1/2 cup REALLY STRONG chai tea (black), cooled
2.5 cups flour (I used whole wheat, AP’d be better)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 Tbsp crystallized ginger, chopped, optional
2 Tbsp cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk (or equivalent vinegar-milk substitution)
1 egg
cooking spray
Heat oven to 350. Prepare a loaf pan with cooking spray. Cream together butter, cream cheese, and sugars in a large bowl or stand mixer. Add salt, baking soda, cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger (if using) and mix together. Scrape down the sides of the bowl/mixer, and add the egg, tea, and buttermilk. Mix together (yes, it’ll be quite soupy looking). Add the flour in three batches, mixing thoroughly until combined. Pour batter into pan. The batter should fill to about half or 3/4 of an inch to the top. Bake for 1 hour (well, start checking on it after 45 minutes—I think mine took closer to 75, but I was using denser flour and stuff).