CHAI-BUTTERMILK SPICE CAKE

CHAI-BUTTERMILK SPICE CAKE image

Number Of Ingredients 16

½ cup boiling water
6 chai tea bags
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup (3 oz) block-style fat-free cream cheese, softened (I used low fat)
¼ cup butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar, divided
½ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup of vegetable oil
1 cup fat-free buttermilk
2 large egg whites
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
Cooking spray
¼ cup powdered sugar

Steps:

-Preheat oven to 350 -Pour boiling water over tea bags in a bowl; steep 5 minutes. -Remove and discard teabags; cool to room temperature. -Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. -Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, stirring with a whisk. -Place the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 3 minutes). (My note: be sure to do it for the full 3 minutes, it helps add air to the cake and make it fluffy). -Add ¼ cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until well combined. Beat in brewed tea and vegetable oil. -Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition. -Using clean, dry beaters, beat egg whites with a mixer at high speed until foamy. -Add cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form. -Add ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. -Gently stir one-third of egg whites into batter; gently fold into remaining egg whites. -Spoon batter into a 9-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. -Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted comes our clean. -Cool in pan on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.