Easy Chai Tres Leches Cake Recipe For Beginners

This airy chai Tres Leches cake combines chai tea’s warm and comforting flavors with the rich creaminess of condensed and evaporated milk, with a heavy cream icing, making it a perfect festive dessert. If you are a chai enthusiast, this cake is an absolute must-try.

Indulge in the exotic flavors of Indian cuisine with this delicious Chai-soaked Cake! This delightful dessert boasts a rich and flavorful combination of aromatic chai concentrate, sweet condensed milk, and airy sponge cake. Chai concentrate adds a subtle warm flavor to the cake, while evaporated and condensed milk gives it a rich and creamy texture. This copycat chai Tres Leches Cake is not overly sugary, making it an excellent choice for those who prefer mildly sweet desserts.

You’ll be surprised how beautifully the sponge cake soaks the comforting flavors of chai concentrate, resulting in a perfectly moist, dense cake oozing with milk tea flavors. The final touch of whipped cream on top adds an extra layer of indulgence that’s hard to resist.

What is Chai Concentrate?

Chai concentrate is a concentrated form of masala chai, a spiced tea from India. To make chai concentrate, you must simmer black tea with spices like cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, black pepper, and sweeteners such as sugar and honey until they combine to form a concentrated liquid.

Chai concentrate is typically used to make chai tea by adding it to milk or water and heating it. However, this recipe uses chai concentrate to soak the sponge cake with warm, cozy, and spicy masala chai flavors. It adds a rich and intense flavor to the cake that is difficult to achieve with just regular tea.

What you’ll need to make Chai Tres Leches Cake

The ingredients required to make the Chai concentrate soaked Cake recipe are:

Eggs – Eggs act as a binding agent in the cake batter and add structure and stability to the cake.

Vanilla Extract – When used in baking, vanilla extract enhances the flavor of other ingredients, like sugar and milk. Vanilla’s primary purpose is to mask raw egg odors in baked goods.

Sugar – It provides sweetness to the cake and is a crucial ingredient for baking desserts.

Yogurt – For a perfect amount of moisture and tanginess, make the cake soft and tender.

Milk – Adding milk to the cake batter helps achieve the desired consistency.

Flour – It is the main dry ingredient in the cake batter and helps provide structure to make the perfect light and fluffy cake.

Baking Powder – Acts as a leavening agent that helps rise the cake and gives it a light and fluffy texture.

Salt – To balance the sweetness and enhance the flavor of the cake.

Evaporated Milk – One of the three kinds of milk in the traditional Tres Leches cake recipe, and it adds a creamy texture to the cake.

Condensed Milk – Another milk in this three-milk cake recipe and for an added sweetness and creaminess.

Chai Concentrate – The star ingredient of this recipe that adds delicious masala chai flavor into the cake.

Heavy Cream – It is used to make the whipped cream topping for the cake. It adds rich flavors and creaminess to the cake.

How to make Chai Tres Leches Cake

To make this easy Chai Tres Leches Cake, start by preparing the cake batter. Whisk together eggs, vanilla extract, and sugar until the mixture is pale in color.

Then add yogurt, oil, milk, flour, baking powder, and salt to the egg mixture and mix well.

Pour the batter into a greased at 350°F (180°C) for about 25-30 minutes.

While the cake is baking, mix a can of condensed milk, a can of evaporated milk, and chai concentrate in a glass container. This mixture will soak the cake and give it a delicious chai flavor.

Mix condensed milk, heavy cream, and vanilla extract in a bowl until the mixture is smooth and creamy with a thicker consistency to make the whipping cream. This will be used as icing for the cake.

Once the cake is baked, remove it from the cake pan and let it cool. Then, remove the top of the cake with a sharp knife and even it out on top to make room for the icing.

Place the cake back in the cake pan and pour the milk mixture all over the cake, ensuring that it is evenly distributed and the cake soaks up the liquid.

Finally, add the whipped cream icing to the cake using a piping bag. Once the icing is added, the cake is ready to be sliced, served, and enjoyed by all!

FAQ’s

Can I make the chai concentrate at home?

You can make chai concentrate at home by simmering milk, tea leaves, and spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and ginger. Once the mixture has simmered, strain the liquid and use it in the recipe.

Can I use regular milk instead of evaporated milk?

Using regular milk instead of evaporated milk is not recommended as it won’t have the same richness and consistency needed for this recipe. Evaporated milk has a higher milk solids content, making it thicker and creamier.

Can I use whipped cream from a can?

While you can use whipped cream from a can, making your own whipped cream is recommended as it will have a fresher taste and a thicker consistency.

Can I make this Chai Tres Leches Cake ahead of time?

You can make chai milk cake ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. It’s recommended to add the whipped cream icing right before serving to prevent it from melting or becoming too runny.