Masala Chai Carrot Cake with Chai Infused Pecans
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • For the Cake
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 3 eggs
  • 185 grams dark brown sugar
  • 50 grams toasted coconut
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp cardamom powder
  • 1 tsp dry ground ginger
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1¼ tsp baking powder
  • 420 grams carrots, shredded
  • zest of 1 orange
  • 1½ cups sunflower oil
  • 3 bags of black tea
  • 50 grams + 50 grams (for the decoration) chai infused pecans, chopped roughly (recipe below)
  • For the Chai Infused Pecans
  • 100 grams pecans
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 5-6 cloves, crushed
  • 1 tsp dry ground ginger
  • ½ tsp cinnamon powder
  • ¼ tsp cardamom powder
  • 3 tbsps sugar
  • For the Syrup
  • Juice of 1 orange
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 75 grams dark brown sugar
  • For the Mascarpone Frosting
  • 500 grams mascarpone
  • 1 tsp cinammon
  • 2 tbsps milk
  • 1 tbsp cane or plain sugar
Instructions
  1. To prepare the chai infused pecans, preheat oven to 165°C/330°F. In a pan melt the butter. Add all the spices and let the butter soak in the spices for about 2 minutes. Next add the sugar and stir till dissolved. Add the chopped pecans and coat with mixture.
  2. On a tray lined with baking paper, toast the pecans for 7-8 minutes. Take and out and let cool completely.
  3. For the syrup, whisk all the ingredients and set aside.
  4. For the mascarpone frosting, whisk the cheese with the cinnamon, sugar and milk till light and fluffy. Chill till needed.
  5. For the cake preheat oven to 170°C/340°F.
  6. Begin first by heating the oil on medium gas with the tea bags, for 2-3 minutes. Let cool completely.
  7. Place the sugar, eggs and the tea infused oil in a bowl and whisk till sugar is completely dissolved, around 2-3 minutes.
  8. Next sift the flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix it all in gently.
  9. Fold in the wet mix with the flour mix. And then the shredded carrots, the toasted coconut and the 50 grams of chai infused pecans.
  10. Pour the mix into your prepared baking tins. I used 2, 6 inch pans, which gave me 4 layers since I like my cakes small and high. You could also use a 8 inch pan which will give you two layers.
  11. Bake in the centre of the oven for 35-40 minutes of still a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the centre of the cake.
  12. As soon as the cakes come out, stab them with the skewer and divide the syrup between layers and soak the layers.
  13. Cool completely.
  14. To put the cake together. Place one layer on a cake stand/server and divide the frosting between layers depending on how many you choose to make. Placing on top of every layer till you have just enough to cover the sides of the cake.
  15. Decorate the cake with the rest of the 50 grams of chai infused pecans.
  16. In my opinion this cake is best eaten next day when the syrup has permeated every inch!
  17. Serve with some hot hot chai.
Notes
I found a great way to infuse a cake with tea. Instead of using water or milk, this cake uses oil to infuse the tea. Very effective! I found this method here.
Recipe by Box of Spice at https://boxofspice.com/2016/01/masala-chai-carrot-cake/