This chocolate chai layer cake is an absolute must try this Valentine’s Day. Two layers of fluffy chai spiced sponge cake, a divinely creamy coffee frosting and velvety chocolate ganache. This cake has everything you’ll need to wow that special someone for a Valentine’s Day dinner at home this year.

Chai spiced desserts have rapidly become one of my favourite things to make! I adore the combination of sweet & spice and it pairs perfectly with both the coffee and chocolate flavours here! Additionally, this sponge cake is also completely gluten free, as I’ve used oat flour in this recipe. I find this to create perfectly light and fluffy bakes time and time again, as well as being super affordable!

What will I need to make chocolate chai layer cake?

• Dairy free butter– I’ve used vegan butter in both the sponge cake and frosting to keep this recipe dairy free.
• Oat flour- this recipe calls for oat flour and is completely gluten free. You can easily make your oat flour at home by blitzing some oats in a blender. It’s affordable and super easy!
• Coconut sugar– if you want to make the sponge cake refined sugar free, you can switch caster sugar for coconut palm sugar.
• Chai spices- I’ve added individual spices here, but you can also use a pre-made blend.
• Non-dairy yoghurt- this helps to add extra moisture to the cake and create a perfectly soft and fluffy texture! If you’re not following a dairy free diet then you can sub this for greek yoghurt.

Why you should make this cake?

• Perfect for Valentine’s Day.
• Dairy & gluten free.
• Coated in a delicious chocolate frosting!
• Light and fluffy textured sponge cake!
• Sandwiched together with a creamy coffee frosting
• Easy to make
• Delicious with a cuppa’

How to make the perfect cake

This cake is really simple to make and requires only a few easy steps. Here’s a few top tips to ensure that you achieve the perfect cake every time!

• Make sure you thoroughly cream together the butter and sugar to create a light and fluffy consistency.
• Gradually add the batter into the cake tins 1/2 cup at a time to insure its divided evenly. You could also weigh the batter.
• Similarly, if you can, try and use two identical cake tins for a symmetrical result.
• For the perfect buttercream, make sure to use a vegan butter alternative (stick butter) rather than a non-dairy/olive oil spread. This will help achieve that ultra creamy butter icing consistency!

Print Recipe

Chocolate Chai Layer Cake

A delicious layered chai spiced sponge cake, with coffee buttercream filling and a chocolate frosting.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Baking

Keyword: banana bread, gluten free, chai cake, chai spiced, layer cake, valentines day

Ingredients

Sponge Cake

• 1 1/2 cup coconut/caster sugar
• 4 medium eggs
• 3/4 cup vegan butter or coconut oil
• 2 1/3 cups oat flour
• 1/2 cup non-dairy yoghurt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 tsp bicarb
• Pinch salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch ground nutmeg
• Pinch ground cloves
• Pinch ground cardamon

Coffee Buttercream

• 3 tbsp vegan butter
• 1 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 1 tsp instant coffee granules mixed with a dash of water

Chocolate Buttercream

• 3 heaped tbsp vegan butter
• 1 1/2 cups icing sugar
• 2 tbsp cacao powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cinncmon

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 180c and line two 20cm loose bottom cake tins with grease proof paper.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream together the vegan butter/coconut oil and suagr until pale and fluffy. Then whisk in the yoghurt until fully combined.
• Beat in your eggs one at a time, then fold through your dry ingredients to create a smooth batter. Carefully divide the mixture between your two cake tins and bake for 25-35 minutes, until cooked through.
• Allow your cakes to cool a little, then carefully remove the tin and allow to cool completely on a wire wrack.
• Meanwhile, for the buttercream, beat the butter until light and fluffy, then gradually add in the icing sugar whilst mixing. You can either prepare your buttercreams seperately or in one batch and then split into two.
• For the coffee frosting, mix in the coffee (can adjust this to taste), then repeat this for the cacao flavour.
• Lather a generous layer of coffee buttercream onto one of your cooled cakes and carefully sandiwch the other on top. For the chococlate buttercream, lightly frost the entire cake in a crumb coating for a more even finish. Spread the remaining frosting over the cake and smooth over with a cake spatula. Decorate with fresh berries and other toppings of choice!