Chai-Infused Vegan Loaf with Orange Cardamom Glaze

This Chai-Infused Vegan Loaf is warmly spiced and fragrant, drizzled with a zesty Orange Cardamom Glaze. It’s a perfect cake to enjoy with a cup of tea or as a comforting dessert.

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

• 3 ½ tbsp (50g) loose leaf masala chai tea, or tea from chai teabags
• 90 ml freshly boiled water
• ⅖ cup (100 ml) soy milk
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup (118 ml) maple syrup
• ⅓ cup (90 g) apple puree (unsweetened applesauce)
• ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste, or 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp freshly grated orange zest
• 1 ¾ cup (220 g) plain flour
• 80 g light brown sugar, or coconut sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp each ground cinnamon, cardamom
• ½ tsp each ground ginger, nutmeg
• ¼ tsp allspice
• ¼ tsp sea salt

For the Orange Cardamom Glaze (optional):

• 1 ½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar
• ½ tsp ground cardamom
• 4 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
• ½ tsp vanilla bean paste, or 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8-inch loaf tin with parchment paper.
2. Mix soy milk and apple cider vinegar to create vegan buttermilk; set aside.
3. Steep chai tea in boiled water for 10-15 minutes, then strain to yield a concentrated tea mixture.
4. Whisk together the concentrated tea, vegan buttermilk, maple syrup, apple puree, olive oil, vanilla, and orange zest in a bowl.
5. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, spices, and salt, ensuring no sugar lumps remain.
6. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. For the glaze, mix powdered sugar, cardamom, orange juice, and vanilla until smooth.
10. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake.

Enjoy the aromatic blend of chai spices and citrus notes in this Vegan Loaf, either as a delightful end to a meal or as a special treat throughout the day.