Almond Chai Cake (Dairy-Free & Gluten-Free Options)
Tender layers of warm almond chai cake with homemade pumpkin mousse filling and the most incredible whipped chai frosting. This cake is everything delicious about autumn. Bonus: the recipe can be adapted for dairy-free and gluten-free.
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Dairy-Free Pumpkin Filling
I’ve been baking for some time now. There’s not much in the kitchen that I haven’t attempted. But this was the first time I tried my hand at mousse. And dairy-free mousse at that. Oi vey…what was I thinking?!
After a few different tries, I figured it out. The key to getting that airy and creamy mousse texture without heavy cream was tofu! And you want to know the best part…no one in my family even guessed it was tofu. I’m calling that a supreme pumpkin mousse win.
Easy Almond Chai Cake Layers
The real star of this cake show was the dairy-free almond chai layers though. Perfectly spiced and perfectly moist. Ain’t no one has time for a dense or dry cake. The subtle spiciness of chai compliments the smooth sweet flavor of almond.
A tip about using almond extract: a little goes a long way. There’s a fine line between a hint of almond yumminess and an overpowering almond chemical taste. So err on the side of caution and start small.
How To Cut & Level Cake Layers
Like my Espresso Oreo Cake, I sliced each 8-inch cake layer in half giving a total of 4 layers. This helps maximize that delicious pumpkin mousse filling and gives you a better buttercream-to-cake ratio. And if you haven’t figured it out yet, I fully support all the buttercream. ? I use a Wilton cake leveler to slice my layers up fast and level. It’s just a few bucks and worth its weight in gold.
How To Decorate An Almond Chai Cake
Finally, I used a fun cake comb, it’s called the Wave, to create this fun textured design on the buttercream. It’s from NY Cake and is super simple to use. Apply a thick layer of buttercream and, much like an icing smoother, smooth the buttercream with the comb. make sure you clean the comb after each pass to prevent any buttercream dragging and to give super sharp lines.
NY Cake has kindly offered my readers a 10% discount off their entire store when they use the promo code CAKED at checkout. So gather your tools, mix up some chai spice, and get ready to eat. Well bake first and then eat.
Almond Chai Cake (Dairy-Free & Gluten-Free Option)
- Total Time: 2 Hrs 25 Mins
- Yield: 14 Slices
Description
Tender layers of warm almond chai cake filled with homemade pumpkin mousse and covered in the most delicious whipped chai buttercream frosting. This almond chai cake is the perfect autumn treat!
Ingredients
Chai Spice
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3 tablespoons cinnamon
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1 tablespoons cardamom
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1 tablespoon ginger
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1/2 tablespoon allspice
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1/2 tablespoon cloves
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1/2 tablespoon nutmeg
Almond Chai Cake
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1/2 cup salted butter *can sub dairy-free
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1/3 cup all-vegetable oil
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1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
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1/2 cup egg whites (approx 4 egg whites)
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1/3 cup plain yogurt or sour cream *can sub dairy-free version
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1 tablespoon vanilla extract
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1 teaspoon almond extract
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2 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted *can sub gluten-free 1:1 baking blend
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2 tablespoons chai spice
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1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
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1/2 teaspoon baking soda
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1 teaspoon fine sea salt
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1/2 cup milk, room temperature *can sub dairy-free milk
Pumpkin Mousse Filling
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6 oz. dessert tofu *I used Silken
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1 cup (7 oz.) pumpkin puree
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1 teaspoon chai spice
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1 tablespoon brown sugar
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1 tablespoon cornstarch
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1 tablespoon milk *can sub dairy-free milk
Almond Chai Buttercream
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2 cups salted butter, room temperature *can sub dairy-free butter
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6 cups powdered sugar
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1 tablespoon chai spice
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1 tablespoon vanilla extract
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1 teaspoon fine sea salt
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1 teaspoon almond extract
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optional: Slo Food Group 24k edible gold leaf for decor
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optional: misc. leaves and twigs for decor
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optional: cinnamon sticks for decor
Instructions
Almond Chai Cake
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Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare two 8-inch round cake pans with non-stick baking spray and parchment paper.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer cream butter, oil, and sugar on high for 2 minutes with the whisk attachment.
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Add egg whites and mix on high for 2 minutes.
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Add yogurt, vanilla extract, and almond extract and mix on high for 2 minutes.
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Combine all the dry ingredients in the mixer and mix on low
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While the mixer is on low slowly pour in the milk and mix until combined. Be careful to not overmix the batter.
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Divide batter between pans and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.
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Cool in pans for 10 minutes and then invert on a cooling rack to fully cool.
Pumpkin Mousse Filling
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In a blender or food processor, add the tofu, pumpkin puree, chai spice, and brown sugar. Blend or process until smooth.
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In a small cup, mix the cornstarch and milk into a slurry.
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In a large pot, add the blended pumpkin mixture with the cornstarch slurry and cook over medium heat until the mixture begins to thicken slightly. This should take approximately 3-5 minutes.
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Remove from heat and allow it to fully cool before filling the cake.
Almond Chai Buttercream
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In the bowl of a stand mixer cream the butter on high speed with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. This should take approximately 5-10 minutes.
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Add the icing sugar, salt, chai spice, vanilla extract, and almond extract and mix on low until combined.
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Turn the mixer up to high and let mix for 5 minutes until smooth and creamy. Scrape the sides of the bowl when necessary.
Cake Assembly
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Using the cake leveler, cut each cake layer in half creating a total of 4 layers.
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Place one leveled layer of almond chai cake on a cake board or plate. Cover with approximately 1 1/2 cups of buttercream and pipe a border around the edge. Fill with approximately 1/3 cup of the pumpkin mousse.
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Repeat with the remaining cake layers and apply a thin coat of buttercream all over the cake. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
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Apply a final thick coat of buttercream and, using the NY cake comb, gently run it around the sides of the cake making sure to clean the comb off after each use.
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Decorate as you please. I used Slo Food Group edible gold leaf for a pop of metallic on the side of the cake and decorated the top with cinnamon sticks and some leaves and twigs found in my backyard. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 2 Hrs
- Cook Time: 25 Mins
- Category: Cakes
- Cuisine: American
This recipe is PERFECT. The chai and almond notes work so wonderfully together and make this cake just ooze everything fall. I personally omitted the pumpkin purée as I was all out of pumpkin, and made this cake into cupcakes. So moist. My company loved them, and raved about the subtle spice and almondy flavour. Will make again next fall!
Thanks for the review, Katie! I loved this one in the fall too for those warm chai spices.
This cake is incredible! The perfect balance of fall spices and flavors. I just made it for the second time for a coworker’s birthday and it was a huge hit with everyone! The sweet, fluffy almond chai frosting pairs beautifully with the non-sweet pumpkin mousse filling. This recipe will definitely remain a staple in my baking roatation.
Oh goodness Lissa that is so so so wonderful to hear. I truly appreciate you making this cake and sharing it.