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

A slice of chai spiced pumpkin pound cake on a white plate.

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. Pound cake is so buttery and amazing. I’ve been making my mom Susu’s Sour Cream Pound Cake for years. My pumpkin pound cake recipe shows up at least once a holiday season. 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!

A chai spice pumpkin pound cake on a parchment lined cooling rack.

I’m a Spice Girl!

Baked with a homemade chai spice mix of cinnamon, ginger, cardamon, nutmeg, clove and coriander 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.

A white glaze on a chai spiced pumpkin pound cake.

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.

A slice of pumpkin pound cake being lifted on a metal spatula.

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): adds rich buttery flavor, moisture, and tenderness while helping give the pound cake its signature dense-yet-soft texture.
Granulated sugar: sweetens the cake while helping create a tender crumb and beautifully browned exterior.
Large eggs: provide structure, richness, and moisture while helping bind all the ingredients together.
Pure vanilla extract: adds a warm sweetness that rounds out the pumpkin and chai flavors.
Canned pure pumpkin: gives the cake its signature pumpkin flavor, gorgeous color, and an extra-moist, tender texture.
All-purpose flour: provides the structure that holds this rich pound cake together. A 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour can usually be substituted for the all-purpose flour.
Baking powder: gives the dense batter a little lift so the cake bakes up tender rather than heavy.
Baking soda: works alongside the baking powder to encourage rise, tenderness, and browning.
Ground cinnamon: brings a familiar warm sweetness that forms the backbone of the chai spice blend.
Ground ginger: adds a bright, peppery warmth that gives the chai blend a little kick.
Ground cardamon: adds the distinctively fragrant, slightly citrusy-sweet flavor that makes the chai spice blend shine.
Ground nutmeg: adds a warm, nutty depth that complements both the pumpkin and other spices.
Ground cloves: brings an intense, cozy warmth and just a hint of bittersweet spice.
Ground coriander: adds a subtle citrusy, floral note that gives the chai blend extra depth and complexity.
Milk: loosens the glaze to the perfect smooth, drizzle-able consistency.
Powdered sugar: creates the sweet, smooth base of the glaze and helps it set beautifully over the cake. Sift first to avoid lumps.

Supplies:

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.

Steps to make Chai Spiced Pumpkin Pound Cake.

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!

Glazing the chai spiced pumpkin pound cake.

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.

A chai spiced pumpkin pound cake sliced and sitting on a parchment lined gold toned cooling rack.

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,