Step 1

Start by pre-heating your oven to 180c/350f. Also grease and line two 8 inch cake tins.

Step 2

In a large bowl, add the softened butter, oil, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger and cardamon powder. Beat these together on high speed for 5 minutes. If you are making this cake batter by hand, just aggressively whisk for as long as you can.

Step 3

Add 2 of the eggs into this, whisk these in, then whisk in the remaining 2 eggs.

Step 4

Now add the flour and milk, whisk just until you get a smooth batter.

Step 5

Pour this into your prepared cake tins, spread it out then bake them at 180c/350f for around 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Step 6

Whiles the cakes are baking, make the chai.

Step 7

In a pot, add the milk, tea bags, chai spice and the sugar. Give this a mix.

Step 8

Place this onto medium heat and let it come to a boil, once it comes to a boil, lower the heat slightly and let this boil for 2-3 minutes.

Step 9

Pour this through a sieve then leave aside.

Step 10

Once your cakes are baked and are still hot, pour this chai over them. Leave these aside to soak up the chai, and to cool completely.

Step 11

In a pot or pan, add about 1/3 of the sugar. Place this pot onto medium heat.

Step 12

Heat this sugar, whiles constantly stirring, until the sugar starts to melts. Once it starts to melt, pour another 1/3 of the sugar into the pot. Keep stirring until this starts to melt, then add the rest of the sugar. Make sure not to increase the heat during this process, you want to melt the sugar slowly, otherwise it can burn.

Step 13

Keep heating and stirring the sugar until it has all melted and turned an amber colour.

Step 14

Take it off the heat and whisk in the butter. Then slowly pour in the cream, whiles mixing. Now mix in the salt.

Step 15

Place this back onto medium heat and let this mixture simmer for 1-2 minutes. Then sieve this and leave aside to cool completely.

Step 16

Once the cakes and caramel have cooled completely, and the buttercream has been made, you can start putting everything together.

Step 17

Place one of your cake layers down onto a plate or cake board, spread some of the buttercream on top of this, then pipe a border of the buttercream around the edge of the cake. Add a thin layer of the cooled caramel in the middle of this.

Step 18

Add the second layer of cake on top.

Step 19

Now you can decorate however you want. I just iced the whole cake in the buttercream, added a swirl on top, then covered the sides with some chopped almonds.

Step 20

I recommend leaving this to chill for about 20 minutes in your fridge, then cut into it and enjoy!