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Vanilla Chai cupcakes
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Vanilla Chai Spice Cupcake with Brown Sugar Buttercream

Delicious vanilla cupcakes with warm chai spices.
Course Dessert
Keyword cupcakes, Vanilla Chai Spice Cupcakes, vanilla cupcake
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Buttercream 25 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 15 Cupcakes

Equipment

  • Stand mixer or Handheld mixer
  • Candy thermometer

Ingredients

Vanilla Chai Spice Cupcake with Brown Sugar Buttercream

Chai Spice Mix

  • 2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp ground allspice

Vanilla Chai Cupcakes

  • 2 bags Chai tea
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups cake flour
  • 2 tsp chai spice mix
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Brown sugar Italian Meringue Buttercream

  • 3/4+1/8 cups brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • Pinch of chai spice
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 4 large egg whites
  • 2 sticks butter

Instructions

Directions for Making the Cupcakes

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Add the cupcake liners to a muffin pan.
  • Mix the spices together to make the chai spice and set it aside.
  • In a medium bowl, measure the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and Chai spice, then set them aside.
  • In a measuring cup, pour the buttermilk and add the two bags of chai spice tea bags. Let it sit for 20-30 minutes. Remove the tea bags and squeeze out the excess buttermilk.
  • In a large bowl, beat butter, oil, and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
  • Add eggs, one at a time, and mix well.
  • Add flour alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.
  • Continue beating one minute. Use a cookie scoop to pour into the cupcake liners.
  • Bake 10-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Cool in the muffin pan, then move them to a cooling rack for 10 minutes.

Directions for the Brown Sugar Italian Meringue Buttercream

  • For more information and use the step-by-step tutorial found here.
  • In a small saucepan combine the brown sugar and water and place on low heat with a candy thermometer.
  • While the sugar is on the stove, in a stand mixer, beat the egg whites until it forms stiff peak. Start right around the time the sugar reaches about 200°F.
  • Remove from heat when the syrup reaches 240°F, which is soft ball stage.
  • Turn the mixer on 8 and slowly pour the hot syrup into the meringue.
  • Then turn the mixer on 10 and beat until the bowl is cool to the touch.
  • Add the butter, one piece at a time, it will look curdled at first don't worry, just keep mixing until it comes together.
  • Once the buttercream comes together, add the vanilla and the chai spice and mix well.

Decorating the Cupcake

  • To decorate the cupcake, fit a piping bag with a Wilton 1M tip,
  • Pipe a small amount of frosting in the center, then pipe around it. Release pressure when you get to the top.
  • Sprinkle some chai spice to the top and add a cinnamon stick (optional).

Notes

Notes:

How to make cake flour-measure a cup of all-purpose flour and remove two tablespoons, then add two tablespoons of cornstarch and sift together.
Replace with self-rising cake flour- use the same amount of self-rising flour and eliminate the salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
To make this dairy-free-replace the butter with plant-based butter such as earth balance and the milk with soy milk mixed with lemon juice for vegan buttermilk i.e. 1 cup soy milk to 1 tbsp lemon juice.