28/09/2026
🎃 Chai Pumpkin Loaf Cake
Soft, moist and wonderfully spiced, this Chai Pumpkin Loaf Cake is autumn baking at its cosiest. Pumpkin brings a lovely natural sweetness and keeps the cake beautifully moist, while chai tea adds warming notes of cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and gentle spice.
Finished with a simple vanilla glaze and a sprinkling of chopped nuts, this is the sort of cake that feels right at home on the kitchen table with a warm cup of tea. It's easy enough for a weekend bake and makes a lovely afternoon treat when friends or family pop round.
Makes: 1 loaf, approximately 8–10 slices
🛒 Ingredients
✨ For the Chai Infusion
* 2 tbsp loose-leaf chai tea
* 100ml freshly boiled water
✨ For the Cake
* 200g pumpkin purée
* 150g gluten-free self-raising flour
* ½ tsp xanthan gum, if your flour doesn't already contain it
* 1 tsp baking powder
* 1 tsp ground cinnamon
* ½ tsp ground ginger
* ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
* ¼ tsp ground mixed spice
* Pinch of salt
* 120g light brown sugar
* 100ml vegetable oil
* 2 large eggs
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* 75ml brewed chai tea
* 50g chopped pecans or walnuts
✨ For the Vanilla Glaze
* 100g icing sugar
* 1–2 tbsp milk
* ½ tsp vanilla extract
✨ To Decorate
* A small handful of chopped pecans or walnuts
* A light sprinkle of cinnamon
👩🍳 Method
1. Brew the chai tea. Place the loose-leaf chai tea into a heatproof jug and pour over the freshly boiled water. Leave to infuse for 8–10 minutes, then strain. Allow it to cool slightly.
2. Preheat your oven to 170°C fan / 190°C conventional / Gas Mark 5.
3. Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin with baking paper, leaving a little overhang to make the cake easier to lift out.
4. In a large bowl, mix together the gluten-free flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, mixed spice and salt.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, brown sugar, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla extract.
6. Add 75ml of the brewed chai tea and whisk until everything is well combined.
7. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, folding gently until just combined.
8. Stir through the chopped pecans or walnuts.
9. Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and gently level the top.
10. Bake for **45–55 minutes**, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
11. Leave the loaf in the tin for around 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
12. To make the glaze, mix the icing sugar, vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk together. Add a little more milk if needed until you have a thick but pourable glaze.
13. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled loaf.
14. Finish with chopped nuts and a light dusting of cinnamon.
🍂 Our Klara Tips
✨ **Don't overmix the batter.** Once the flour has been incorporated, gently fold until just combined. This helps keep the loaf lovely and soft.
✨ If using tinned pumpkin purée, make sure you use **100% pumpkin** rather than pumpkin pie filling.
✨ Let the loaf cool completely before glazing, otherwise the icing will melt into the cake.
✨ For an extra-special autumn bake, scatter a few pumpkin seeds over the top along with the nuts.
✨ The loaf keeps well in an airtight container for **2–3 days**.
✨ It can also be frozen without the glaze. Wrap well and defrost fully before decorating.
🎃 Make It Your Own
🍫Chocolate Chai Pumpkin Loaf
Add 75g dark chocolate chips to the batter for a delicious chocolate-and-spice version.
🍊Orange Chai Pumpkin Loaf
Add the finely grated zest of one orange to the cake mixture. Orange works beautifully with the spices and chai.
🍯Maple Chai Pumpkin Loaf
Replace half of the brown sugar with maple syrup and drizzle the finished loaf with a little extra maple syrup before serving.
🥜Chai & Pecan Crumble Top
Before baking, sprinkle the loaf with a mixture of chopped pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon for a lovely crunchy topping.
✨ Serving Suggestion
Serve generous slices with a cup of chai, Earl Grey or vanilla rooibos. For a cosy autumn dessert, warm a slice very gently and serve with a spoonful of vanilla ice cream or softly whipped cream.