Homemade Chai Bundt Cake with Espresso Glaze
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What’s better than a chai latte? Our homemade Chai Bundt Cake! Filled with warm spicy flavors and drizzled with a homemade espresso glaze. It’s the perfect way to usher in the Fall season.
We’re always excited when the weather starts cooling off because that means it’s time for all things pumpkin and apple. First on the list is usually a batch of pumpkin bread. But let’s not forget apples. And soup.
It seems like everyone is gearing up for the baking season (aka Fall and Winter). And we figure now is a good time to share a family favorite cake recipe. You know, in case you’ve got the baking bug, too.
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We’re sharing tips to help you get the best results with this recipe. If you don’t need the tips, scroll to the bottom for the full recipe, including a printable recipe card.
One thing we love about our chai bundt cake recipe is that it’s made with pantry staples. Which means you probably have most of the ingredients on hand already. Don’t you love it when that happens?
And if that’s not enough you can make it ahead of time and it’s freezer friendly, too. Which makes it a great choice during the busy holidays when you’re scrambling to bake all the holiday goodies.
More Fall Favorites: For pumpkin lovers, try our Pumpkin Oat Muffins. If apples are your jam, check out Instant Pot Apple Butter and our Apple Celery Walnut Salad.
Ingredients for Chai Bundt Cake
Dry Ingredients:
flour
baking powder and soda
sugar
brown sugar
Spices: cinnamon (preferably Ceylon), ground cloves, ginger, cardamom, black pepper, salt
Other Ingredients: unsalted butter
Wet Ingredients:
eggs
low-fat buttermilk
vanilla extract
What You Need for the Espresso Glaze
powdered sugar
milk
vanilla
instant espresso – prepared and cooled
Kitchen Gadgets to Have On Hand
bundt cake pan
mixer – stand or electric hand mixer
mixing bowls
Get the complete ingredients & directions in the recipe card below.
How to Make Chai Bundt Cake
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Make one serving of instant espresso according to the instructions on the package. Once it’s made, leave it at room temperature or place it in the fridge until we add it to the glaze.
In a mixing bowl add the flour, baking soda and powder, cinnamon, cardamom, salt, ginger and cloves and whisk together.
Using a small bowl or a measuring cup combine the vanilla and buttermilk and set aside.
In another medium size mixing bowl, beat together the sugars and butter until it’s smooth. Then add the eggs and mix again.
Now pour in about a third of the flour mixture into the sugar mixture. Then add half of the buttermilk/vanilla and mix together.
Repeat this step while making sure the batter is combined and smooth.
Prepare your bundt pan by spraying it with non-stick cooking spray.
Pour in the batter, making sure it’s in an even layer. Use a spatula to smooth and level the batter if needed.
Bake for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Once the cake has finished baking, let the cake sit in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Making the Glaze
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the powdered sugar, vanilla, milk, and a teaspoon of the cooled espresso. Whisk until the glaze is combined and smooth.
Use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over the cooled bundt cake and allow the glaze to set up before serving.
Tips to Make
- For best results, make sure the butter, eggs and buttermilk are at room temperature before making the cake.
- Check the dates on your baking powder and baking soda to make sure they are fresh.
- Make sure you spray the bundt pan well to ensure the cake comes out cleanly.
- If the glaze is too thin, mix in another tablespoon of powdered sugar. Repeat until desired thickness is achieved.
How to Freeze and Store
Tightly wrap leftover cake with plastic wrap and store on the counter. If you’re a bundt cake lover like me, you’ll want to get the Nordic Ware Bundt Cake Keeper to store your leftover bundt cake.
To freeze, wrap the unglazed cake tightly in a layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Then place it in a freezer safe bag and store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Allow the cake to thaw in the refrigerator, adding the glaze after it’s fully thawed.
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**Save Chai Bundt Cake Recipe for Later**
Chai Bundt Cake with Espresso Glaze
Ingredients
Chai Cake Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon, preferably Ceylon
- ¾ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¾ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups low-fat buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 10 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
Espresso Glaze Ingredients
- 3-4 teaspoons prepared instant espresso, cooled
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare the bundt pan by spraying with non-stick spray, making sure you have even coverage. Set aside.
- Make one serving of instant espresso according to the package directions and leave it on the counter or put it in the refrigerator to cool. You’ll use this in the glaze.
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamom, salt and pepper in a medium mixing bowl.
- In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, add vanilla to the buttermilk.
- In a large bowl, beat the sugar, brown sugar, and butter until smooth.
- Add eggs and mix to combine.
- Add ⅓ of the flour mixture to the sugar and egg mixture, then half of the buttermilk mixture. Alternate adding flour and buttermilk, mixing until just combined and smooth.
- Add the batter to the bundt pan, spreading evenly and smoothing with a rubber spatula.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool for about 15 minutes before removing it from the pan. Allow the cake to cool completely on a cooling rack.
Espresso Glaze
- Add powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and 1 teaspoon of cooled espresso to a medium bowl and whisk thoroughly. Continue adding one teaspoon of espresso at a time until you get the desired amount of coffee flavor (about 3-4 teaspoons total) and a glaze consistency.
- If the glaze mixture is too thin after adding the desired amount of espresso, add a tablespoon of powdered sugar to thicken it back up.
- Using a spoon, drizzle the glaze evenly over the cooled cake. Let stand until the glaze sets before serving.
Notes
- For leftovers: tightly wrap cake with plastic wrap and store on the counter for up to 4 days.
- To freeze: tightly wrap cooled, unglazed cake with plastic wrap, then a layer of foil and place in a plastic freezer bag. Store in freezer for up to 2 months. Defrost cake and glaze before serving.
Nutritional Estimate
Nutritional information is provided as a reference, using an online calculator. We recommend verifying the information independently for accuracy.
