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chai coffee cake

Chai Coffee Cake

This Chai Coffee Cake is a classic coffee cake filled and topped with a warm, exotic chai spice blend. It’s an ideal fall breakfast and warms you from the inside out!

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the chai spice blend:

  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 1 tsp cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp cloves
  • 1/4 tsp coriander

For the cake:

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg + 1 egg yolk, room temp
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cup all purpose flour
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 cup whole milk buttermilk, room temp

For the chai filling:

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 recipe chai spice blend (approx 1 tbsp)
  • pinch salt

For the chai spice crumb topping:

  • 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 recipe chai spice blend (approx 1 tbsp)
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
  • pinch salt
  • 1 tsp water

Instructions

  1. Make your chai spice blend by mixing together cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger, and coriander. Set aside.
  2. Prepare a round or square 8-inch pan with baking spray and/or parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
  3. Make your cake batter. Using a mixer, cream together room temp butter and granulated sugar for 3-5 minutes until lightened in color and fluffy. Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla, and continue to beat on medium-high until emulsified–lightened in color and smooth in texture, about 5 minutes.
  4. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  5. With your mixer on low speed, add dry ingredient mix alternating with buttermilk (1/3 dry, 1/2 buttermilk, 1/3 dry, 1/2 buttermilk, 1/3 dry) mixing just until combined.
  6. Spread 1/2 of the cake batter into your prepared cake pan.
  7. Make your chai filling. Add melted butter, chai spice blend, brown sugar, flour, and salt in a mixing bowl and stir until combined. Pour/spread this mixture on top of your cake batter in the cake pan.
  8. Carefully spoon your remaining 1/2 cake batter on top of the chai spice filling, covering the filling completely. Even the top with an offset spatula.
  9. Make your chai crumb. In a medium mixing bowl, add flour, brown sugar, chai spice blend, and salt. Add cubed butter and massage with your hands until the butter is distributed in almond-sized crumbs. Add your tsp of water and mix with hands until the mixture resembles a crumble.
  10. Spoon your crumble evenly all over your cake batter.
  11. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50-55 minutes. Cake is finished when the crumble is golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean with crumbs. Allow the cake to cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing and enjoying.

Notes

  • If you prefer a more classic coffee cake flavor profile, you may sub 1 tbsp cinnamon for the chai spice blend.
  • This coffee cake is best enjoyed the day of making. However, it will stay fresh for 2-3 days at room temperature in an airtight container.
  • Author: Caroline Crockett