Chai Spiced Coffee Cake

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp fine salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• ¼ tsp ground allspice (optional)
• ⅛ tsp finely ground black pepper (optional)
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup sour cream or plain yogurt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp strong brewed chai or milk (to loosen batter if needed)

Streusel Topping

• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup light brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 3 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed

Optional Vanilla Glaze

• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• 1–2 tbsp milk
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Prep: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8×8 or 9×9-inch pan with parchment.
2. Streusel: Combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in butter until sandy clumps form; chill.
3. Dry mix: Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chai spices (cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, allspice, pepper).
4. Cream: Beat butter with sugars until fluffy, 2–3 min. Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla.
5. Combine: Mix in half the dry mix, then sour cream, then remaining dry mix. If thick, stir in 1–2 tbsp brewed chai or milk to a thick, spreadable batter.
6. Assemble: Spread batter in pan; sprinkle streusel evenly.
7. Bake: 45–50 min until a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool 20 min.
8. Glaze (optional): Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla; drizzle over cooled cake.