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Chai Latte Cupcakes
When I first tried chai spice in a cupcake batter, I overdid the cardamom so badly my husband squinted like he'd bitten into a garden. I dialed it back until the flavor settled into something warm but not overwhelming—cloves and cinnamon taking the lead with just enough green cardamom to keep things interesting.
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease lightly.
- Whisk together the flour, chai spice blend, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl until well combined.
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy (the mixture should look pale yellow).
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
- Alternately add the dry ingredients and milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour, mixing on low speed just until combined. Do not overmix—the batter will be thick but pourable.
- Divide evenly among prepared muffin cups (about ⅔ full). Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Internal temperature should reach 205°F if you have an instant-read thermometer.
- Cool cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting (about 30 minutes).
- For the frosting: Beat cream cheese and softened butter together until smooth and creamy (2-3 minutes on medium-high speed). Sift in powdered sugar and beat on low until incorporated. Add chai spice blend, vanilla, and salt; beat on high for 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Pipe or spread frosting onto cooled cupcakes using a large star tip if piping. Sprinkle with extra chai spice if desired.
Nutrition
Notes
The thing that kept me coming back is how forgiving this recipe is. You can use canned chai spice or blend your own, frost them while still slightly warm for a glossy finish, or let everything cool completely if you prefer neat layers. I make these when I need something that feels special without demanding much of my day.
The trick is getting the chai powder into the batter properly—I whisk mine with the flour so there are no bitter pockets of spice clumping together at the bottom. It takes about as long to bake as any standard cupcake recipe, which means you can start them while your coffee brews and have something ready before anyone asks what's for dessert.
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