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Test Kitchen Approved

Golden Vanilla Chai Tea Cakes

Golden Vanilla Chai Tea Cakes

Golden Vanilla Chai Tea Cakes

Recipe By Michael Kimball, Savory Spice Test Kitchen

Yields

24 tea cakes

Prep Time

30 Minutes

Cooking Time

12 Minutes

Recipe By Michael Kimball, Savory Spice Test Kitchen

A chai-infused butter gives these adorable tea cakes a warm, sweet-spiced flavor and a chewy, blondie-like texture.

Recipe Notes

*To use vanilla beans: split beans in half lengthwise and scrape seeds out from pod with the back of a knife. Use empty pods to make homemade vanilla extract or flavor homemade vanilla sugar.

Ingredients

For tea cakes:

1 1/4 cups unsalted butter

4 black tea bags

1/4 cup Chai seasoning of choice:



1 cup granulated sugar, plus more to coat muffin tin



2 eggs

1 egg yolk


1 vanilla bean of choice*:




3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour

For icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 Tbsp. infused chai butter, melted

2 Tbsp. whole milk



Savory Spice ingredients in this recipe

  • Chai Spices

    We carefully handcraft our Masala influenced whole Chai Spices by mixing chai tea spices like crystalized ginger, cinnamon chips, green cardamom po...

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  • Cheerful Chai Spiced Drink Tin

    This festive twist on a cozy classic is sure to get the par-tea started. Crimson sweet and tart cranberries, eucalyptus-like California bay leaves,...

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    New
  • Mayan Sea Salt

    Mayan Sea Salt has a clean appearance and flavor but is also an interesting tie to the ancient Mayan way of life. This sea salt was harvested off t...

    View full details
  • Ground Turmeric Powder

    Ground Turmeric powder is made from a root in the ginger family and is used to add both color and flavor to most dishes when cooking. Turmeric powd...

    View full details
  • Madagascar Vanilla Bean Paste

    Our Madagascar Vanilla Bean Paste will take your desserts and baked goods to the next level. This vanilla bean paste helps you easily add both a ri...

    View full details
  • Madagascar Vanilla Beans

    Our Madagascar Vanilla Beans are Grade A, the highest quality available. Grade A beans, also called prime or gourmet vanilla beans, are pliable and...

    View full details
  • Mexican Vanilla Beans

    Our Mexican Vanilla Beans are Grade A, the highest quality. Grade A beans, which are also known as gourmet or prime quality, are plump and pliable....

    View full details
  • Ugandan Vanilla Beans

    Ugandan vanilla beans are a premium quality. These beans are plump, pliable, succulent, and flavorful. The purchase of these beans supports local f...

    View full details

Directions

Step 1: Infuse butter

In a medium pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. Remove from heat and submerge black tea bags and Chai Spices in butter. Infuse for 20 min. Strain into a medium bowl. Remove and reserve 2 Tbsp. infused butter for icing. Cool to room temperature.

Step 2: Mix dough

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil mini muffin tin and sprinkle with sugar to coat bottom and sides of cups. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 1 cup granulated sugar, salt, Ground Turmeric, and infused butter. Mix on medium-high for 2 to 3 min. until fluffy. Reduce speed to medium and add eggs, egg yolk, and Madagascar Vanilla Bean Paste one at a time, mixing until smooth between each addition. Reduce speed to slowest setting and add flour, stirring until just barely combined. Remove bowl from mixer and use a rubber spatula to ensure dough is combined.

Step 3: Make icing

In a medium bowl, combine glaze ingredients and stir until smooth. Glaze should reach a consistency that will drip partway down sides of cakes. Add additional powdered sugar or milk if needed to reach this consistency. Set aside and stir occasionally until ready to use.

Step 4: Bake and ice

Fill cups of mini muffin tin with 2 Tbsp. dough and press to flatten top. Bake for 10 to 12 min. until barely golden around the edges and center is still soft. Cool for 10 min. in tin. Twist cakes to ensure they will release from tin then turn out onto cooling rack. Arrange cakes upside down on cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Top each cake with a generous 1 tsp. of icing and use bottom of teaspoon to gently encourage it to drip down sides of cakes. Allow icing to set and serve.