Chai Masala Cake (Masala Tea Cake)

The aromas in the house are going to drive the neighbors insane so make sure you make enough to share with everyone 🙂 This oh-so-grown-up cake and it’s intensity of flavors are going to make you feel like a pro. Enjoy this wonderful cake with a cup of Tea, with breakfast or as a dessert (with ice-cream…)!

Prep Time: 20 min
Bake Time: 40-45 min
Makes: approx. 10 slices

Ingredients:

Filling/Topping:
Unsalted Butter – 1 tbsp, softened
Brown Sugar – 3 tbsp
Flour (Maida) – 1.5 tbsp
Walnuts – 1/3rd cup, chopped
Chai (Tea) Masala – 2 tsp

Batter:
Flour (Maida) – 1.25 cup
Salt – 1/8th tsp
Baking Soda – 1/2 tsp
Baking Powder – 1 tsp
Unsalted Butter – 6 tbsp, softened
Sugar – 1/2 cup
Large Eggs – 2
Thick Yogurt – 3/4th cup
Vanilla Essence – 1/2 tsp

Butter for greasing baking dish
Flour for dusting

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F/180 degrees C.
2. Butter the sides and bottom of the baking tray and lightly dust with Flour and remove excess.

Topping/Filling:
3. In a shallow dish, combine Butter, Brown Sugar, Flour (Maida), Walnuts and Chai (Tea) Masala.
4. With a fork mix till it is crumbly and set aside for later.

Batter:
5. In a bowl, sift all the dry ingredients – Flour, Baking Soda, Baking Powder and Salt.
6. Mix and Set aside.
7. In a mixing bowl, cream the Butter and Sugar together on low speed with a hand blender.
8. Once creamed, break in the Eggs into the batter and incorporate well.
9. Add in the Vanilla Essence and mix.
10. Add in the sifted dry ingredients and the Yogurt alternately in the batter.
11. Beat till it is all done and incorporated well into a smooth batter.

12. In the loaf pan, pour half of the batter.
13. Tap and level it.
14. Sprinkle 3/4th of the topping/filling mixture on the batter.
15. Pour the balance of the batter and level.
16. Sprinkle the balance of the topping/filling and place the baking pan into the center of the oven.
17. Bake for 40-45 min. Insert a toothpick to make sure it is baked.
18. Once done, take out of the oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes, loosen the edges and then flip onto a cooling rack.
19. Serve warm or allow to cool and store for a later time.

Tips:
1. For Eggless Cake, substitute: 2 tbsp of Flaxseed + 6 tbsp Warm Water. Mix and allow sit aside for 5 min. Mix in place of eggs. Add additional 1/2 tsp of Baking Soda.
2. Store the cake in the fridge for 1 week or in the freezer for upto a month.
3. To make it sweeter, increase the amount of Sugar.

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0 thoughts on “Chai Masala Cake (Masala Tea Cake)

  1. hi hetal,

    i made this cake yesterday..its yummy..thank u guys for antoher wonderful recipe.i have tried many of ur recipes and the best part i like about your recipe is that they are quick simple and easy..keep up your good work..i have a question about the cake i made yesterday..my cake baked fine but when i took it out of the oven it got deflated and also it was little unbaked in the middle..i am trying to figure out what went wrong??..please reply

    1. Hi Sam,

      Every oven is different than the next. When baking this cake or any other cake, you have to insert a toothpick into the center (towards the end of the baking time). If it comes out clean, the cake is done. If it comes out sticky, then you need to bake a little longer.

  2. Hi Gals,

    Can I mix the ingredients manually, I don’t have the hand mixer and why the brown sugar is looking like a paste. Are you using paste of brown sugar.

    1. Hi Sonu,

      Yes, you can mix manually but it will take longer. Brown sugar is moist, unlike regular white sugar, it does not sprinkle out.

  3. hi Hetal

    cud u please tell me what size is your loaf pan that u r using in the recipe???.i hav a 9 inch loaf pan..aand am thinking to make this cake but am confused with the size of the loaf pan because mine looks smaller then yours..i dont know if the cake will bake properly or not in my loaf pan so please advise..

    thanks

    1. Hi Neha,

      Unfortunately, our oven came along with our home so we are not sure of a good brand (we don’t have anything to compare it to). Most ovens work well (unlike something like a blender). Maybe you can look online for different reviews.

  4. Hi Anuja/Hetal,

    I was just referred to your website by a friend of mine. I did try a few of ur recipes and it turned out gr8… U guys r the best… I have never baked or used the oven ever and wanted to try this chai masala cake recipe… However, I have been told by others that mixing is the main thing .. Too much can spoil the cake and too little isn’t good either….

