Chai Spiced Cake
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott/Not Quite Nigella
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
- 1 1/4 cups plain flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/3 cup caster or superfine sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 5 cloves, ground
- Pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup strong black tea
- 1/3 cup plain mildly flavoured oil (not olive oil)
- 2 egg yolks (at room temperature)
- 3 egg whites (at room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/4 cup caster or superfine sugar
For frosting
- 150g/5ozs butter, softened
- 1.5 cups icing or powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (plus a tiny bit extra for sifting on top)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Step 1 - Preheat oven to 160C/320F and line a 18cm/7.2inch springform tin with baking parchment. Sift the flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt from a height to aerate the mixture. In a jug, whisk the vanilla, tea, oil and egg yolks and mix with the flour mixture.
Step 2 - In a clean mixer fitted with a balloon whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Add the extra 1/4 cup of sugar and whisk until you get stiff peaks - if you can tilt the bowl without the mixture moving then it is ready.
Step 3 - Add a couple of spoonfuls of the egg white to the flour mixture to loosen it. Fold throughout and add the fluffy egg white in two or three batches until it is combined and there are no streaks. Scrape into the prepared tin and bake for 35 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool completely.
Step 4 - Attach the beater head to the mixer and beat the butter until smooth. On low speed (trust me, I did this on medium speed once and regretted it), add the sifted icing sugar and spices and beat until smooth. Remove cake from tin and spread the icing over the top. If you want to make the flower pattern, draw a circle around the edge with the tip of an angled spatula and then draw circles within it. Sift a little cinnamon on top and serve with a cup of tea or coffee. Or just eat it over the sink hungrily because it is so good.