Spiced Chai Tea Cupcakes

Hello, hello! It’s been a while! I apologize for my lengthy hiatus, it was spent preparing and celebrating Father’s Day and also traveling to Massachusetts to visit family for a week (post coming soon!). This was the first time my boyfriends family and my family were actually able to meet in person, we all had a great time and embarked on many adventures 🙂 

One of those adventures being a trip to the village of Shelburne Falls, located along the Mohawk Trail in north-western Mass. This little village is one of my favorite spots to visit whenever I’m home. It’s quaint, quiet, and really the epitome of small-town living. It has a charming Main St. filled with Mom & Pop restaurants, stores, and coffee shops. We decided to stop by Mocha Maya’s which is a Cafe and live music venue. Unfortunately, no one was playing on a Tuesday afternoon but that didn’t stop us from staying for some yummy drinks. Both my boyfriends sister (some of you may know her as Nena, author of YOUnfolded) and I opted for the Iced Masala Chai Tea….so so good! Our yummy drink is what inspired today’s recipe. I used a combination of traditional chai spices and actual chai tea-steeped milk in the cupcake, and it’s topped with a spiced vanilla buttercream.

• Servings: 12
• Time: 1 Hour
• Difficulty: Medium
• Print

You Will Need:

(For Cupcakes)

• 1 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 Tsp Baking Powder
• 2 Tsp Cinnamon
• 1/4 Tsp Ground Cardomom
• 1/4 Tsp Ground Nutmeg
• 1/2 Tsp Ground Clove
• 1/2 Tsp Ground Allspice
• 1/2 Tsp Ground Nutmeg
• 1/4 Tsp Salt
• 3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, Room Temp
• 1 Large Egg + 1 Egg White
• 3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 2 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 Cup Whole Milk
• 2 Chai Tea Bags, Any Variation (I used Hazelnut Chai)

(For Frosting)

• 2 Sticks Unsalted Butter
• 2 1/2 Cups Confectioners Sugar
• 1 Tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 Tsp Ground Allspice
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1-2 Tbsp Milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line cupcake pan with 12 paper liners.
2. Heat the 1/2 Cup of milk in the microwave for 1 minute or until hot, add the tea bags and let steep until the milk has cooled.
3. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and spices in small mixing bowl and stir.
4. In your stand mixer fixed with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and vanilla extract, beat for an additional 2-3 minutes until fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
5. Add the egg and egg white, continuing to mix until fully combined. In 2 portions, alternate adding the dry ingredients and cooled milk.
6. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool as your prepare the frosting.
7. In your stand mixer fixed with the whisk attachment, add the butter and beat on high speed for 5-6 minutes until very pale (pretty much white), scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
8. Add the confectioners sugar, spices, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until combined and then increase speed to high for 1 minute. If frosting is too thick, use the milk to thin it out to a good piping consistency.
9. Fill a large pastry bag (fitted with the tip of your choice) with frosting and pipe onto cooled cupcakes. You can always frost with a knife too!
10. Decorate as you wish and enjoy!