CHAI LATTE CAKE WITH CONDENSED MILK GLAZE

Recipe

This cake gets its flavour from the delicious traditional Indian spiced tea, masala chai, which includes cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves and even some fresh black pepper. The result is a delicate, spicy and rather unusual-tasting cake. To top it off, condensed milk is used to make a sticky glaze.

FOR THE CAKE

1⁄2 cup whole milk

2 chai tea bags

150g (11⁄6 sticks) butter, softened

150g (4.4oz) brown sugar

3 free range eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

150g (6.2oz) plain or spelt flour

50g ground almonds

2 tsp baking powder

Pinch sea salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp ground cardamom

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1⁄2 tsp ground black pepper

FOR THE GLAZE

4 tbsp butter, softened

1⁄2 cup plus 2 tbsp sweetened condensed milk

Pinch sea salt

120g (4.2oz) icing sugar

FOR THE DECORATIONS

1 tsp cinnamon

Dried rose petals (optional)

  1. Place the milk in a small saucepan with the chai tea bags. Brew, stirring occasionally, until just before the milk starts to simmer. Remove from the heat, cool completely to room temperature, then remove the tea bags. Set aside.

  2. Preheat the oven to 170°C / 340°F on fan bake. Line a 22cm / 9” diameter cake tin with baking paper.

  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until pale, light and fluffy.

  4. Add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla.

  5. Gradually fold in the flour, ground almonds, baking powder, salt, spices and pepper, and mix until just combined, taking care not to overmix. Finally, fold through the chai-infused milk.

  6. Pour the batter into the tin and spread out to the sides.

  7. Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until golden in colour, springy to the touch, and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

  8. Allow the cake to cool for around 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.

  9. Meanwhile, make the condensed milk glaze. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter, condensed milk and salt. Sift in the icing sugar while it’s still beating, and stop once smooth.

  10. Once the cake is completely cool, top it neatly with the glaze and dust with cinnamon and a scattering of dried rose petals, if using.

Serve at room temperature. Store in a cool, dry place in an airtight container for up to three days.