Apple cake is a simple fall bake, but it often tastes only of cinnamon. This version uses a full chai spice mix for more depth: cinnamon for warmth, cardamom for a floral note, ginger for gentle heat, cloves and nutmeg for richness, and a little black pepper for a small kick at the end. The apples are grated and folded into the batter, so they stay moist and spread evenly instead of sinking in chunks. There is no mixer and no frosting. A brown butter glaze with a pinch of the same chai spice goes on top while the cake is still slightly warm, and it soaks in just enough to make the top glossy without making it soggy.
Chai Spiced Apple Cake with Brown Butter Chai Glaze
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease a 23 cm round cake tin and line the base with baking paper.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and black pepper in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, eggs, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the grated apple.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir gently until just combined. A few small lumps are fine. Overmixing makes the cake tough.
- Pour the batter into the tin and spread it evenly. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is golden and a skewer in the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then move to a rack.
- Make the glaze while the cake cools. Melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat and cook, swirling, until it turns golden brown and smells nutty, about 3 minutes. Pour it into a bowl.
- Whisk the chai spice and icing sugar into the warm brown butter, then add milk a spoon at a time until the glaze falls from the spoon in a thick ribbon. Drizzle it over the cake while the cake is still slightly warm.
Ingredients
- 250 g plain flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
- 3 medium apples, peeled and grated — use firm baking apples such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp, and squeeze out any extra juice
- 150 g light brown sugar
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 120 ml vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 120 ml milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 60 g unsalted butter, for the glaze
- 1/2 teaspoon chai spice mix (from the spices above), for the glaze
- 120 g icing sugar, for the glaze
- 1 to 2 tablespoons milk, for the glaze
Method
- Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease a 23 cm round cake tin and line the base with baking paper.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and black pepper in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, eggs, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the grated apple.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir gently until just combined. A few small lumps are fine. Overmixing makes the cake tough.
- Pour the batter into the tin and spread it evenly. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is golden and a skewer in the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then move to a rack.
- Make the glaze while the cake cools. Melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat and cook, swirling, until it turns golden brown and smells nutty, about 3 minutes. Pour it into a bowl.
- Whisk the chai spice and icing sugar into the warm brown butter, then add milk a spoon at a time until the glaze falls from the spoon in a thick ribbon. Drizzle it over the cake while the cake is still slightly warm.
Mistakes, Substitutions, Serving and Storage
Common mistakes: using soft eating apples, which turn to mush; not squeezing out the extra juice from the grated apple, so the cake is wet in the middle; pouring the glaze on a hot cake, so it melts and runs off.
Substitutions: use pears instead of apples for a milder cake; use a ready-made chai spice mix instead of measuring each spice, though the balance will be different; leave out the black pepper if you prefer a gentler spice.
Serving ideas: serve warm with vanilla ice cream, or at room temperature with tea or coffee. It also works as a simple dessert after a roast dinner.
Storage and reheating: store in an airtight tin for up to 3 days. Warm a slice in the oven at 160°C (325°F) for 5 minutes to refresh it. Freeze the unglazed cake for up to 2 months and glaze after thawing.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is in chai spice? The mix used here is cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and a little black pepper. It is the same warm spice mix used in chai tea, but without the tea.
- Do I need to peel the apples? Yes. Peel them, then grate them on the coarse side of a box grater. Squeeze the grated apple gently in your hands to remove extra juice.
- Can I make this without the glaze? Yes. The cake is good plain, or with a light dusting of icing sugar instead.
- Why is my cake wet in the middle? The grated apple was probably too juicy, or the cake was underbaked. Check with a skewer after 45 minutes and bake a little longer if needed.
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