Apple Chai Cake

Image: By Daria Shevtsova from Pexels Stock

“Chai” is the Hindi word for tea. Before I became a coffee drinker, I was obsessed with chai. Here is an ode to my favourite tea in cake form!

This Apple Chai Cake, filled with chai spices and crisp apple and wrapped in a smooth naturally-sweetened maple frosting, will fill your kitchen with the heady, warming scent of fall.

Image: By Daria Shevtsova from Pexels Stock

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 250 g unbleached plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp ground allspice
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• 240 ml cold-pressed rapeseed oil
• 150 g coconut sugar
• 90 g raw caster cane sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 200 g shredded baking apples

Maple Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting:

• 170 ml pure maple syrup
• 3 large egg whites
• 226 g cubed unsalted butter room temperature

Chai Streusel (optional):

• 93 g unbleached plain flour
• 50 g coconut sugar
• Pinch fine sea salt
• 2 tsp bagged chai tea
• 42 g unsalted butter

Image: By Naghme Kn from Unsplash Stock

Directions: 

Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease, line, and lightly flour two 6-inch baking tins.
2. Shuffle the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices through a mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Give it a little whisk to disperse the spices and set aside.
3. Beat together the oil, sugars, and vanilla until well combined.
4. Crack in each egg one at a time, beating for 30 seconds in between each addition.
5. Fold in the dry ingredients in two parts, making sure not to overmix the batter.
6. Gently fold in the shredded apples.
7. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared tins, tap the tins on the counter to let loose any trapped air, and then bake the cakes for 45–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
8. Allow the cakes to cool in their tins for 15 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting and decorating.

Frosting:

1. Set a small saucepan filled with an inch of water over a hob on high heat. Once the water is boiling, turn it down to a low simmer.
2. Pour the maple syrup into a large, clean bowl along with the egg whites, taking care to avoid the yolks. Even a slight trace of yolk will ruin the meringue.
3. Whisk the egg whites and syrup together until foamy, then place the bowl over the simmering saucepan and whisk constantly until the mixture is hot and registers 65-71°C (150-160°F) on a thermometer.
4. Remove the bowl from the heat and beat the mixture on high using the balloon whisk of a stand mixer or an electric hand whisk.
5. Once the meringue reaches stiff peaks and the bowl is cool, swap out the balloon whisk for the paddle attachment and begin adding the cubed butter, one piece at a time, on medium speed. Do not rush this step; it helps to count to ten slowly before adding another pat of butter.
6. Once all of the butter has been added, turn the mixer to high speed and whip the buttercream until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Streusel (optional): I have used flowers instead.

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and chai tea.
2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the dry ingredients and whisk together to form streusel nuggets. Stop whisking when you have your desired amount of large and small nuggets.
3. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely before decorating.

Assemble:

1. Once the cakes have cooled, level the tops if necessary, then slice each cake into two layers.
2. Place one layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Top with ¼ cup frosting and smooth it out to the sides. Repeat with the other three layers.
3. Use the remainder of the frosting to frost the sides of the cake.
4. Decorate with the Chai Streusel (i have used flowers instead).

Notes: This cake will keep covered and chilled in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Adapted from Amanda