SUGAR & spice

Spiced tea cake with honey frosting

PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR 45 MINS (+ COOLING & REFRIGERATION) SERVES 12

3/4 cup (180ml) milk
1 vanilla bean, split lengthways
4 chai tea bags
150g butter, softened
1 cup (220g) firmly packed brown sugar
3 eggs
2 cups (300g) self-raising flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
60g glacé ginger, thinly sliced
2 tbsp honey

GINGER SYRUP

3cm piece fresh ginger, grated
2 tbsp caster sugar
1/3 cup (80ml) water

FROSTING

1½ cups (240g) icing sugar, sifted
500g cream cheese, softened
125g butter, softened

1 Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a deep 20cm round cake pan. Line base and side with three layers of baking paper.

2 Bring milk to the boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into pan, then add vanilla bean and tea bags. Stand for 5 minutes. Discard vanilla bean and tea bags.

Beat the butter and