Chai Spice Cake

I want this post to be mostly informative about frosting flavored with honey: don't do it.

It will pretend like it's going to hold it's shape and then slowly melt all over your counter, fridge, whatever. One could, for instance, use honey frosting to drape over a cake, letting it drip down the sides like ganache. That would be an appropriate usage for honey frosting. But unless you feel like scraping it all off and trying to piece back together the cake that has to be at the restaurant an hour ago, don't use it to completely frost a cake.

But isn't a chai spice cake a good idea? I used a recipe from Sky High.

1 1/3 cups milk

6 unsweetened chai tea bags, like Tazo

4 eggs

2 egg yolks

1 t vanilla

2 2/3 cake flour

2 cups sugar

4 1/2 t baking powder

3/4 t cinnamon

1/2 t ground cardamon

1/2 t salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and line the bottoms of 3 8-in round cake pans with parchment paper.

In a saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer over med-low heat (watch it, don't let it boil over). Add the tea bags, draping the strings over the outside of the pot. Remove from heat and let steep for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and squeeze all the liquid from each back into the pot. Let the milk mixture cool.

In a bowl, combine the eggs, egg yolks, vanilla and 1/3 cup chai milk. Whisk to blend.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and cardamom. Beat on low to mix. Add the softened butter and remaining chai milk and mix on med-low to blend; then turn up the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg mixture in three additions, scraping down the bowl between each and mixing only to incorporate.

Divide the batter among your pans and bake for 25-28 minutes until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Honey Ginger frosting was a great idea, but use less honey than more if you're trying it. The book recommends using powdered sugar, cream cheese, honey, butter and fresh grated ginger.

I am now inspired to make my own chai mixture. Also I LOVE cardamom.