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Brown Sugar Chai Pound Cake with Salted Caramel Glaze

Brown Sugar Chai Pound Cake with Salted Caramel Glaze


  • Author: Molly
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: 8-10 servings 1x

Description

This brown sugar chai spice pound cake is perfect for fall baking when you’re looking for a departure from apples and pumpkins. It’s sweet, cozy, and spiced and topped off with a salted caramel glaze that really makes it something special.


Ingredients

Scale

For the Cake:

  • 3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature (plus another tablespoon or so for the pan)
  • 2 cups packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or extract)
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • 5 eggs, at room temperature
  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons chai spice mix
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup buttermilk

For the Salted Caramel Glaze:

  • 1 stick of unsalted butter
  • ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon fleur de sel (or other flaky sea salt)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or extract)

Flaky sea salt, for serving (optional)


Instructions

For the Cake:

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F and liberally grease a bundt pan with softened butter.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light, fluffy, and smooth, about 3 minutes (you can also use a hand mixer).
  3. Beat in the vanilla and the oil. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat to combine after each egg is added to the batter.
  4. Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, chai spices, salt, and baking powder in a bowl.
  5. Add half the flour mix to the batter and mix until just combined.
  6. Add in the buttermilk and mix until combined.
  7. Add in the remaining flour mixture and mix until just combined.
  8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 60-75 minutes or until golden brown all over and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  9. Cool the pound cake in the pan for 10 minutes and then carefully invert on a cooling rack to cool completely. Cool the cake completely before adding the glaze.

For the Salted Caramel Glaze:

  1. Melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat and add the sugar. Whisk until the sugar is mostly dissolved, about 3 minutes.
  2. Slowly add in the heavy cream and sea salt and whisk constantly until the mixture comes to a gentle boil.
  3. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2-3 minutes, whisking frequently, until the mixture thickens.
  4. Remove the caramel from the heat and whisk in the vanilla bean paste. Allow to cool for a few minutes. It should thicken as it cools.
  5. Pour the cooled caramel generously over the pound cake. If saving for later, transfer to an airtight container and keep in the fridge.
  6. Once the glaze sets on the cake for a few minutes, garnish with a few sprinkles of flaky sea salt, if desired. Slice and serve.

Notes

  • I tested this recipe a handful of times, and I think using buttermilk instead of plain whole milk works better. You can sub it out in a pinch, but if you can, use buttermilk! It yields a moister, less dense cake.
  • This cake will keep well wrapped at room temperature for a couple days.
  • The caramel sauce can be made ahead and stored in the fridge until needed.
  • Cake lightly adapted from here.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 60 minutes
  • Category: dessert

Keywords: brown sugar pound cake, pound cake recipe, chai spice recipe, chai cake, chai pound cake recipe, fall baking recipe