Chai Caramel Cake

Print Pin

5 from 5 votes

A rich blend of chai spices, moist chai cake, cream cheese frosting, and a almond caramel sauce.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword chai, caramel, two layer

Servings Slices

Author Molly Murphy

Ingredients

For the chai spice

2 teaspoons cinnamon
¾ teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

For the cake

1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
¾ cups dark brown sugar packed
⅔ cups granulated sugar
5 large eggs room temperature
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup vegetable oil
3 cups all-purpose flour spoon and leveled
1 homemade chai recipe measurements above
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups sour cream room temperature

For the caramel sauce

1 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup water
3 Tablespoons light corn syrup
¾ cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the cream cheese frosting

¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
6 cups powdered sugar optional: sifted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Instructions

For the chai cake

Preheat your oven to 325°F . With cooking spray, spray the bottom of 2 8 inch rounds, line with parchment paper and spray the bottom and sides.
In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon, ground ginger, cardamom, allspice, nutmeg, ground cloves, and freshly cracked black pepper. Set aside.
2 teaspoons cinnamon, ¾ teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon cardamom, 1 teaspoon allspice, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
In a stand size mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the room-temperature butter, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. About 2-3 minutes.
1 cup unsalted butter room temperature, ¾ cups dark brown sugar packed, ⅔ cups granulated sugar
With a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. About 30 seconds on medium speed for each egg. Remember to scrape the bottom and sides after each addition.
5 large eggs room temperature
On low speed, mix in the pure vanilla extract and oil. Mix just until added.
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ¼ cup vegetable oil
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, homemade chai spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3 cups all-purpose flour spoon and leveled, 1 homemade chai recipe measurements above, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ¾ teaspoons baking soda, ¾ teaspoon salt
Starting and ending with the dry ingredients, add them to the butter and sugar mixture in three parts, alternating with the sour cream. Mix until just combined after each addition. Be careful not to overmix.
1 ¼ cups sour cream room temperature
Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking pans and using a back of the spoon or a small offset spatua, spread it evenly.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs
Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then remove them from the pan and place them on a wire rack to cool completely. Once the cake is completely cool, wrap the two cake layers and place them in the fridge so they can easily be cut into half.

For the almond caramel sauce

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the granulated sugar and water. Stir gently to moisten the sugar. Make sure there are no sugar crystals on the sides of the pan. Stir in the light corn syrup, which helps prevent crystallization.
1 cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup water, 3 Tablespoons light corn syrup
Place the saucepan over medium-high heat. Allow the mixture to come to a boil without stirring. The sugar will dissolve and begin to turn amber in color. This process may take around 8-10 minutes.
While the mixture is cooking, heat the cream in the microwave for 1 minute
¾ cup heavy cream
Be careful not to let it burn; caramel can go from amber to burnt quickly. Once the caramel has reached the amber color, remove the saucepan from the heat immediately.
Slowly and carefully pour the heavy cream into the caramel while stirring constantly. The mixture will bubble up vigorously, so use caution to avoid splatters. Continue stirring until the caramel and cream are fully combined.
Stir in the unsalted butter, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt. Keep stirring until the butter has melted, and the caramel sauce is smooth and creamy.
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, ¾ teaspoon almond extract, 1 teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Allow the caramel sauce to cool for a few minutes in the saucepan. Then, transfer it to a heatproof container or glass jar. Let it cool to room temperature. As it cools, it will thicken. Let it completely cool before you use it on the cake.

For the cream cheese frosting

In a stand size mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and cream cheese together on medium high speed until they are creamy and well combined. This should take about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature, 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
Add the pure vanilla extract, a pinch of salt, and cinnamon to the mixture. Mix on medium speed until combined
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, pinch of salt
Begin adding the powdered sugar gradually, one cup at a time, while mixing on low speed.
6 cups powdered sugar
Add in the heavy whipping cream as you continue to mix.
¼ cup heavy whipping cream
Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and continue to beat the frosting for 2-3 minutes until it's smooth, creamy, and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is well combined.

Assembly

Ensure that your cake layers are chilled completely before assembling.
Using the same size of pan you baked the cake in, which should be 8 inches, line the inside of the cake pan sides with acetate. (*check not to see how to do it without) Be sure to tape the sides so it doesn’t come undone. Then line the acetate with parchment paper so it hangs over the side for easy removal.
Using a serrated knife, cut the cake layers horizontally in half. Do this to both layers. Set aside.
Place the one of the cake layers into the parchment paper, gently pressing it down so it fits snugly.
Take about ¾ cup buttercream, and gently and evenly spread it across the top. Use an offset spatula to make it smooth and level.
Pour and smooth about ¼ to ½ cup of caramel sauce on top. Add another cake layer and repeat.
Once the cake layers get taller than the cake pan, line another sheet of acetate around the top of the first acetate! Keep it tight. (You should still have two more cake layers to go!
Repeat this step, until the final cake layer, I frost the top of the cake with the buttercream, and the caramel! Let it sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
After 30 minuets, remove the first acetate ring, grab the parchment paper and gently pull out the cake from the cake pan and place it on a cake board.
Let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before eating!

Notes

If you don’t have acetate on hand, you can still build this cake easily! Line your prepared cake pans with parchment paper that hangs over the edges for easy lifting. As you stack your layer cakes, use a tall cake collar made from parchment or even foil to help support the sides. Chill the whole cake for at least 30 minutes before removing it from the pan — the cream cheese frosting will firm up enough to hold everything in place. You’ll still get those clean, even layers and all the best results without any special tools.