Vanilla Chai Bundt Cake

Ingredients

For the cake
1 ½ cups whole milk
2 tablespoons Little Desert Whole Spice Chai
1 box vanilla or butter cake mix, or your favorite scratch vanilla cake base
Eggs, oil, and butter as called for in the recipe you are using
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract, optional
½ teaspoon cinnamon, optional

For the salted caramel icing
½ cup caramel sauce
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ to ¾ teaspoon flaky sea salt, to taste

Method

Heat the milk until it is just steaming. Add the whole spice chai, cover, and let it steep for about 20 to 30 minutes. Strain and allow the milk to cool to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and generously grease a bundt pan. Prepare your cake batter, replacing the liquid in the recipe with the cooled chai infused milk. Stir in the vanilla, almond extract, and cinnamon if using.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake according to your recipe’s instructions, usually 40 to 50 minutes, until a tester comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack to cool completely.
To make the icing, whisk together the caramel sauce, powdered sugar, cream, vanilla, and salt until smooth and thick but still pourable. Adjust the consistency with a little more cream or sugar as needed.
Spoon the salted caramel icing over the cooled cake and let it fall naturally along the sides.

To Serve

This cake is best enjoyed slightly warm with a cup of chai. It is a simple, comforting way to bring whole spices into the kitchen and into everyday ritual.