Chai Masala Loaf Cake

Chai Masala Loaf Cake is a warmly spicy sweet treat that’s wonderful with a cuppa. This light cake is flavoured with the blend of spices used to brew the Indian tea masala chai, is studded with chopped walnuts, and has a streusel-crumb topping.

Finished with a drizzle of sweet, spiced icing, this easy loaf cake is sure to become a favourite. You can even eat it lightly warmed as a dessert with ice cream, fresh or clotted cream, or hot custard.

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WHAT IS CHAI MASALA?

The word chai means ‘tea’ in several languages and masala indicates a mix of spices. Hence chai masala translates as a blend of spices used to flavour tea. Most associated with India, masala chai or spiced tea has become popular in the West via the big coffee chains. Although I’m not much of a tea drinker (other than mint and other herbal varieties) I do love to bake with chai masala.

While the blend has similarities with British mixed spice, I think the big difference is the inclusion of pepper and cardamom. These give a more complex, savoury-sweet flavour. If you can’t find chai masala in shops near you, it’s easily bought online. I use this one (paid link) which includes ginger, cinnamon, black and white pepper, green and black cardamom, cloves, and nutmeg. It’s pretty peppery, so I sometimes balance it with a bit of extra sweet cinnamon.

You could of course make your own bespoke blend. In a note to the recipe card at the end of this post I’ve suggested a base mix you can tailor to your taste.

At Christmas, chai masala makes a welcome change from the standard mixed spice e.g. in my totally delicious Chai Spiced Star Bread. But I enjoy it all year round in biscuits, cakes, and even ice cream. Which brings me to the wonderful, warmly spicy sweet treat that is Chai Masala Loaf Cake.

CHAI MASALA LOAF CAKE

I think there’s something particularly comforting and homely about loaf cakes. So named because they’re baked in an oblong loaf tin rather than a regular cake tin, it’s dead easy to cut off a slice (or two!), thick or thin, depending on appetites.

For my easy Chai Masala Loaf Cake, you’ll need a loaf tin with a capacity of 900ml/2lb (paid link). If you’re not confidant that your tin is completely non-stick, I recommend that as well as greasing it with butter you line it with baking paper so the paper comes up above the long sides.

For accuracy when baking, I always recommend you use digital scales (paid link) and follow metric measurements. This is the way I create and test my recipes, so can’t vouch for the results if you attempt to convert them e.g. to American cups.

You’ll find ingredient amounts and full instructions in the recipe card at the end. However, I recommend you read this post first for extra tips plus step-by-step images to guide you.

INGREDIENTS

There are three easy elements to Chai Masala Loaf Cake. A base made from a simple cake batter, a streusel-crumb topping that goes on before baking and, to finish, a drizzle of spiced icing, chopped nuts, and a dusting of spice.

For the cake batter you’ll need:

• self-raising flour, can be replaced with plain/all-purpose flour plus baking powder
• chai spice mix
• salt
• caster sugar
• butter, softened
• vanilla extract, can be left out if you don’t have it
• eggs
• plain yogurt, for lightness
• walnuts, roughly chopped

The streusel-crumb topping is made by rubbing together:

• light brown soft sugar
• plain flour
• chai spice mix
• butter, softened
• walnuts, roughly chopped

For decorating the loaf cake you’ll need:

• icing sugar
• chai spice mix
• milk or water
• vanilla extract, can be left out if you don’t have it
• walnuts, finely chopped

HOW TO MAKE CHAI MASALA LOAF CAKE

To make the cake batter, start by sifting together the self-raising flour, chai spice mix and salt, then set aside.

In a large bowl and preferably using electric beaters (paid link), beat together the caster sugar, butter and vanilla extract until very light. Next, beat in the eggs, one at a time, adding a tablespoon of the sifted spiced flour mixture each time. Follow this by beating in half the yogurt with a tablespoon of the flour, then the remaining yogurt with another tablespoon of flour. Finally, fold in the remaining flour and the roughly chopped walnuts.

Transfer the batter to your prepared loaf tin, smooth the top, then sprinkle the streusel-crumb mixture all over the top.

Put in the oven preheated to the temperature shown in the recipe card and bake until a skewer or cocktail stick comes out clean. Ovens vary, but this is likely to take 60 – 75 minutes. I recommend checking at 55 minutes as the cake can end up dry if you overcook it.

When the Chai Masala Loaf Cake is done, put the tin on a wire rack and leave for 10 minutes. Now carefully remove from the tin (try not to dislodge any of the topping!) and leave on the wire rack until completely cold before adding the final decoration.

To make the spiced drizzle, sift the icing sugar and chai spices together then add 1 tablespoon of the milk or water plus the vanilla extract. Use a small whisk to combine, adding more liquid a drop at a time until you have a pouring consistency. I think a tiny bit of salt balances the sweetness but leave out if you prefer.

