Supremely moist and fluffy cupcakes infused with the warm spices of chai and topped with a creamy chai latte buttercream!
Whenever I go to a coffee shop, which is NOT very often, my drink of choice is usually a simple chai tea latte. For one thing, it can be rather intimidating when you’re riddled with so many coffee options and have absolutely no clue what the difference between a cappuccino and a macchiato is. And another thing, chai tea lattes are just so incredibly comforting in their own autumnal way.
So with the arrival of the changing leaves and that cool crisp air, I can’t think of a better time to introduce these next gems of autumn goodness than right now…
These Chai Latte Cupcakes are the epitome of fall comfort. With a scrumptiously soft and pillowy cake that’s exquisitely spiced with the warmth of chai tea, along with a lusciously creamy chai-infused buttercream, these cupcakes are bound to make those eyes roll back in pure ecstasy.
And no, I’m not being melodramatic when I say that. It simply isn’t possible when it involves dessert!
What is Chai?
Chai originated in India thousands of years ago, and its popularity has spread dramatically over the past two centuries. Chai also directly translates to “tea” in Hindi. It has predominately cinnamon and cardamom notes, but it’s made up of six different spices–cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg. I’ve also heard that it can contain pepper, but for these cupcakes, I left it out.
What is a Chai Tea Latte?
Despite the fact that it contains the word, “latte”, chai tea lattes don’t contain any actual coffee. It’s a hot, milky, exquisitely fragrant, lightly-spiced beverage that’s popular in cafés everywhere.
Typically, a chai tea latte is made by combining steamed milk with black tea that has been infused with spices. The drink is then topped with foam. Depending on the café, the spice blend will vary. Some coffee shops might even use a sweetened chai syrup, concentrate, or a powder, which allows for quicker brewing.
Why You’ll LOVE These Cupcakes
Extra Chai Flavor – These cupcakes contain a DOUBLE dose of chai. Not only do they contain the traditional spices of chai, but they also contain chai-infused milk. I simply heated up a half cup of whole milk, added a chai tea bag, and allowed it to steep for 30 minutes. The deep, aromatic notes of the warm spices combined with the intensely-flavored chai milk definitely take these cupcakes a step ABOVE.
FYI, you will end up with some leftover chai spice blend, so I would HIGHLY recommend making your own homemade chai tea latte to enjoy with one (more like five) of these cupcakes!
Texture Heaven – In case I haven’t emphasized it enough, these cupcakes are SO moist, SO fluffy, and irresistibly light and pillowy. Not to toot my own horn or anything, but they are perfection in the texture department. Thanks to a generous amount of sour cream, you won’t find a dry crumb in these cupcakes. The chai-steeped milk also plays a vital role in providing enough fat for that moist crumb. I would stick with whole or 2%. Basically, the more fat, the better!
Easy Peasy – There are three simple components involved in making these cupcakes–the chai spice blend, the cupcake batter, and the buttercream. The chai blend will be used in both the cupcakes and the buttercream, which eliminates a lot of measuring and adding. Aside from steeping the milk with chai, the cupcake recipe is pretty standard and comes together in very little time. The frosting is even easier since it’s your simple vanilla American buttercream with a chai twist. All you have to do is beat some butter, a dash of salt, powdered sugar, vanilla, and chai spice blend together until smooth. Add a few tablespoons of heavy cream, and continue to whip until creamy and voluminous!
Chai Spice Buttercream – For these cupcakes, I decided to keep everything PURE. Pure, as in, chai cupcake with chai buttercream. There’s simply no need to contrast the flavor. Plus, I really wanted the chai spices to SHINE in these cupcakes. And boy do they ever! The chai spices in the buttercream really complement the sweet notes of vanilla, and I can’t get over how delicious the buttercream is on its own!
These Chai Latte Cupcakes are destined to be a hit at your next gathering!
Chai Latte Cupcakes
Ingredients
Chai Spice Blend:
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Chai Latte Cupcakes:
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 Chai tea bag
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 teaspoons chai spice blend (from recipe above)
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Chai Spice Buttercream:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½ teaspoon chai spice blend (from recipe above)
- 3-4 Tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- Cinnamon Sticks (optional)
Instructions
Make Chai Spice Blend:
- Combine all of the spices in a small bowl; set aside.
Make the Cupcakes:
- Bring milk to a boil or heat in the microwave for 60-90 seconds. Pour over tea bag and steep for 20-30 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spice blend together until combined; set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and both sugars together on medium speed until lightened and creamy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla on medium speed.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Add the chai milk, then mix until just combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Scoop the batter into the liners. Fill only 2/3 full to avoid baking over the sides. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Buttercream:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and salt together until light and creamy. Add 2 cups of the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Add the remaining 2 cups of powered sugar, beating until combined.
- Add the vanilla, chai spice blend, and 3 Tablespoons of cream/milk, and beat until light and fluffy. Add more cream, if buttercream is still too thick. Transfer buttercream to a piping bag, fitted with a star tip. I used Celebrate It #2C tip.
To Assemble:
- Pipe buttercream on top of cupcakes. Top with a cinnamon stick, if desired. Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.