Dessert can be just as much a flavor adventure as dinner thanks to these Chai Tea Cake Cups. Stray away from your usual vanilla or chocolate and see how chai tea bakes up into something unique. Along with the lightly spiced cake are layers of blueberry whipped cream that’s made from freeze-dried blueberry powder.
What is Chai Tea?
Chai tea comes traditionally from India. It’s a black tea that gets brewed with warming spices like cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, and black pepper. You’ll often see it steamed with milk for a sweeter style. Outside of India, chai tea usually refers specifically to that spiced milk tea, though the word chai just means “tea” in Hindi.
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Chai Tea Cake Cups with Blueberry Whipped Cream
Description
There’s no need for your cake cups to be boring vanilla or chocolate…
Ingredients
For the chai spice mix:
- 3 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 3 tbsp ground ginger
- 3 tbsp ground black cardamom
- 1/2 tbsp ground green cardamom
- 1/4 tbsp ground cloves
For the cake:
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk
- 1 chai tea bag
- 2 3/4 cups cake flour, sifted
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 7 tsp chai spice mix (see above)
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 2/3 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
For the whipped cream:
- 4 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup freeze-dried blueberry powder
For plating:
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
Instructions
- Blend chai spice mix. Place in a container with a tight lid.
- Warm the milk over low heat just until boiling, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.
- Pour the boiling milk into a heat-proof mason jar and add chai tea bag. Steep until mixture reaches room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour the sides and bottom of a half sheet cake pan.
- In a mixing bowl, add sifted cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 2 tbs of chai spice mix into a bowl. Whisk to combine.
- In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
- Add eggs, vanilla, and sour cream and whip on high until well combined. Remember to scrape the sides of the bowl at least once!
- Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Add the chai milk mixture slowly and mix until just incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl and check for lumps. Mix until thick but still pourable.
- Pour batter evenly into cake pan.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until a wooden skewer emerges clean from the cake.
- Let cool in the pan.
- Using a highball glass, cut circles of cake.
- Place a circle of cake in the glass, press down lightly till it reaches the bottom of the glass.
For whipped cream and plating:
- Whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
- Add powdered sugar and freeze-dried blueberry powder.
- Whip until well combined and firm.
- Spread blueberry whipped cream over the cake. Wipe the glass down.
- Add another layer of cake and blueberry whipped cream.
- Wipe glass.
- Repeat one more time to get three layers.
- Dust with freeze-dried blueberry powder. Garnish with fresh berries. Enjoy!
Plus, check out more of Chef Kenny Cumberland’s picnic-friendly recipes like Pizza Hot Pockets, Lunchtime Tamales, and Peanut Butter and Jelly Rolls.
Recipe by Chef Kenny Cumberland
Photography by Dave Bryce
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