Spiced Vanilla Chai Cupcake
While searching around for a cool new cupcake recipe I saw these really neat sounding vanilla chai spice cupcakes htp://www.theculinaryenthusiast.net/ and boy was I inspired. Obviously they became my next cupcake experiment and I pretty much followed the recipe spot on with a minor edit to the icing. They have a neat spiced flavor that makes them reminiscent of a muffin, but much lighter and sweeter. Several friends that tried them commented on their muffin-likeness and one said they make a perfect ‘breakfast cupcake’. If you are not familiar with chai, think cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamon spice, not hot pepper spice.
Oven: 325, makes about a dozen cupcakes
Chai Spice Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 tea ground cardamom
- 1 1/2 tea ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tea ground ginger
- 1/4 tea ground cloves
- 1/4 tea ground nutmeg
Mix the above ingredients in a small bowl and set it to the side.
Chai Cake Batter Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (room temp)
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tea vanilla extract (the real stuff)
- 2 eggs (room temp)
- 2 tea chai spice mix
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 tea baking soda
- 1/2 tea apple cider vinegar
Cream the butter up in a bowl. Add the sugar and mix some more. Next add the vanilla and eggs and mix some more.
Now add the chai and stir. Lightly stir in the flour and buttermilk, alternating some of each.
In a separate small bowl, mix the baking soda and vinegar (it fizzes). Stir, then add to the batter.
Now stir the the batter up and then spoon it into the cupcake cups.
Chai Buttercream Icing Recipe
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter (room temp)
- 1 tea vanilla extract (the real stuff of course)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- the rest of the chai spice mix
- 3-4 table cold milk
Cream the butter until fluffy and then add in the vanilla and the chai and mix a bit more. Now add in the sugar, a little at a time, and continue to mix. Add 3-4 tablespoons of milk, a little at a time, mixing until you are satisfied with the fluffiness of the icing.
After the cupcakes have completely cooled apply the icing.
All Things Krista 