Name: Chai-Spiced Pumpkin Pound Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened; 2 cups granulated sugar; 4 large eggs; 1 tablespoon vanilla; 1 (15 ounce) can pure pumpkin; 3 cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1 tablespoon cinnamon; 2 teaspoons ground ginger; 2 teaspoons ground cardamon; 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1 teaspoon ground clove; 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander; 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1 tablespoon milk; 1 cup powdered sugar; 1 teaspoon chai spice mix (reserved from above)

The warming flavors of chai fill this tender Chai-Spiced Pumpkin Pound Cake making it one of the most delicious cakes you could bake this fall!

A chai spiced pumpkin pound cake sliced and sitting on a parchment lined gold toned cooling rack. There are white mini pumpkins in the background.

The Pound Cake of My Dreams

I fell in love with chai last fall when I discovered this chai-spiced donut at our favorite donut shop. It’s quickly become one of my favorite spice combos that I crave often, especially when the weather gets cooler because it’s so warm and cozy.

I love drinking chai tea and chai lattes, but baking with chai is where it’s at. The wonderful aromas that fill your home when baking with chai are almost as enjoyable as the baked good itself. Such a robust and recognizable flavor.

I’ve been dreaming up this Chai-Spiced Pumpkin Pound Cake for months and it’s everything I dreamt it would be and more…

Irresistible!

A rich tender pumpkin-packed pound cake full of chai spice with the most irresistible buttery chai-spiced glaze drizzled over it. A cake that will have you oohing and ahhing with every bite…

I could go on and on about what a great cake this is, but you get it. You see the pics. You sense my excitement. Now go bake it so you can experience the amazingness yourself!

I’m a Spice Girl!

Baked with a homemade chai spice mix of cinnamon, ginger, cardamon, nutmeg, clove and coriander together in a the spicy blend that compliments the pumpkin so perfectly in this pound cake.

The sweet and spice of the glaze with the rich and robustness of the cake is so incredible. I can’t get over it’s deliciousness. And I won’t get over it. I’ll bake this cake as often as I can and for every occasion I can.

Spice and Patience

While it bakes for a good hour, this cake will fill your entire home with the most exhilarating aroma.

The truest test in patience is waiting for a pound cake to bake an hour and then cool in the pan for 15 minutes and then cool completely on a wire rack before glazing it. As tempting as it is to cut right in, letting the cake cool completely helps it to settle into it’s shape and traps in the moisture and flavors so it’s super moist and full of flavor when the time comes to enjoy it.

And y’all, the glaze is a must! It makes this cake all that more great. A simple glaze of melted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, milk and that teaspoon of chai spice mix.

Ingredient and Supplies

(see recipe card at the bottom of this post for measurements and details. To learn more about specific baking ingredients and how they function in baking recipes, reference my Complete Guide to Baking Ingredients)

Ingredients:

Unsalted butter (softened): gives the pound cake its rich, buttery flavor and creates a tender texture when creamed with the sugar.
Granulated sugar: sweetens the cake while helping create a moist, tender crumb and structure.
Large eggs: give the cake structure, richness and moisture while helping bind everything together.
Pure vanilla extract: adds warm vanilla flavor to the base batter and complements all three chai spice flavors.
Canned pure pumpkin: adds moisture, softness, subtle pumpkin flavor, and contributes to the cookies’ tender, cakey texture.
All-purpose flour: provides the structure that allows this rich cake to rise and hold its shape. A 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour can usually be substituted for the all-purpose flour.
Baking powder: gives the dense pound cake a little lift so it doesn’t bake up too heavy.
Baking soda
Ground cinnamon
Ground ginger
Ground cardamon
Ground nutmeg
Ground clove
Ground coriander
Milk: thins the powdered sugar to create a smooth, pourable glaze.
Powdered sugar: forms the sweet, smooth glaze that drizzles easily over the cooled cake. Sift first to avoid lumps.

Supplies:

10-inch (12 cup) round bundt pan

Ingredients to make a chai spiced pumpkin pound cake in small glass dishes on a white marble counter.

How to Make Chai-Spiced Pumpkin Pound Cake

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 10-inch (12 cup) round bundt pan. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each one is well incorporated. Add vanilla and pumpkin and beat on low speed until just incorporated.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the cinnamon, ginger, cardamon, nutmeg, clove and coriander. Reserve 1 teaspoon of the chai spice mix for the glaze.

Whisk the rest of the spice mixture into the flour mixture.

Gradually add flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating at low speed until just blended after each addition.
Spoon the batter into the prepared bundt pan.
Bake for 60-65 minutes or until a long wooden pick or knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes before inverting onto the wire rack to cool completely (about 2 hours).

Once the cake is cooled, make the glaze: in a medium microwave-safe mixing bowl, melt the butter.
Whisk in the vanilla and milk.
Gently whisk the powdered sugar and chai spice mix into the melted butter mixture until just combined and then quickly whisk for about 30 seconds until glaze is smooth and of drizzling consistency. If glaze is too thick, add a little more milk. If glaze is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar. Immediately drizzle glaze over the top of the cake.

Slice, serve and enjoy!

Storage

Store leftovers tightly wrapped or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or refrigerate for up to a week. Let the cake cool completely before wrapping to prevent sogginess.

To freeze the whole cake, wrap the fully cooled cake well in plastic wrap and then in foil (or place in a freezer-safe container) and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw, loosely covered, at room temperature before serving and warm individual slices for that just-baked texture.

You can also freeze individual slices by wrapping each slice tightly in plastic wrap and then placing the wrapped slices in a freezer-safe bag or container. This makes it easy to thaw just what you need. Simply let a slice sit at room temperature for a few hours.

More Fall Baking

No need to wait for the leaves to start dropping to enjoy My Favorite Recipes for Fall Baking! From perfectly-spiced pumpkin bread to pecan pie bites and savory corn bread, you’re sure to fall for these autumn treats!

If you make this Chai-Spiced Pumpkin Pound Cake and post a pic to social, be sure to tag me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see! 😍 If you’re on Facebook, be sure to join my Friends of The BakerMama group to connect and share all the fun and yummy recipes of mine that you make! 😍 I just love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the ideas I share. Enjoy!

xoxo,