    Can u plz share for how many minutes did u mix the batter using hand mixer?…

    1. Hi Archana,

      Welcome to SMTC! With cakes, the more you mix, the more gluten is formed in the flour, which can make the cake tough. You don’t have to worry about over beating the sugar, butter and eggs portion…only after you add the flour. Though I don’t have an exact time for the hand blender, you should mix until everything is well incorporated.

  5. Hi Hetal-Anuja,
    I made this cake yesteday.It was great and my husband loved it.But my inner filling sank to the bottom and my topping also sank.None the less the cake was excellent.Do you know what I did wrong for this to happen?
    Thanks for the recipe.

    1. Hi Cathy,

      hmmm…could you have miscalculated one of the ingredients? The only way the filling and the topping can sink is if the batter is too thin to support the weight of the filling.

  6. Hi Hetal&Anuja;
    I love your recipes and commend you both for your hard work and style. I had one question on this recipe..is it possible to use sour cream instead of yogurt? Thanks.. can’t wait to try this one. All the best for all your endeavors in the future!

    1. I think you should be able to use sour cream…Hetal said this while answering a question above – “Traditional coffee cakes use sour cream for added softness as well as activating the baking soda. We like to take a healthier approach so we used yogurt.”

  7. Hi Anuja & Hetal,
    I tried this cake yesterday and it was awesome. I just couldn’t resist it. The sugar level was perfect and the crunch on the top was just out of the world. I tried couple of your other recipes too and all of them come out really good. Now, I don’t have to think twice before trying your recipes. Thank you so much for sharing all your wonderful recipes and making us a good cook.

      1. Thanks hetal for replying ,can u please suggest me any good oven as I am planning to buy one.Thanks once again,will be waiting for ur reply.

  8. Hi Hetal and Anuja,

    This cake is the best. I have made this cake yesterday, and it tasted so delicious. But I’ve made some swap to make it a bit healthier. Instead of 6 tablespoons of butter I used 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons canola oil and non fat yogurt. Also whole wheat instead of all purpose flower and brown sugar instead of white sugar for taste and flavor. For toppings, I used cinnamon, clove, cardamom, nutmeg and chopped almonds (things that I have on hands). I have posted this thinking that maybe some of you find my feedback helpful. Thanks 🙂

    1. Hi Mili,

      Thanks so much for taking the time to post your feedback and offer your alterations. Every bit of advice is useful to someone out there so thanks again!

  9. I just tried this recipe too and mine also sank quite a bit in the middle. The batter was thick and whippy when I spooned it into the pan (it was not pour-able consistency). It smells great and when it cools I’m going to see if it is still edible. I also used greek yogurt, just like in the comment above me, if that matters at all.

  10. This recipe is wonderful! My cake came out just like yours did right out of the oven. But when I came back to it 10 minutes later, the whole thing had deflated. Do you know what I could have done wrong (maybe I overmixed the batter)? It still tasted great (I LOVED that it wasn’t too sweet), but it definitely looked more like a log than a cake!

    I did use Greek yogurt since I didn’t know what kind of “thick” yogurt to use. Could that have been the culprit?

    1. Hi Helena,

      hmmm… I have seen two different cases where the cake goes flat. Either it could be over mixing or opening the oven door while the cake is baking. I don’t think the Greek yogurt was the culprit.

  11. Hi Hetal and Anuja,

    Thank you for this recipe. My family and friends loved this cake. It has a wonderful smell and aroma. I just had one simple question to ask you. I baked this cake twice and both times the cake crust on top opened up and the insides of the cake where visible. Is it because the cake was too soft? What can I do to rectify this.

    Thank you
    Priyanka

  12. Super like!!!
    a sip of coffee & a bite of this cake on a late sunday brunch and evening coffee…what else will make your day better than these two?

  13. Hi girls,

    I tried this recipe today, came out perfect and delicious. Cake is very light and fluffy, and has perfect sweetness. I did not have chai masala on my hands so used cardamom powder, black pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. Also, I ran short of walnuts – so used almonds and cashews instead… Even with all substitutions – cake tastes amazing. Thanks for yet another amazing recipe.

    1. Kamala tea masala should work .. u can get in most indian/international grocery stores. If U live in VA,USA u can get in a store called Lotte-Indian selection

  14. can we bake the bread or cake in oven of 20ltrs and also what temperature is needed to bake a bread or cake.
    plz reply soon.

  15. Hey guys ,
    I want to know why you used yogurt in the cake?How does it help in baking of the cake and can it be used in any baking of cakes ? Thanks

    1. Hi Ramya,

      Traditional coffee cakes use sour cream for added softness as well as activating the baking soda. We like to take a healthier approach so we used yogurt. You can use yogurt in other cakes as well, but you will have to experiment with the quantity, depending on the recipe and other ingredients.

