Dirty Chai Latte Cake

This dirty chai latte cake has a fluffy and moist espresso flavored sponge topped with a silky smooth chai spice buttercream frosting. All the cozy warming spices make it the perfect Fall cake!

This dirty chai latte cake is perfect to serve with a warm cup of coffee or masala chai. It tastes like a dirty chai from a coffee shop in layer cake form!

If you aren't familiar, a dirty chai latte is a chai latte (spiced black tea and steamed milk) with a shot of espresso added. The combination of bitter espresso with the slightly spicy chai is warm and so delicious. This cake captures its essence perfectly!

The chai flavor comes from the fluffy, silky chai spiced buttercream spread all over the cake. It is gently spiced with cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, and a little black pepper.

Chai is perfect for Fall and a great alternative to pumpkin desserts. Make it for Fall parties, Thanksgiving, or for a Friendsgiving dessert!

For more Fall cakes, try this chai cake with cream cheese frosting, apple carrot cake, brown butter pumpkin cheesecake, spiced apple cupcakes, apple cider cupcakes, and coffee cupcakes.

Key Ingredient Notes

Ingredients for the cake.

Ingredients for the frosting.

• All purpose flour- This is the best flour to use for a tender cake. You can use cake flour to make it extra light and airy.
• Baking powder and baking soda- These leaveners react with heat and acid to make the cake rise in the oven and become fluffy.
• Butter- Instead of creaming butter and sugar together, the butter is mixed in with the dry ingredients. Then the wet ingredients are added and a thick batter forms. This is called the reverse creaming method. It gives the cake a velvety texture and eliminates the chances of overmixing.
• Oil- Using butter and oil together creates a moist cake with a tight, tender crumb. Use a neutral, flavorless oil like canola oil or vegetable oil. Avocado oil works too.
• Eggs- 3 large eggs bind the ingredients together and help the cake get fluffy in the oven. Make sure they are at room temperature; pull them out with the butter and buttermilk.
• Espresso powder- Make sure to use espresso powder, not ground espresso. Espresso powder is dehydrated brewed espresso, so it dissolves completely once water or another liquid is added. It's a more concentrated, finer version of instant coffee.
• Buttermilk- This ingredient's acid cuts the gluten strands, making the cake extra tender. Make sure it's room temperature so it mixes in well and doesn't seize up the batter.
• Spices- Cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, and black pepper flavor the chai spice buttercream. The cloves and ginger give the frosting a more spicy kick. While the frosting doesn't have black tea, it has all the warm and cozy flavors of a chai latte.

Substitutions and Variations

• Buttermilk substitute: Sour cream, Greek yogurt, or plain kefir all work instead.
• Instant coffee substitute: Substitute instant coffee for espresso powder if needed. Don't use regular coffee or espresso grounds because they don't dissolve in water and make the cake grainy.
• Coffee frosting: Omit the chai spice altogether and use coffee cream cheese frosting for a classic espresso cake.
• Add nuts: Stir nuts, like walnuts and pecans, into the batter to add some crunch. Toast and chop them for more flavor.

Helpful Equipment and Tools

Use light colored, aluminum 8-inch round cake pans, not silicone. Cakes burn in silicone pans! I recommend using non-stick pans and lining them with parchment paper rounds.

To mix the batter, a 5-quart stand mixer with a paddle attachment is ideal. A handheld mixer with a large mixing bowl works too.

An offset spatula and bench scraper are helpful tools for evenly spreading buttercream. A revolving cake stand is also a must for cake decorating! The mat holds the cake in place while the stand rotates so you don't have to reach around it.

Step by Step Instructions

Before you start, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius) and grease your cake pans with baking spray. Line them with parchment paper rounds and set aside.

Step 1: Add the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low until evenly combined.

Step 2: Add softened butter and beat on low speed until the texture looks like wet sand.

Step 3: Add oil, eggs, vanilla, and espresso powder to the bowl. Mix on low until a thick batter forms. Slowly pour in the buttermilk and mix until well combined.

Step 4: With a cookie scoop or large spoon, evenly portion the batter between the 2 cake pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.

Step 5: Take the cakes out of the oven and cool for 20 minutes in their pans on a wire cooling rack. After 20 minutes, gently run a knife between the cake and pan to loosen it. Turn upside down onto the rack to release. Let the cake layers cool completely before you frost them.

Step 6: To make the chai buttercream, first beat the softened butter on medium high speed for 5 minutes until creamy and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.

Step 7: Next, mix in half of the powdered sugar on low for 2 minutes. Beat in the second half on medium speed until smooth. Mix in vanilla, spices, and salt.

After that, add milk 1 teaspoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

Step 8: Once cakes cool, assemble the cake by spreading a thick layer of frosting on top of one layer. Place the second layer on top upside-down and apply a thin crumb coat. Let chill in the freezer for 20 minutes and then apply the final coat of buttercream.

Decorate the cake with cinnamon sticks and star anise if desired, slice, and enjoy!

Expert Baking Tips

1. Use room temperature ingredients. It's important to use room temperature butter, eggs, and buttermilk! If your butter is cold, it won't blend in with the dry ingredients. If you eggs and buttermilk are too cold, they'll cause the batter to get stiff and the baked cakes will have an uneven texture.
2. Use a scale to weigh your flour in grams. Flour tends to get packed in measuring cups, so this is the best way to ensure accuracy and a fluffy, moist cake. Metric measurements are in the recipe card below.
3. Let the cakes cool to room temperature before frosting. If you add buttercream while the cakes are even slightly warm, it can melt all over! After assembling the chai cake, don't leave it in the heat too long.

Storage Tips

Store leftover dirty chai cake in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-5 days. You can store individual slices or the whole cake in a cake carrier.

Let the cake sit on the counter for about 30 minutes to reach room temperature before eating.

How to Freeze the Cake

I recommend freezing individual slices of cake instead of the whole thing because individual pieces are easier to thaw! Wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Thaw the slices at room temperature for a couple hours before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Cake Recipes to Try