Chai Pumpkin Cake with Chai Frosting

Our latest celebration cake is this delicious Gluten Free Chai Pumpkin Cake with Chai Whipped Frosting. Layers of sweet and warm spices of Chai and Pumpkin with perfectly sweetened Gluten Free Chai Frosting

Gluten Free · Nut Free

Serves 16

Ingredients

Cake

300g / 2 cups Anything But Ordinary Plain Flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon bi-carb soda

⅛ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

250g butter, softened

250g caster sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 eggs (at room temp)

200g / ¾ cup mashed pumpkin

60mls / ¼ cup strong chai spiced tea

125ml / ½ cup milk

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Chai Wipped Frosting

170g cream cheese

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

160g GF icing sugar, sifted

40ml / 2 tablespoons strong chai spiced tea

360ml double cream

Method

Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Grease the sides of two 15cm/6inch x 7cm/3inch deep round tins and line the bases with a circle of baking paper.

Make 125mls / ½ cup strong chai spiced tea and set aside to divide between cake and frosting. (see note)

Stir the milk and apple cider vinegar together and set aside.

Sieve the Anything But Ordinary Plain Flour, baking powder, bi-carb soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk together.

In the bowl of a mixer or a bowl suitable for hand held beaters, add the butter and vanilla and beat on medium high speed for a few minutes until it’s very light in colour. Add the sugar and beat for a couple of minutes until light and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat just til combined. Stir in the pumpkin and chai tea. Add a third of the flour and half of the milk and beat just long enough to mix together, scraping sides of bowl well. Repeat this with another third of flour and remaining milk. Add the last third of flour and beat for about 30 seconds til a smooth consistency. It may appear curdled at this stage. Pour evenly into the prepared tins and smooth the tops to level the cake batter.

Bake for 45-50 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes then run a knife around the side to help break the cake away from the tin. Put a wire rack on top then carefully flip it over to invert the cake. Turn back upright and leave to cool. Cut each cake in half horizontally, giving four layers. Put one layer on a serving plate. Spread with a thin layer of whipped frosting. Repeat with each cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and around the side of the cake. Let set in the fridge for an hour before serving. Store covered for a couple of days in the fridge.The recipe can be made in two 20cm/8inch round tins and baked for 35-40 minutes. They can be sandwiched together as a two layer cake.

Chai Whipped Frosting

Beat the cream cheese and vanilla on medium high speed in a small bowl of an electric mixer until very soft. Add the icing sugar and beat really well until a smooth, light texture. Add the chai tea and beat til combined. Add the cream and beat only until stiff, being careful to watch that it doesn’t curdle. Use immediately.

Note

If using Chai powder (about 1 heaped tablespoon in 125mls boiling water) to make the tea, skim the liquid only for the frosting when the powder has settled. The rest can be stirred and measured for the cake.