  16. Hi Ladies,

    With Dashera today, can you provide fafda recipe soon. It’s never too late to eat fafda and jalebi!! Please don’t make us wait like you guys have for the Undhiyo recipe.

    Thanks.

    1. Hi Abhi,

      Well…seeing that this is Chai Masala Cake, it just wouldn’t be the same without it 🙂 Just kidding…you can always combine some of the spices in chai masala like cardamom powder, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder, black pepper powder, etc.

      1. Hetal,

        What are the ingredients and proportions needed to make chai masala? I finally found the masala in a store not far from work but it was soooo expensive. I believe I could do much better using what I already have at home.

        When brewing tea, how much powder should be placed in a standard mug?

        Thanx, Rich

        1. Hi Richard,

          I will have to consult my mom for her recipe…she always makes it for me :). Maybe we will do a video on it. For a cup of tea, I usually use about 1/4 tsp chai masala.

  17. hi H&A, been making your chocolate cookies every now and then…will try this cake soon….have a small request..can u show as a brownie recipe using little butter and instead using buttermilk or curd…..thank u.

  18. Hi Hetal and Anuja
    I enjoy watching and trying out ur receipes…you somehow manage to make it all look so easy!! I’m a pretty decent cook myself, yet there are many things I learnt through your videos. Could you make a video on how to make Bengali Gugni? Thanks in advance.

  19. Hey Guys,
    I just made this with my 4 yr old… It was just perfect!
    Loved it… I added more sugar. Would love to post my pics. Don’t know how..
    Thanks again.

  20. Hetal and Anuja,

    Thank you both for another out of this world goodie. Does the chai masala powder you use contain instant dry milk powder and vanilla coffee creamer? I found recipes to make the chai masala powder and some of them contain these ingredients. Trouble is, the recipes make 5 to 6 cups of mix.

    Richard

    1. Hi Richard,

      No, our chai masala does not have milk powder or vanilla coffee creamer. It is just a mixture of several different spices.

    2. Hey Richard

      I think u can take black pepper, Cardamom, Cinnamom, dried tulsi leaves, then grind them in a electric grinder…the Mixture u will get, u can use that in place of Chai Masala.

      Source: I am Studying culinary arts from Hyd,IND.

    1. ditto… both Anuja and Hetal are looking just great! I have request for undhiyo so many times in the last year or more and still hopeful that they will show it soon! Last time they said they are waiting for surti season. Season has come and gone. Not sure what is the reason this time for the wait but…I am waiting!
      You guys have made me wait so long, it better be amazing! Or else you will have one disappointed viewer here 🙁

      1. With some of the recipes that they may be less familiar with, they often have to find recipes and test the recipes until they come out just right before they can share them with the viewers. That can take some time. They probably have planned out which recipes they will test and film way in advance so it might be in the queue and they have yet to get to it, in addition to taking care of their families, the household and other commitments.

      2. I agree with R coz last time when i requested for undhiyo hetal mentioned that they are waiting for surti season……season came and gone but undhiyo still pending. Frozen surti is also good, hetal being gujju I am sure she is familiar with the recipe. what is making u wait hetal?

      3. H & A,
        Just to clarify, there is no negative message conveyed here. Our love for Undhio and the expectation that you guys will continue to share wonderful recipies & secrets is making us complain that you are making us wait. Hope its taken in a positive spirit.
        undhio, undhio, undhio 🙂

  21. Hi Hetal and Anuja .
    Im a big fan of you guys.. I have tried many of your recipes .. I have a few that I think you guys will really like .. but there is no way to contact you on the website plz do let me know how I can send them over

  22. Hi anuja n hetal…………………
    m vegeterian.. cn u tel me wht is subtitude for eggs other thn flax seed powder???? m lining in belgium n here m nt getting flax seed powder.
    plz reply soon…….
    Thank you…..

    1. Hi Aparna,

      We had one viewer say that she uses ripe bananas for every recipe that calls for eggs…she swears by it. Unfortunately, we have not tried it so cannot comment. Maybe you can try it.

      1. Hi, This should do your job !!

        1 cup potato flour
        3/4 cup tapioca flour
        2 tsp baking powder

        1 1/2 tsp of mix + 1 Tbsp water = 1 egg yolk
        1 1/2 tsp of mix + 2 Tbsp water = 1 whole egg

  23. This looks delicious but I was wondering if you could use coffee instead of chai? I was thinking of making it both ways. Would there be any additional ingredients needed for coffee? Thanks in advance. 🙂

    1. Hi Payal,

      We are not using chai (tea), just the chai masala. We have not tried using coffee but would imagine that the process would be different.

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