1. Prepare the Oven and Baking Pan: Setting the Stage for Baking

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Grease and Line Pan: Grease a 9×9 inch square baking pan with butter or non-stick cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal. Grease the parchment paper as well.

2. Combine Dry Ingredients: Ensuring Even Distribution

Whisk Together: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set aside.

3. Cream Butter and Sugars: Creating a Light and Fluffy Base

Combine: In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the softened butter, granulated white sugar, and packed brown sugar.

Cream: Beat the mixture together on high speed for about 2 minutes, until it’s light, fluffy, and pale in color.

4. Incorporate Eggs and Vanilla: Adding Richness and Flavor

Add Eggs: Add the room temperature eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add Vanilla: Stir in the vanilla extract and mix until combined.

5. Alternate Adding Dry Ingredients and Buttermilk: Achieving the Perfect Texture

Combine: With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the room temperature buttermilk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients.

Example: Add about ⅓ of the dry ingredients, mix until just combined, then add ½ of the buttermilk, mix again, and repeat, ending with the final ⅓ of the dry ingredients.

Mix Until Just Combined: Mix until the batter is smooth and no streaks of flour remain. Be careful not to overmix.

6. Bake the Cake: Achieving a Tender Crumb

Pour Batter: Pour the batter into the prepared 9×9 inch baking pan and spread it evenly with a rubber spatula.

Bake: Bake for 35-38 minutes.

Check for Doneness: The cake is done when a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The top should be lightly golden brown.

7. Cool the Cake: Preparing for Soaking and Frosting

Cool in Pan: Let the cake cool in the baking pan on a wire rack for about 30 minutes.

Remove from Pan: After 30 minutes, carefully lift the cake out of the pan using the parchment paper overhang (if used) and place it on a wire rack to cool completely.

8. Make the Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting: A Nutty, Tangy Topping

Brown the Butter: While the cake is baking and cooling, prepare the frosting. Add the 1 ¼ cups of unsalted butter to a large, heavy-bottomed pot or saucepan. Heat the butter over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt completely and then continue to cook, swirling the pan occasionally. The butter will foam, and then you’ll start to see tiny brown specks forming at the bottom of the pot. Continue to cook until the butter turns a deep golden brown and has a nutty aroma. This whole process should take about 10-12 minutes.

Tip: Watch the butter closely as it browns, as it can burn quickly.

Chill Butter: Transfer the browned butter to a large mixing bowl and place it in the refrigerator to chill until it’s solid but still soft. This may take 30-60 minutes, depending on your refrigerator.

Whip Brown Butter: Once the browned butter is chilled and slightly firm, use an electric mixer (handheld or stand mixer) to whip it on high speed until it’s pale and fluffy, about 5-10 minutes.

Add Cream Cheese: Add the cold cream cheese to the whipped brown butter and mix on medium speed until it’s fully incorporated and the mixture is fluffy.

Sift Powdered Sugar: Sift the powdered sugar to remove any lumps.

Incorporate Powdered Sugar: Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar to the cream cheese mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Then, increase the speed to high and beat for about 1 minute until the frosting is light and fluffy.

9. Make the Chai Milk Soak: Infusing with Warm Spices

Heat Milk: While the cake is cooling, prepare the chai milk soak. In a small saucepan, heat the ½ cup of whole milk over low heat until it’s steaming but not boiling.

Steep Chai Bags: Add the 2 chai teabags to the warm milk. Allow them to steep for 20 minutes to infuse the milk with the chai flavors.

Remove Teabags: Remove the teabags from the milk and discard them.

Cool Milk: Let the chai-infused milk cool completely.

Combine Ingredients: Once cooled, transfer the chai milk to a liquid measuring cup or a bowl with a spout for easy pouring. Stir in the ½ cup of sweetened condensed milk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Mix well until combined.

10. Assemble the Cake: Bringing it All Together

Level Cake (Optional): Once the cake is completely cooled, use a long, sharp, serrated knife to carefully cut a very thin layer off the top of the cake. This creates a flat surface for the soak and frosting, and it also allows the cake to absorb the soak more evenly.

Poke Holes: Use a wooden skewer, the handle of a wooden spoon, or a chopstick to poke holes all over the top of the cake.

Tip: The recipe author used the handle of a honey dipper for smaller holes.

Pour Soak: Slowly and evenly pour the chai milk mixture over the top of the cake, allowing it to soak into the holes and the cake itself. Be patient and pour slowly to allow the cake to absorb the liquid.

Frost: Frost the top of the cake with a thick layer of the brown butter cream cheese frosting using an offset spatula.

Sprinkle with Cinnamon (Optional): Sprinkle the top with cinnamon.

Slice and Serve: Cut the cake into 16 slices and serve.