When reflecting on the potential circumstances that led the earliest humans to create dishes that are now commonplace, like cake, it is hard to wrap my mind around that proclivity to innovation.

Through osmosis and experience (#inaforanhour) I know that butter, sugar, flour, eggs, etc. when combined and forced towards stimulation via heat results in SOMETHING. But a time existed when that was not the case. The only logical conclusion I can draw is that magic is, in fact, real.

Be that as it may…

When beginning to bake this cake, I realized that as humans, we work with what we have, but something we have that we can’t ignore is a desire to experiment. This is exactly what took over when I set out to combine butter, sugar, flour, eggs, chai, and a few other odds and ends to make this outstanding anytime-of-day kind of cake.

Chai Latte Bundt Cake

2 Cups AP Flour
1 Tsp. Baking Soda
½ Tsp. Baking Powder
1 Tsp. Salt
½ Tsp. Cinnamon
1 Stick Butter, Room Temperature
1 Package Cream Cheese (8 oz.) , Room Temperature
1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk (14 oz.)
2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract divided
1 Chai Latte Concentrate (32 oz.)
1 Cup + ½ Cup Brown Sugar (Different amounts used for different purposes)
½ Cup Mini Chocolate Chips
Sea Salt
1 Cup Powdered Sugar

Start by measuring 1 cup of the chai concentrate and setting aside
Pour the rest into a small pot, stir in 1 cup of brown sugar and bring to a boil
Lower to a simmer and allow to reduce by half (this can happen while the other baking and kitchen fun is going on!)

Preheat the oven to 350°F

Cream together the butter, cream cheese, and condensed milk
Add the eggs one at a time
Mix in 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients followed by 1/3 of the reserved chai spice concentrate, alternating the addition of each til they are all incorporated

Grease the sides of a Bundt pan with coconut oil and spread a couple tbs. at the bottom of the pan
Sprinkle about ¼ cup of Brown sugar in the bottom of the pan
Our in half of the better
Top with the chocolate chips, ¼ cup brown sugar, and ½ tsp. sea salt
Distribute the rest of the cake batter
Bake 25-30 minutes til a toothpick comes out clean

Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before running a knife around the side and inverting the cake on a cooling rack
Now, before the cake is completely cool, take about ½ cup of the reduced chai concentrate syrup and drizzle it on top so the cake absorbs the syrup and infuses even more richness

Once the cake is cool, make a glaze using 1 cup of powdered sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, and 1-2 tbs. of the chai syrup

Drizzle on top of the cake and cut a slice to enjoy!

Store the rest of the chai syrup in a mason jar in the fridge and use for other recipes at your leisure.

The words I heard most from friends I forced this cake on were an eyes-closed “mmmmm”, “yummy”, and for those fearless few, “moist!”.