Chai-Spiced Honey Bundt Cakes

This comes from the september 2004 issue of Bon Appetit magazine. I love chai tea, so this sounds absolutely delicious! NOTE: these can also be made in large muffin pans, as well. Any leftover syrup can be used as syrup for pancakes or waffles. Both the cakes and the syrup can be made a day ahead and reheated briefly before serving if preferred.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• Cakes

• 2 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1⁄2 cups  packed golden brown sugar
• 2  teaspoons baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 3⁄4 cups hot water
• 1  cup  instant chai tea
• 1⁄2 cup honey
• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1⁄2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 2  large eggs
• 1  large  egg yolk

• Spiced Syrup

• 2  cups  packed golden brown sugar
• 2  cups water
• 3⁄4 cup dark corn syrup
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. For the cakes:.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheit. Butter and flour 2 nonstick mini Bundt pans (6 cakes per pan). Sift flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt into large bowl.
3. Whisk hot water and chai tea powder together in another large bowl to blend. Whisk remaining ingredients into the chai mixture to blend.
4. Stir chai mixture into flour mixture until just blended. Divide batter among prepared pans (about 1/2 c batter per cake mold).
5. Bake cakes until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Invert immediately onto rack. Cool 10 minutes.
6. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle with spiced syrup.
7. For Spiced Syrup:.
8. Stir all ingredients together in a heavy large deep saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Attach a candy thermometer to side of pan (do not allow tip to touch bottom). Increase heat to high. Boil without stirring until thermometer reads 220 degrees farenheit, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with wet pastry brush, about 12 minutes (time will vary depending on pan size). Strain syrup into medium bowl. Cool to room temperature.