Chai Spice Apple Tea Cake with Almond Meringue

Chai Spice Apple Tea Cake with Almond Meringue

Cake Mixture

150g Plain flour
450g Self raising flour
1 tablespoon ginger
1 tablespoon Cinnamon
1 tablespoon All spice
6 eggs
300g Butter
40g Brown sugar
400g Raw caster sugar
310ml Chai tea infused milk
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
2 Granny smith apples, peeled & sliced

Meringue Mixture

3 Egg whites
40g Brown sugar
40g Sliced almonds
1 teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon cinnamon


Start by having all ingredients at room temperature.
Set oven at 190.c line a spring form tin with baking paper.

Place Chai tea and milk in a small pot over low heat for 4 minutes increase heat to medium for 2 minutes. Do not let the milk boil. While the milk is infusing, sift both flours and spices together 4-6 times. Remove infused milk from heat and cool to room temperature.

In a stand mixer beat both sugars and butter on medium-high for 4-6 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add vanilla bean paste. With the mixer turned to low-medium mix in eggs, beating well after each addition.

Alternating between the flour and Chai tea infused milk, starting with flour; mix in small amounts of each until well combined. With the mixer turned off, fold through the sliced apples.

Pour the cake mixture into your prepared tin. Bake for 25 minutes.

Now for the almond cinnamon meringue; with a whisk attachment on your stand mixer, or you can use a hand mixer, beat the egg whites for two minutes, adding small amounts of the sugar slowly. Continue to beat while you add the cinnamon and all spice. You will know when your meringue is whipped enough when you hold your bowl upside down and the mixture doesn’t not move. Fold through the sliced almonds with a spatula.

Remove the cake from the oven and carefully spoon the almond cinnamon meringue mixture on top of the cake, top with a sprinkling of sliced almonds and continue to bake for 25-35 minutes. 

Cool in tin for 20 minutes, when removing the cake from the tin; place the cake on a short cup, release the spring latch and slide the side of the tin down; that way you will not remove any meringue topping by pulling the tin upwards.

Store in an airtight container. Best served at room temperature or slightly heated.