Chai Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Box Hack

Chai Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

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A spice cake mix steeped in real brewed chai tea, topped with a silky spiced cream cheese frosting. Cozy, impressive, and faster than you'd expect.

Chai Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep20 min
Cook28 min
DifficultyEasy
Cal / serving~228

Servings

16

16 bars · ~228 cal each · ~3651 cal total

Ingredients

  • 1 box spice cake mix (15.25 oz box)
  • ¾ cup strong brewed chai tea, cooled (2–3 bags steeped 10 min)
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted (or brown butter for extra depth)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tbsp sour cream or Greek yogurt (optional, for tenderness)
  • 1 ½ tsp chai spice blend (or: 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp cardamom, ¼ tsp ginger, pinch cloves + black pepper)
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (frosting)
  • 2 ¾ cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 ½ tsp chai spice blend (frosting)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or strong brewed chai (frosting)

You'll need

  • ·8×8-inch baking pan
  • ·Mixing bowls
  • ·Stand mixer or hand mixer
  • ·Spatula
  • ·Whisk
  • ·Parchment paper
  • ·Toothpick

Instructions

  1. 1

    Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper and spray lightly with non-stick baking spray.

  2. 2

    Brew the chai: steep 2–3 chai tea bags in hot water for 10 minutes. Let cool completely before using — hot liquid can over-activate the mix and make the cake dense.

  3. 3

    Mix the batter: in a large bowl, combine cake mix, cooled chai tea, melted butter, eggs, sour cream (if using), and chai spice blend. Stir until smooth — don't overmix. For extra depth, brown your butter first: cook in a saucepan over medium heat, swirling until golden and nutty, then cool before using.

  4. 4

    Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake 25–30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan before frosting — warm cake will melt the frosting.

  5. 5

    Make the frosting: beat softened cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, then the chai spice blend and vanilla (or brewed chai). Beat until smooth and spreadable. If the frosting is too loose, chill for 10–15 minutes or add powdered sugar a ¼ cup at a time.

  6. 6

    Spread frosting evenly over the completely cooled cake. Chill for 15–20 minutes for the cleanest slices. Cut into bars and finish with a light dusting of cinnamon or crushed chai cookies if desired.

Calorie estimates are approximate and calculated from ingredient quantities. Actual values may vary.