Spiced Chai Latte Cupcakes
These Chai Latte Cupcakes are topped with a generous swirl of a chai-spiced buttercream frosting, taste just like a chai latte from your favorite coffee shop, and are perfect for the Fall season!
Servings: 18 servings
Calories: 378kcal
Ingredients
Chai spice mix
- 3 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
Chai cupcakes
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp chai spice mix
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs preferably at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup brewed chai tea
- 1/2 cup whole milk
Chai buttercream
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp chai spice mix
- pinch of kosher salt
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar whisked to remove any lumps
Instructions
Combine spice mix
- To a small bowl, add all chai spice mix ingredients (cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg). Whisk or stir to combine well. This will be divided amongst the cupcakes and frosting.
Prepare
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
Make cupcake batter
- To a mixing bowl, add the flour, 2 Tbsp of the chai spice mix, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine, then set aside for now.
- In a separate bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer), add the oil and sugar, and beat with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until well mixed.
- Add the brewed chai tea, milk, and the flour mixture. Beat until smooth and no flour streaks remain.
Bake
- Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tins, filling them about 3/4 of the way up (approximately 3 Tbsp of batter in each well of the tin).
- Bake in preheated oven for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out with just a few moist crumbs, or clean.
- Let cupcakes cool on a wire cooling rack until they're room temperature.
Make buttercream
- Add butter to a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), and beat with a mixer until fluffy.
- Add the remaining 1 Tbsp chai spice mix and salt and beat until combined.
- Add in powdered sugar, a little at a time, mixing on a lower speed to prevent the sugar from flying out of the mixer.
- Increase the mixer speed to medium, and beat for another 2 minutes or until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
Frost cupcakes
- Transfer frosting to piping bag fitted with a large open star tip (or your desired tip), and once the cupcakes are completely cooled, pipe swirls of frosting onto cupcakes.
- Garnish with a dusting of ground cinnamon, a star anise pod, and/or a cinnamon stick if desired.
Notes
- This recipe makes approximately 18 cupcakes, which you are free to divide up into as many servings as you'd like.
- For best results, bake the cupcakes one pan at a time.
Nutrition
Calories: 378kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 80mg | Potassium: 105mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 518IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1mg