This simple cake will make you every chai-lover’s favorite person. Made with a simple 4-ingredient cake sponge, this milk cake is drenched in a three-milk mixture jam-packed with authentic masala chai flavor. It can be made the night before, making it the perfect showstopper dessert the next time you host!
It’s no secret that I love chai more than anything. It’s also a secret that I love milk cakes. I mean, have you seen the 10000 types of milk cake recipes I have shared?
So combining the two was an obvious idea; I can’t believe it took me this long to make it happen!
What I absolutely love about this recipe is that you can flavor it with YOUR chai. If there is one thing I have learned from posting chai videos on social media is that everyone makes chai differently, and everyone is very particular and protective about their chai method (according to the 100000 comments of people telling me I am doing it wrong 💀).
Not gonna lie; I am the same when it comes to chai. It’s my way or highway. So I get it. This is why the three-milk mixture for this cake can be made with your chai method, but I will still share how I do it in case you are interested. The only rule is that you have to make it with a 100% milk base, no water!
It’s also one of the easiest desserts to make and SHOULD be made a night before so that the cake can soak in the milk properly, making it the perfect dish to pre-prep for your parties and get done with the hassle of making a dessert the day before.
So, let’s get into the details of the masala chai milk cake.
Hold up, do you love chai, too? Then you will love these recipes!
The Cake Sponge
I always use the simplest four-ingredient cake sponge recipe for my milk cakes made with eggs, sugar, flour, and vanilla. I find this to be the perfect base for a milk cake because it’s super light and fluffy and barely has any flavor of its own.
It perfectly absorbs the three-milk mixture and takes up the flavor of the milk strongly, which makes it super versatile. You can easily change up the flavors by adding different things to the milk mixture.
And the best part? It could not be easier to make. Here are the steps for making the sponge cake.
- Separate the egg whites and yolks in two bowls, add half of the sugar in each bowl, and whisk both the egg whites and yolks with the sugars until both mixtures are thick and fluffy.
- Fold the egg whites and flour into the egg yolks gently with a silicone spatula, a little at a time, until fully combined. Make sure to do this gently to retain the airiness and fluffiness of the batter. The egg whites are the only raising agents in this cake, so if you mix too harshly, the whites will deflate, and the cake will turn out flat and dense instead of soft and fluffy.
- Transfer the batter to a prepared cake pan and bake for 20-30 minutes until golden brown.
- As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes in it, pour the milk mixture on top, and let it soak for a few hours.
The Chai Three-Milk Mixture
Now here’s where the magic happens.
As I mentioned above, all the flavor of this cake comes from the milk mixture. A classic three-milk mixture is made with heavy cream, condensed milk, and evaporated milk.
In this version, we are going to switch the heavy cream with a 100% milk-based masala chai made as per your preference and mix the condensed and evaporated milk with it.
Here’s how I make my chai.
- Add the milk, tea leaves, sugar, and whole spices of your choice (I use cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger) and cook on high heat until it starts to boil.
- Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes, then strain the chai and mix the condensed milk and evaporated milk with it to create the milk mixture
As I said, you can make it however you like; just make sure to use 100% milk and no water. You should also keep the sugar in the chai low, as the condensed milk will make it quite sweet.
Once the cake is ready, poke holes in it and pour the milk mixture on top generously while it’s still hot so that the cake absorbs it properly. Let the cake soak and chill for a few hours, then top with sweetened whipped cream and crushed Parle-G and enjoy.
Don’t forget to save some of the milk mixture for serving!
Easy, right? So what are we waiting for? Let’s get started!
Masala Chai Milk Cake
Equipment
- 7" square or round cake pan
- Electric or stand mixer
- Silicone spatula
- Hand whisk
Ingredients
Cake Sponge
- 4 eggs, separated into whites and yolks
- 70 grams white granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 80 grams all-purpose flour
Chai Milk Mixture
- 400 ml full-fat milk
- 14 grams tea leaves
- 14 grams sugar
- Whole spices of your choice
- 140 ml condensed milk
- 80 ml evaporated milk
- Sweetened whipped cream and Parle-G (for topping)
Instructions
Cake Sponge
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Prepare the baking pan by layering it with parchment paper or greasing it with butter and flour to make sure that the cake does not stick while baking.
- Place the egg white and yolks in two separate bowls and add half the sugar in each bowl. Whip the egg yolks with vanilla until they are light and fluffy and the egg whites until they are thick, fluffy, and reach stiff peaks.4 eggs, separated into whites and yolks, 70 grams white granulated sugar, 1 tsp vanilla essence
- Now, add the egg white mix and the flour into the egg yolk mix alternatively, 1/3rd at a time. Fold the mix after each addition with a silicone spatula gently, making sure not to knock the air out of the mixture. There is no baking powder in this cake. The airiness of the egg whites is what helps the cake rise and gives it that spongey texture. If you knock a lot of air off while mixing, your cake will be flat and dense.80 grams all-purpose flour
- Once everything is well combined, transfer the cake batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 20-30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
- As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes into it using a fork (to help the milk soak better). While the cake is still hot, pour a generous amount of the milk and let it chill in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours. Make sure to reserve some milk for serving.
- Top the cooled cake with sweetened whipped cream and crushed Parle-G, and serve cold with the reserved milk.Sweetened whipped cream and Parle-G (for topping)
Chai Milk Mixture
- Make the chai: Place the milk, tea leaves, sugar, and whole spices of your choice in a saucepan and bring it to a boil on high heat, then let it simmer on low heat for 10-15 minutes and strain.400 ml full-fat milk, 14 grams tea leaves, 14 grams sugar, Whole spices of your choice
- Mix the cooked chai with the condensed and evaporated milk with a hand whisk until combined.140 ml condensed milk, 80 ml evaporated milk
Notes
I am super excited for my fellow chai lovers to try this cake! If you give this recipe a try, let me know how you liked it in the comments. And, of course, share it with me on Instagram.
If you like experimenting with milk cakes, try these recipes!
Until next time!
