Recipe by @inspiredbyprisfood
Ingredients:
For the Chai-Infused Vanilla Sponge Cake:
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 150g (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 120g (1 cup) cake flour, sifted
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 60ml (1/4 cup) whole milk, room temperature
- 2 Tetley Masala Chai tea bags
- 30g (2 tablespoon) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
For the Chai-Infused Tres Leches Mixture:
- 2 Tetley Masala Chai tea bags
- 380ml (1 tin) evaporated milk
- 150ml milk
- 200ml (3/4 cup) sweetened condensed milk
- 125ml (1/2 cup) cream
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- Pinch of saffron
- 6 cardamom pods
For the Chai Cream:
- 400g cream
- 2 teaspoon icing sugar
- Pinch of cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
Method
- Prepare the Chai Milk: Heat the 60ml of milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to simmer. Remove from heat, add the Tetley Masala Chai tea bags, and let steep for 10 minutes. Remove the tea bags, squeezing out any excess milk. Set aside to cool. (This can also be done in the microwave.)
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 24x24 cm baking pan with spray and bake.
- Whisk Eggs and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together using an electric mixer on high speed until the mixture is pale, fluffy, and has doubled in volume. This should take about 5-7 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and mix for another minute.
- Sift and Fold: In a separate bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and cloves. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture in three additions, folding gently with a spatula after each addition.
- Add Chai Milk and Butter: Add the chai-infused milk and melted butter to the batter, folding gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as you want to retain the airiness of the batter.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly. Tap the pan lightly on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Allow the Cake to Cool: Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Prepare Chai-Infused Milk: Heat the whole milk until warm and steep the Tetley Masala Chai tea bags for 10 minutes. Remove the tea bags and mix the chai-infused milk with the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, and cardamom.
- Soak the Cake: Poke holes all over the cooled cake using a fork or skewer. Slowly pour 3/4 of the chai-infused Tres Leches mixture over the cake, making sure it soaks evenly. Cover and refrigerate the cake for at least 4 hours or overnight. Keep the rest for serving.
- Piping the Tres Leches: You can pipe the fresh cream over the soaked Tres Leches or use a spatula to spread the cream on top.
- Decorating: Finally, top the Tres Leches with rose petals, pistachios, sliced almonds, and a pinch of saffron.
- Serving: Pour some of the remaining Tres Leches mixture onto the bottom of a plate, place a slice of the Tres Leches onto the mixture, and enjoy.
Have you got it at home?
- Tetley Masala Chai teabags
- Eggs
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extra
- Flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Whole milk
- Unsalted butter
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground cardamom
- Ground ginger
- Ground cloves
- Milk
- Cream
- Saffron
- Cardamom pods
