Chocolate Chai-Spiced Loaf Cake

What can I say about this cake?

I am actually sitting here speechless. That's right -- me! Speechless! This cake is that good.

I'm talking, of course, about my Chocolate Chai-Spiced Loaf Cake. I was inspired this past week to create this recipe as I was sipping on a Starbucks Chocolate Chai Latte (it's a new drink, and you should definitely give it a try!) 

As I was making this cake, I was not expecting things to work out quite as beautifully as they did. The final product that came out of my oven was a rich, fluffy, and decadent choclate cake spiced with the wonderful flavors of Chai Tea. For good measure, I added a chai tea glaze on top. Why wouldn't I?

Chai spices include cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and cloves. They are like a big hug on a cold day. Pair them up with chocolate and you are onto something.

Now, look, I try not to be a very demanding blogger. Everyone should be able to choose for themselves what sort of project to take on in the kitchen. But...can I just say something? You will NOT be disappointed with this cake. Even my boyfriend who is not really a dessert or sweet kind of guy had the following to say about this cake. And I quote:

"This is divine."

DIVINE!! Who can say no to that? Let's impress our friends. Let's make our mom proud. Let us go forth and make this cake!

Here's what you need for Chocolate Chai-Spiced Loaf Cake* (Print Recipe!)

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

pinch of ground gloves

pinch of salt

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

6 ounces non-fat plain greek yogurt

1 large egg, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup water, boiled and steeped with 2 chai tea bags, cooled

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted (for the glaze)

Here's what you do

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 or 10 inch loaf pan and line the bottoms and two sides with parchment paper. Allow a little bit of the parchment to hang over the sides of the pan for easy loaf removal.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in a big bowl using an electric hand mixer), cream the butter until fluffy. Beat in the brown and granulated sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add in the yogurt, egg, and vanilla extract, beating until just combined. Slowly add in 1/4 cup of the prepared chai tea, reserving the rest for the glaze (you won't use the whole cup of liquid). 

Stop the mixer and add in the dry ingredients in three batches, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Scoop the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread as evenly as possible...the batter will be quite thick. 

Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Before the cake is completely cooled, prepare the glaze. Mix together the powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the chai tea until smooth. Add more liquid if you prefer a thicker glaze. Pour over the cake and spread it until it just starts to drip down the sides. Cool completely before slicing and devouring. 

Cake will last, well wrapped at room temperature, for 3 days -- though I doubt you'll have to worry about that!

*Gas Stove Girl original recipe, loaf cake slightly adapted from the smitten kitchen