Pumpkin Chai Latte Cupcakes
Delicious moist pumpkin chai cupcakes made with a whipped buttercream, and sprinkled with brown sugar chai spice mix. These cupcakes are reminiscent of a pumpkin chai latte with their unique fall flavor.
Equipment
- stand mixer or electric hand mixer with beater attachments
- whisk
- measuring cups & spoons
- cookie scoop optional to evenly distribute the batter in the cupcake liners
- silicone spatula
- large piping bag
- large open star piping tip
Ingredients
Pumpkin Chai Cupcakes
- 1¼ cups all purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup chai latte concentrate (I like the Tazo brand in the carton! )
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Whipped Buttercream
- 1½ cups unsalted butter (3 sticks, softened at room temperature)
- 5½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons sweet cream creamer (or heavy whipping cream)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
Brown Sugar Chai Spice Topping
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar (light or dark)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon all spice
- ⅛ teaspoon cardamom
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon ginger
Optional Decorative Garnish
- ideas: cinnamon sticks, star anise, mini pumpkin candies
Instructions
Brown Sugar Chai Spice Topping
- In a bowl, combine brown sugar and all of the spices whisking until combined and uniform. Set aside.1 Tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon all spice, ⅛ teaspoon cardamom, ⅛ teaspoon cloves, ⅛ teaspoon ginger
Pumpkin Chai Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients including the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.1¼ cups all purpose flour, 1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, 1½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda
- In a separate larger mixing bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients including pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, brown sugar, sugar, eggs, chai tea concentrate, and vanilla extract. Whisk really well until fully uniform.¾ cup pumpkin puree, ⅓ cup vegetable oil, ½ cup dark brown sugar, ½ cup sugar, ½ cup chai latte concentrate, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Combine the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, whisking until combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Fill cupcake liners ¾ of the way full with cupcake batter.
- Bake for 20-23 minutes or until a toothpick comes out completely clean. IMPORTANT: Let the cupcakes cool completely before decorating!
Whipped Buttercream
- In a stand mixer fitted with a beater blade attachment, whip the room temperature softened butter and fine sea salt for 1-2 minutes until it is lighter in color and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl down with a silicone spatula.1½ cups unsalted butter, ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Add in 3 cups of powdered sugar gradually mixing on low speed. Add in the sweet cream creamer (or heavy whipping cream) and the remaining 2½ cups powdered sugar, mixing on a higher speed to combine.5½ cups powdered sugar, 2 Tablespoons sweet cream creamer
- Once combined add in the vanilla extract and set to low medium speed allowing the buttercream to whip for 2-3 minutes, scraping the bowl down as necessary. Buttercream should be super smooth and light/fluffy.2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Prepare a piping bag with a large open star piping tip and fill with whipped buttercream.
- Once the cupcakes are COMPLETELY cooled, pipe each cupcake with a large swirl of buttercream. Lastly, sprinkle the tops with brown sugar chai spice mix - you don't need a lot, it's strong! Garnish with a cinnamon stick if desired - for decorative purposes only.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