Drizzle the icing all over the cold cake, allowing it to run down the sides. Sprinkle over the finely chopped walnuts plus a little extra chai spice mix.

SERVING & STORING

When the icing has firmed up, you can serve the loaf cake cut into slices. I love its peppery spiciness, the crunch of earthy walnuts combined with the sweeter spicy icing. Served with a cup of tea (masala-spiced or not), coffee, or a herbal tea, Chai Masala Loaf Cake is lovely.

But its complex flavour also works well as a dessert. Just lightly warm slices in a microwave and serve with ice cream, fresh or clotted cream, or hot custard.

If you’re not going to eat all the loaf in one day, keep it wrapped in foil in an airtight container. It should be good for at least 3 days, or you can freeze it.

If you’ve made this recipe, I’d love to know what you thought. Please do leave a comment and rating.

5 from 1 vote

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Chai Masala Loaf Cake

An easy cake flavoured with the blend of spices used in Indian masala chai spiced tea, plus walnuts, a streusel-crumb topping, and a drizzle of sweet, spiced icing

Enjoy alongside a cuppa, or lightly warmed as a dessert with ice cream, fresh or clotted cream, or hot custard.

It's recommended you read the accompanying blog post before starting the recipe and use digital scales and metric measurements.

Course Dessert, Snack, Cake

Cuisine Indian, British, Indian inspired, World

Keyword spicy, homemade cake, home baking

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Servings 12 slices

Author Moorlands Eater

Ingredients

For the topping

• 50 g walnuts (chopped)
• 40 g light brown soft sugar
• 10 g plain flour
• 2 tsp chai spice mix (see Recipe Notes)
• 15 g soft butter

For the cake batter

• 300 g self-raising flour (or plain flour +3 level tsp baking powder)
• 2 tsp chai spice mix (see Recipe Notes)
• 1 large pinch salt
• 200 g caster sugar
• 120 g soft butter (plus extra for greasing)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 med - large eggs
• 80 g Greek-style plain yogurt
• 75 g walnuts (chopped)

For the icing/decoration

• 75 g icing sugar
• 1 tsp chai spice mix (plus extra for sprinkling)
• 1 - 2 tbsp milk or water
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt (optional)
• a few finely chopped walnuts

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 160°C / 140°Fan /Gas 3 /325°F with a shelf in the middle position.

   Butter and/or line a 2lb/900 ml capacity non-stick loaf tin.

2. Make the topping

   Put all the ingredients for the topping EXCEPT the butter in a small bowl and stir together.

   Add the butter and use your fingertips to rub it into the other ingredients until you have a sandy, crumbly mixture. Set aside.

3. Make the cake batter

   Sift together the flour, chai spice mix and salt. Set aside.

   Put the sugar, butter, and vanilla extract into a large bowl and, preferably using electric beaters, beat until soft and light. Scrape down the bowl as necessary during this and subsequent steps.

   Beat in the eggs one at time along with 1 tbsp of the flour mixture each time.

   Beat in half the yogurt plus 1 tbsp of the flour, followed by the remaining yogurt and another tablespoon of flour.

   Fold in the rest of the flour plus the walnuts.

   Transfer the batter to the prepared tin, smooth the top, then sprinkle over the topping.

4. Bake and cool the cake

   Put into the preheated oven and bake until an inserted skewer or cocktail stick comes out clean: approximately 60 - 75 minutes.

   Tip: check at 55 minutes to see how it's going as over-baking can result in a dry cake.

   Put the tin on a cooling rack for 10 minutes then take the cake out and leave on the rack until completely cold before decorating and/or slicing.

5. Make the icing and decorate the cake

   Sift together the icing sugar and chai spice mix.

   Add 1 tbsp of the milk or water plus the vanilla extract. Use a small whisk to combine, adding more liquid a drop at a time until you have a pouring consistency: you may not need to add all the liquid.

   Whisk in a small pinch of salt if liked.

   Drizzle the icing over the top of the cake, allowing it to run down the sides.

   Sprinkle with the finely chopped walnuts and small pinches of chai spice.

6. Serving and storing

   Serve cut into slices. To serve warm, lightly reheat in a microwave.

   Best eaten within 3 days or can be frozen.

Recipe Notes

Chai Masala (tea spice mix) is easily found online, or you can make your own. Start by mixing the following ground spices and adapt to your own taste:

• 1.5 tsp ginger
• 1.5 tsp cardamom
• 1.5 tsp cinnamon (or cassia bark, sometimes labelled 'sweet cinnamon')
• 0.5 tsp cloves
• 0.5 tsp nutmeg
• 0.25 tsp black pepper
• 0.25 tsp white pepper

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