Mini Chai Latte Cakes

If you’re a chai latte lover, these mini chai latte cakes will be your new favorite treat! Infused with the warm, aromatic spices of cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger, each bite offers a rich, cozy flavor that’s both comforting and delicious.

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About This Recipe

These mini chai latte cakes are the ultimate fall treat, capturing all the cozy, warm flavors of the season. With the aromatic spices of chai—cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and cloves—each bite feels like a warm hug, making them perfect for crisp autumn afternoons. Whether you’re hosting a tea party, enjoying a picnic, or simply wanting a snack to pair with your favorite cup of tea or coffee, these little cakes offer the perfect blend of comfort and flavor. Their bite-sized nature also makes them easy to serve at gatherings or for a quick afternoon pick-me-up.

What makes these cakes even better is how simple they are to make. With just a few pantry staples, you can whip them up in no time. They don’t require any frosting or glazing, as the chai spices provide all the flavor you need, making them a wonderfully fuss-free dessert. The light, fluffy texture combined with the subtle sweetness means they’re just as satisfying without any extra toppings. Their simplicity, portability, and delightful flavor make them ideal for casual get-togethers, tea parties, or even a cozy snack by the fireplace.

For the molds, I used a silicon mold that has a beautiful design, but you can use any type of cake mold you like. If you don’t have a mini cake mold, a cupcake tar lined with cupcake liners will work too. Or you could just bake all of the batter in a 6 or 8-inch cake pan.

What You Need To Make This Recipe

All Purpose flour: you don’t need any other type of flour, like self-rising flour, just some plain AP flour!

Condensed Milk: this is used to make the chai latte creamer that will then be added to the cake batter.

Milk: this is also needed for the chai latter creamer, I prefer using whole milk, but any other type of milk will work too.

Granulated sugar: you don’t need much sugar because the condensed milk is also going to add sweetness to the cakes.

Buttermilk: this will help make the cakes super soft, you can use homemade, see how here, or store-bought.

Vegetable oil: make sure to use a flavorless oil like sunflower or canola oil. Using vegetable oil results in a cake that stays moist for days, because, unlike butter, oil does not solidify, this keeps the cake soft and moist for a longer period of time.

Spices: you’ll need cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, clove, and some nutmeg, All the spices need to be in powdered form.

Cornstarch: makes the cake lighter and more tender by softening the structure. When mixed with flour, it helps reduce the overall gluten content, resulting in a finer, softer crumb.

Baking powder and baking soda: these are the leavening agents, they’ll help the cake rise so it becomes light and airy instead of dense and hard. Make sure you check the expiration dates on your leavening agents!

Eggs: use room temp. eggs for the best results.

Tea Leaves: you can also use tea bags, but make sure you’re using authentic black tea (Assam tea)to achieve that amazing chai flavor!

How To Make Mini Chai Latte Cakes

Step 1: In a small bowl combine all of the spices and set aside. This will be the chai spice mix that we’ll be using for the mini chai latte cakes recipe.

Step 2: In a saucepan, combine milk and condensed milk and cook on medium-high flame while constantly stirring until the mixture has reduced by about 50-70%.

Step 3: Add tea leaves and chai spice into the milk and condensed milk mixture and continue to cook until the mixture comes to a rolling boil. Make sure to string in between.

Step 4: Once the mixture comes to a boil, strain it into a separate bowl and place that in the refrigerator to cool completely. This will be our chai latte creamer.

Step 5: In a large bowl combine all of the dry ingredients along with some more chai spice. Give it a good whisk.

Step 6: Add in the wet ingredients and mix until a thick batter is formed.

Step 7: Next, add in the chai latte creamer(fully cooled) and mix until combined.

Step 8: Grease your mini cake molds (or line a cupcake tray ). You can use whatever molds you’d like or you can just use cupcake trays. Pour the batter into the mold, filling them 3/4 of the way up. Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C / 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Step 9: Once baked, let the cakes cool completely before finishing them off with a dusting of powdered sugar.

Storing The Mini Chai Latte Cakes

Mini chai latte cakes should be stored in an airtight container to keep them fresh. You can store them at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you’d like to keep them longer, they can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. Just be sure to bring them to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture. Alternatively, you can freeze the cakes for up to 3 months—just wrap them individually in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Thaw them at room temperature before enjoying!

