This dirty chai spice cake is a moist cake filled with chai spices and topped with an espresso buttercream swirled with caramel sauce. The flavors are warm and not too strong.
Dirty chai spice cake is such a good taste of fall flavors without using pumpkin. The chai spice is subtle and pairs so well with the light espresso taste in the buttercream. It's like the cake version of the ever popular Starbucks drink.
If you're looking for other lightly spice treats you should also try my cinnamon chai blondies, my favorite snickerdoodle cookies, or my gingerbread cake with cream cheese frosting.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS
CHAI SPICES: I love the warmth that these chai spices give to this tender cake.
SINGLE LAYER: An easy cake without having to worry about layers.
ESPRESSO CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM: This buttercream has so much flavor.
INGREDIENT NOTES
- CAKE FLOUR: This will give the cake a softer and lighter crumb, but all-purpose flour is fine if that's all you have.
- CARDAMOM: This is one of the spices that stands out in a chai mix.
- BUTTER: Make sure your butter is room temperature
- BUTTERMILK: You can substitute regular milk if needed.
- ESPRESSO POWDER: I buy mine in the baking aisle.
- CARAMEL SAUCE: I use a jarred sauce from trader joes.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
STEP ONE: Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and line a 8" square or round baking pan. Set aside.
STEP TWO: In a medium bowl sift together cake flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and nutmeg. Set aside.
STEP THREE: In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
STEP FOUR: Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating between additions. Mix in the vanilla extract and sour cream. Don't panic if the batter looks curdled.
STEP FIVE: Mix in half the dry ingredients, followed by buttermilk, and then remaining half of the dry ingredients. Mix only until combined.
STEP SIX: Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out free of wet batter. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
STEP SEVEN: In a small bowl mix together hot water and espresso powder and set aside. In a standing mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, powdered sugar and heavy cream together for about 2 minutes until all smooth. Add more or less powdered sugar and cream to get a nice thick consistency. Pour in cooled espresso and mix together. Frost cooled cake. Take caramel sauce and using the back of a spoon dip the caramel and make wave motions over the top of the buttercream to create little swirls of caramel throughout.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
This cake would also be great with a cinnamon buttercream. If you'd prefer that omit the water and espresso and add 1 teaspoon cinnamon when mixing the butter and powdered sugar.
Cakes will have the best results if made with room temperature ingredients. I like to pull my eggs, sour cream, and butter and buttermilk out of the fridge an hour or two before I start baking, depending on how cold the house is.
I have given both cups and grams as measurements. Grams will be more precise, especially when measuring flour. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, no problem! Just lightly spoon flour into your measuring cup to insure its not packed in there. Light and fluffy is the key.
FAQ
Yes, you can double this recipe and make it into a 2 or 3 layer cake. Decrease baking time if making into 3 layers, and add a few minutes if making it into 2.
When you use room temperature ingredients for baking this allows all the ingredients to mix together better, and it will in fact give a higher rise on your cake.
Yes, you can make both the cake and the buttercream ahead of time. Wrap your cooled cake in plastic wrap and place into the freezer until ready to frost and serve. Frosting can also be made ahead and stored in the freezer in an airtight container.
STORING AND FREEZING
You can store this dirty chai spice cake at room temperature for 3-4 days. Just cover with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. Do not store cake in the fridge, it will dry it out.
FREEZING
Cake may be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for 3-4 months. Or you can wrap and freeze individual slices and pull out as needed to thaw.
OTHER FALL RECIPES TO TRY
Cinnamon Rolls with Apple Pie Filling
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
For more yummy treats follow me on instagram @thesaltedsweets. And be sure to tag me and comment if you make them and love them as much as I do.
And please make sure to leave a star review below!
Dirty Chai Spice Cake
Ingredients
Chai Spice Cake
- 1⅓ cups (186 g) cake flour all-purpose will work as well
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon cardamom
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) nutmeg
- ½ cup (113.5 g) butter room temp
- ½ cup (110 g) brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temp
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoon sour cream room temp
- ½ cup (120 g) buttermilk room temp
Espresso Caramel Buttercream
- ½ cup (113.5 g) butter room temp
- 2-3 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) heavy cream milk will also work
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- ½ tablespoon (0.5 tablespoon) hot water
- caramel sauce for swirling on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and line a 8" square or round baking pan. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl sift together cake flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and nutmeg. Set aside.
- In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating between additions. Mix in the vanilla extract and sour cream. Don't panic if the batter looks curdled.
- Mix in half the dry ingredients, followed by buttermilk, and then remaining half of the dry ingredients. Mix only until combined.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out free of wet batter. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
- In a small bowl mix together hot water and espresso powder and set aside. In a standing mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, powdered sugar and heavy cream together for about 2 minutes until all smooth. Add more or less powdered sugar and cream to get a nice thick consistency. Pour in cooled espresso and mix together. Frost cooled cake. Take caramel sauce and using the back of a spoon dip the caramel and make wave motions over the top of the buttercream to create little swirls of caramel throughout.
Marissa
Could this be converted into cupcakes? Or would the cake flour be too much? In so excited to try it!
brooke
Absolutely! Cake flour just makes things lighter and softer, so it would be great for the cupcakes also.
Princessananka
Where are the gram calculations for the Dirty chai spice cake?
brooke
If you click the metric button the measurements convert to grams.
Esther
I want to make this but need to make it lactose free. Do you think I can replace the sour cream with applesauce? Thx 😊
brooke
yes, you could do that. You could also just add a bit more milk, which I'm assuming you'll just sub with a nut milk.
bailey
This is such a warm and cozy cake. perfect to make in the fall! Love it!
Tara S
I know this is more of a fall cake, but my husband just made it for my birthday (per my request). It is one of the BEST cakes I’ve had! The flavors are amazing and it is so fluffy. I’m used to homemade cakes coming out too dense, not this one! It’s just enough espresso powder too.
Brooke Homec
Thank you so much Tara!! And Happy Birthday!
Michele Foley
Made this spicy Chai cake today. Had to use half n half instead of heavy cream. My cake did not rise in the middle. Did I mix it too long?
Brooke Homec
It could have been over mixed, that your baking powder needs to be replaced. Or, depending on the pan you used maybe it wasn't done baking. If you used a glass pan the outside will bake a lot quicker that the middle.
Kristen
Hi! Could I pull a shot of espresso instead of using espresso powder?
Brooke Homec
Yes, that should work too