🙂

Jade
Jade
6 years ago

That cake is lovely! And I ❤️ Chai… actually I might drink some now!

I would probably make cookies too !

Unknown
Unknown
6 years ago

I'd make cookies! Lots of them! 🙂

Anonymous
Anonymous
6 years ago

This cake looks delicious, but I'm just not a fan of chai tea. Do you think it would work with earl gray tea instead?

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
6 years ago
Reply to  Anonymous

The same brewing technique would work well, but I recommend using Earl Greyer which is a little more fragrant than regular Earl Grey.

Earl Grey is a bit less pungent than spicy golden chai. Thanks for asking!

Nicole
Nicole
6 years ago

What a beautiful cake! I love frosting – if I want this to be a fully frosted cake (vs. the naked look) should I double the frosting recipe? Thank you!

Unknown
Unknown
6 years ago

Definitely would do this cake love chai

NanW
NanW
6 years ago

This cake looks fantastic! I'd bake chocolate things…. cookies, brownies, cupcakes…yum!

muffin
muffin
6 years ago

Definitely would make this chai cake.

Anton
Anton
6 years ago

I really want to make a chai spice cake! This looks fantastic. I love, love, love Guittard's chocolate chips and use them for everything. I just got some black cocoa, so I want to do chocolate chocolate chip cookies!

lydia
lydia
6 years ago

i'd veganise this cake!!! looks incredible

Amy S.
Amy S.
6 years ago

I'd make chocolate chip cookies. Or this chai cake!

jaxinthebox
jaxinthebox
6 years ago

I would make honey s'mores cupcakes with chocolate marshmallow frosting! Yum!

Reds Creations
Reds Creations
6 years ago

This sounds absolutely amazing! Thankfully I can find dairy free products for any dairy you have listed so I can make this! Yay! And I can't wait to try that dark chocolate, filled with honey sounds heavenly!

Kelsey Lund
Kelsey Lund
6 years ago

I'd make chocolate chip cookies!!

Joe
Joe
6 years ago

I would like to make this cake!

Sarah
Sarah
6 years ago

Making lovely, lovely cakes and cookies!

Unknown
Unknown
6 years ago

This is stunning! I definitely need this cake in my life!

Hexanes
Hexanes
6 years ago

I'd bake some chocolate chip pancakes and have all my friends over to eat them.

Anonymous
Anonymous
6 years ago

I would definitely try making this cake if I won these lovely ingredients! However I might just eat the chocolate barks as is, hehe

Courtney
Courtney
6 years ago

I'd love to try this beautiful Chai layer cake!

Unknown
Unknown
6 years ago

Thank you so very much for bringing attention to Fair Trade. I'm proud to be a part of a company that is Fair Trade certified.

Lori
Lori
6 years ago

That looks delicious! I love the honey and cinnamon combo. I've been wanting to make cinnamon rolls lately, I would probably make those if I won these fun fair trade ingredients.

Jill
Jill
6 years ago

I love using tea in cake and cookie recipes. I really want to try this cake sounds absolutely wonderful and full of flavor.

Marisa
Marisa
6 years ago

A nice rich chocolate torte for me!

Kerry
Kerry
6 years ago

This looks amazing/amazingamazing!

imbigwillie
imbigwillie
6 years ago

I would make cookies!

Nataly Carbonell
Nataly Carbonell
6 years ago

I'd make some chocolate lava cake.