Pro Tips

Use freshly ground spices: For the best flavor, use freshly ground spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger. This will elevate the chai flavor and give your cakes a more aromatic, vibrant taste.
Don’t overmix the batter: When combining the wet and dry ingredients, mix just until they’re incorporated. Overmixing can lead to dense cakes instead of light and fluffy ones.
Room temperature ingredients: Ensure your eggs, butter, and milk are at room temperature. This helps the ingredients blend more smoothly, resulting in a tender cake texture.
Let the cakes cool completely: If you’re planning to add a glaze or dust with powdered sugar, make sure the cakes have cooled completely to prevent any melting or fogginess.
Try a spice mix: To save time, you can use pre-mixed chai spice blends, which often combine all the classic chai spices in the perfect proportions.
Experiment with tea flavors: While Assam tea is traditional, you can experiment with other black teas like Darjeeling or even add a touch of vanilla chai for a twist on the classic flavor.

FAQ’s

Can I make these mini chai latte cakes without eggs?

Yes! You can substitute the eggs with applesauce or yogurt. Use 1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce or yogurt for each egg in the recipe. The texture will be slightly denser, but they’ll still be delicious.

Can I use a different type of tea for these cakes?

Absolutely! While Assam tea is traditional for chai, you can experiment with different black teas like Darjeeling or even try flavored teas like vanilla chai for a unique twist.

Do I need any special equipment to make these cakes?

No special equipment is needed. A regular muffin tin will work perfectly to create these mini cakes. If you prefer a different shape, you can use mini loaf pans or any other small molds you have on hand like I did!

Can I add a frosting or glaze to these cakes?

Yes, but they don’t need it! The cakes are flavorful on their own. However, if you’d like to add a glaze, a simple vanilla or spiced glaze would pair wonderfully.

Can I make a larger version instead of mini cakes?

Definitely! You can use the same recipe to make a regular-sized loaf or cake. Just adjust the baking time accordingly—typically, a full-sized cake will take about 25-30 minutes or longer, depending on the size.

How can I make buttermilk at home?

It’s simple, for every one cup of milk add one tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice. Let it sit for 5 minutes before using it in your recipes!

Looking for more easy tea-time cakes? Then you should try out my easy Banana Peanut Butter Cake, Chocolate Strawberry Whoopie Pies, Marble Loaf Cake, or these Apple Crumble Muffins.

Check out my YouTube Channel for detailed recipe tutorials! Made one of my recipes? Tag me on Instagram, I would love to see your creations!

Recipe Card

Prep Time: 20 min

Cook Time: 15-20 min

Total Time: 40 min

Course: Dessert

Servings: 12

Calories: 142.46kcal

Ingredients

Chai Spice Mix

1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
a pinch of ground clove

Chai Latte Creamer

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp whole milk (150ml)
1/4 cup condensed milk (60g)
1 1/2 tsp black tea (Assam Tea)
1 tsp chai spice

Chai Latte Cake

3/4 cup all-purpose flour (110g)
1 tbsp cornstarch (15tbsp)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup granulated sugar (80g)
1/4 cup buttermilk, room temp. (60ml)
1/4 cup vegetable oil (60ml)
2 eggs, room temp.
1/2 tsp chai spice
Chai latte creamer (made in the recipe)

Equipment/Utensils

Mini cake molds (any kind) or a lined cupcake tray
Small saucepan
Spatula
2 small bowls
1 medium-sized bowl
1 large bowl
Whisk

Instructions

In a small bowl combine all of the spices for the chai spice mix and set aside.
In small saucepan combine milk and condensed milk. Place it on medium-high flame and cook while stirring until the mixture reduces by 50-70%. This takes about 10-15 minutes.
Add in tea leaves and 1 tsp of the chai spice mix you made earlier. Give this a mix and continue to cook on medium-high while stirring until the mixture comes to a rolling boil.
Turn off the heat and strain the mixture into a separate bowl and place it in the refrigerator to cool completely.
Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F. In a large bowl combine all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, granulated sugar, and 1/2 tsp of chai spice made earlier. Give this a good whisk.
Add in the buttermilk, vegetable oil, and eggs. Give everything a whisk until fully combined.
Finally, add in the cooled chai latte creamer and mix until fully incorporated.
Fill the prepared batter into the greased cake molds (or into a lined cupcake tray) and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Once baked, let the cake cool completely before demolding the cakes. Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 142.46kcal

Total Fat: 6.46g

Carbs: 18.56g

Carbs: 10.55g

Protein: 2.81g

Sodium: 84.22mg

Fiber: 0.41g

** Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, cooking methods, portion sizes, and more. **