As I may have mentioned, we moved! This is the first recipe coming out of the brand new kitchen! Boy oh boy, it is wonderful to cook in here. We’ve got counter space galore, and a PANTRY which is unheard of in Chicago.
We were seriously running out of cupboard space in the old place. I have all this snap and seal glass Tupperware stuff, and for some reason, it was housed in a very high cupboard where it didn’t all fit, and it was an avalanche waiting to happen.
And then there were also various kitchen items that Mantha never knew we owned for like nine months of our time living together because I hid them in the top cupboards, where only I can reach them when standing on my tiptoes on a step ladder.
Which, in my defense, I only put them up there because there was nowhere else in the entire kitchen where they would fit within the reach of a normal-heighted person. What was I to do? Desperate times.
But no longer!! No more hidden bundt pans! Not in this house!
And behold this cake! It is super moist and has a really good combo of spices goin on, and the meringue is a nice alternative to frosting (I don’t know if you can tell by the obvious absence of frosting on most of the cakes on this website so far, but I sometimes shy away from it because it can be too sweet for me, so if you feel the same way, you’ll love this.)
Chai Pumpkin Cake with Meringue
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour & 15 minutes
- Total Time: 32 minute
- Yield: 8–12 servings 1x
Description
A yummy, moist, chai-spiced pumpkin cake with a light, sweet, and beautiful caramelized meringue topping. Could be a dessert or a coffee pairing or breakfast or anything you want it to be!
Ingredients
For the cake:
DRY INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- a pinch of black pepper
WET INGREDIENTS
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup oil
- 1 15 ounce can of pumpkin
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the meringue:
- 3 egg whites
- 2/3 cups sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
First, make the meringue. Using a small amount of vinegar or lemon juice, wipe out the inside of the bowl. (We do this to remove any small amount of oil or grease that could remain inside the bowl, as this will negatively affect the meringue). Dry the inside of the bowl. Add all of the meringue ingredients to the bowl and mix them briefly until combined.
Heat about two inches of water in a saucepan until boiling. Place the bowl of meringue ingredients over the saucepan and stir the contents constantly until they are no longer grainy and you cannot feel grains of sugar if you dip your fingers in the mixture and then rub them together. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a standing mixer with the whisk attachment and beat on high until stiff peaks form.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a springform pan (*see note) with parchment paper, and oil the sides.
To make the cake batter, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients until combined.
In another large mixing bowl, combine the wet ingredients using an electric mixer.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients, and mix until just combined.
Pour the cake batter into the springform pan. Spoon all of the meringue on top of the batter. Use an offset spatula or spread the meringue around, occasionally swooping the knife deep into the batter and pulling it out. The intent is to create a marbled look and lots of peaks.
Bake at 325 for an hour and 15 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool, and then remove from the springform pan.
Notes
*Don’t use a normal round cake pan! Nope, this cake is way thicker than what will fit in a normal round cake pan, and it will surely overflow the pan and destroy your oven if you use something smaller than a springform!
Keywords: cake, pumpkin, meringue, chai, spiced, baking, dessert