chai spiced cake with salted caramel + whipped cream cheese frosting

Even though it’s finally spring (yay!), this post is going back to winter. My birthday is at the end of December, during one of the busiest (and coldest) times of the year. I also happen to be a twin, meaning I get to share it with one of my favorite people. The only drawback? The birthday cake.

As someone who loves baking, you can imagine my ideal birthday cake would convey that side of my personality. Think multiple layers, decadent fillings, and flavorful frostings. My twin prefers things bit more simplistic when it comes to dessert. Simplistic as in, vanilla cake, buttercream frosting, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. And there’s nothing wrong with that. But sharing a birthday means sharing a cake, meaning my celebratory desserts over the years have been…well, vanilla.

The subject of birthday cakes came up in a therapy session years ago while contemplating the age-old dilemma of figuring out my purpose. Like most people in their early twenties, I didn’t have an answer, but by the end of the session, I realized that I could at least bake my own cake. So that’s exactly what I did, and I’ve been happily baking my birthday cakes ever since.

More recently, I’ve returned to that question, although this time around, I’m a bit more clear about what my passions are. And once again, my mind goes back to my yearly baking of the birthday cake, because where else would it go?

This year’s cake was made almost two weeks late, thanks to a hectic end of 2025. Despite the delay, it was a perfect treat to celebrate a year of growth, and I’m finally getting around to sharing it on here. I went all out with five towering layers of vanilla sponge cake, which was infused with a spicy chai tea. The filling is a buttery, homemade salted caramel, which is well worth the effort to make yourself (but I definitely won’t judge if you snag a jar of store-bought caramel instead). And a slightly tangy whipped cream cheese frosting counters the sweetness of the cake and caramel perfectly.

This cake definitely took some time and patience to put together, but that’s what made the process so enjoyable. There were some challenges (there were collapsing layers, so make sure to read the tips on how to add stability!), but ultimately, it ended up being a delicious and stunning way to celebrate birthday, and life in general. Because if you ask me, anything is a good occasion for cake!

chai spiced cake with salted caramel + whipped cream cheese frosting

A vanilla sponge layer cake infused with spiced chai. Each layer is filled with homemade salted caramel and whipped cream cheese frosting.

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Course Dessert

Servings 8

Ingredients

  

For the chai spiced cake:

• 8 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cups chai tea, steeped in milk of choice, cooled to room temperature

For the salted caramel:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
• 1 tsp salt

For the whipped cream cheese frosting:

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

 

For the chai spiced cake:

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.
• Grease your cake pans, line with parchment paper, and set aside.
• Combine butter and vegetable oil in the bowl of your stand mixer, mix on medium speed until combined.
• Add 1 1/3 cup of granulated sugar and continue mixing on medium speed until the mixture is thick and turns a pale yellow color.
• Add 4 large eggs and a tablespoon of vanilla extract and mix on medium high speed until the mixture lightens in color and is airy and fluffy in texture.
• Add all purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and salt to the butter mixture, on low speed until combined.
• Add the steeped chai milk to the mixer, on low speed until combined. The batter may have small lumps, don't over-mix it!
• Divide the batter in your prepared cake pans, tapping each pan gently against the countertop to remove air bubbles.
• Bake at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the cake.
• Allow the baked cakes to cool for about 15 minutes before removing them from the pans. Transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Using a cake leveler or serrated knife, slice off any rounded parts of each layer so that the layers are even and flat. Then wrap each layer individually in plastic wrap before storing them in the freezer for minimum 1 hour.

For the salted caramel:

• While the cake bakes, move on to your salted caramel filling. Add granulated sugar to a medium heavy-duty stainless steel saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon or heat-safe silicon spatula for about 6 minutes, until the sugar is fully melted and turns an amber-brown color.
The sugar will clump up initially, but don't panic! Continue stirring and do not remove it from heat until it fully melts.
• Once sugar has melted, turn the heat to low and carefully add in the butter, one piece at a time. The caramel will bubble and splatter, so be very cautious during this step. Stir well after adding each piece, until fully combined.
If the mixture separates when adding the butter, remove it from the heat and whisk it together vigorously until it recombines. This can take a few minutes, but just keep whisking, and return it to the heat once finished.
• Carefully and slowly pour in the heavy cream, stirring constantly. Again, this step will cause rapid bubbling and splatters, so be extremely cautious while doing so to avoid burns or injuries. Increase the heat to medium once all the cream has been added, and let it boil for 1 minute.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the salt. Transfer to a heat-proof glass jar and allow the caramel to cool and thicken.

For the frosting:

• Beat the cream in a mixing bowl until stiff peaks form, and the set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Beat until smooth, and then gently add in the whipped cream. Chill until ready to assemble the cake.

To assemble the cake:

• Remove chilled cake layers from the freezer and unwrap them. Place your first layer on a cake stand or turntable.
• Apply a dollop of frosting in the center of the cake, and spread it with a spatula. Using a piping bag, create a dam of frosting around the edges of the cake, smoothing it to seal the edges.
• Spoon some of the salted caramel filling in the frosting dam, before adding your next layer of cake. Repeat the process for each cake layer.
Once all layers are assembled, it's important to stabilize the cake with dowels or cake rods. The salted caramel filling doesn't make for a solid cake, so if you don't add the dowels, your layers will collapse. I learned this the hard way! Chopsticks from takeout will do in a pinch!
• Crumb coat your cake by applying a thin layer of frosting on the sides and top of the cake to trap any stray crumbs. Then place the cake in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to let the frosting harden.
• Apply a final layer of frosting after removing the cake from the freezer. Then drizzle more caramel on top, allowing some to drip on the sides.
• Serve the cake as is, or chill it for easier slicing. Enjoy!
Store the cake in a sealed cake box or cake stand at room temperature for up to two hours, and in the fridge for up to a week.

Keyword birthday, cake, dessert