When I was coming of age in Idaho, during the weekends my friends and I would hang out at coffee shops. It wasn’t like how people hang out at coffee shops now, where they essentially go there and work. We would hang out there and basically do nothing, because there was nothing to do. I remember we all got chai lattes, because coffee was still pretty gross to us. In fact, I think chai was my bridge to coffee. As soon as I went to college and had to pull all nighters all the time, the chai latte morphed into a dirty chai and just kept getting dirtier and dirtier. I don’t really drink chai lattes ever anymore, but I still love them. So when we decided to make this Banana Chai Cake I was really excited. I love banana bread, and banana dessert in general, so this Banana Chai Cake is like a really awesome food marriage that would have ideally existed back when my friends and I were coffee house loiterers. We like to serve this with whipped cream, or ice cream. Plain is good too though!
♥ Teri
More recipes you might like:
Chai Banana Cake
INGREDIENTS
- 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon your favorite chai tea
- 3 medium (over-ripe) bananas
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, salt, allspice, and nutmeg together, into a mixing bowl and set aside.
- Pour milk and chai into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and steep for 20 minutes, discarding the used chai. Then in a small bowl, mash bananas with chai milk. Set aside.
- In another mixing bowl cream together butter and sugar, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of the bowl and add mix in eggs, one at a time.
- Stir in the vanilla and banana mixture, until just combined.
- Add in flour mixture and stir together until fully combined.
- Grease an 8″x8″ baking dish or an 11″ (oval) baking dish and pour in banana cake mixture.
- Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the bread.
- Allow bread to cool in pan for about 20 minutes before removing and allowing bread to cool completely. Slice and serve.
NOTES
- *Makes 1 (9”) loaf or 5 (3”) loaves
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such a heavenly combination!
Banana and chai together? YES. Love.
Pour milk and chai into a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Please help – where does the “Chai” come from? I know it’s a mix of spices but I don’t understand clearly how to make it.
From one chai fan to another – this looks like banana cake perfection. And I’m deeply envious of your Heath bowls. ;)
I’m definitely going to make this. My mouth is watering already. However, there are spices mixed with the flower and there is chai milk as well. What is your recipe for the chai milk?
I feel like I can smell those spices just from looking at that picture!!!
Mmmmmm I want a slice of this so badly. Looks great with a dollop of cream!
Is there a way to substitute something else for the buttermilk?
Thanks for posting this recipe!
Looks amazing! I’ll try to bake it tonight!
I can almost smell this cake.. :)
This looks lovely! Did I miss something though– do you use a chai tea bag with the milk? Thanks!!
That’s a great question that I hope will be answered. Otherwise, one would be putting the actual tea and spices from the chai into the cake. I’m thinking not, though. But one could use a tea ball, too.
I myself am wondering if one used a liquid chai, how much would one use? When making to drink, one uses 1/2 milk, 1/2 chai liquid…
I tried out this cake n it was awesome. I used 1 cup of milk with almost 2 teaspoon of chai. You can get loose tea from many stores.
Chai isn’t listed as an ingrient. Can you clarify how much to use? Sounds like lovely combination of flavors. Can’t wait to try it!
yes! please confirm. i got up two hours early before work to bake this for my coworkers and i can’t make it ’cause how much chai am i supposed to be using??
It’s listed in the ing.
I love all the fun spices in this cake! It looks awesome!
Sounds so interesting will defiantly try it soon. Do drop by and view my blog too
xx
Love the informal service of scooping chunks into bowls. Sounds really delightful, spices work well with bananas!
Not all the ingredients are in the directions. And there are ingredients in the directions not in the ingredient list. Can you confirm? Thank you.
Choc. chips and coconut? Measurements?
Sounds yummy a definite try
I don’t see the chocolate chips and coconut in the ingredients list mentioned in step 5. Can you tell us how much of each you used?
Oops! This is altered from our chocolate chip b bread recipe and I did a bad job altering the instructions…changes to come soon!
Chai, bananas, an easy cake, love it all! Pinned
Love that it really doesn’t need to be frosted, either :)
I love the idea of the cake being baked in that lovely dish and then served in cute bowls! This will be made! Thanks!!
Sooo making this. I love chai flavors, and mixed into banana bread? Yes, please! Thumbs up, ladies!
love love!! Mind sharing were those petite bowls are from? Thanks
They’re from HEATH!
Chai in cake=PERFECT!
This sounds amazing! I love chai lattes — but like you, I don’t drink them all that often anymore. This also sounds like a great way to use up the really, really brown bananas on my kitchen counter.
Also, hanging out at a coffee shop sounds about right for Idaho. I live in Ketchum, and it feels like we have wayyyyy too many coffee shops for the size of our year-round population. Not complaining, though!
This sounds and looks so good! All my favorite things in one cake :) I also love the idea of serving the cake in a bowl. Makes everything more comfy.