People talk about PSLs all the time during fall, but do you know what I really like? Chai. I like it hot, I like it cold, I like it straight, and I like it as a latte. I decided we needed some chai cupcakes, so here we are!
Ingredients:
2/3 cup milk, plus a splash
2 bags of chai tea
1 1/2 cup gluten free flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick softened butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then, simmer the milk with one bag of tea.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and contents of a bag of chai tea. Set aside.
Cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in one egg at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients and beat until combined. Then add half of the milk and beat until combined. Repeat until you’ve added the remaining ingredients. Trust me — this method results in a fluffy texture every time!
Pour the batter evenly into a lined cupcake pan. The batter makes a perfect dozen. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Then set them aside to cool. And what makes a cupcake a mini cake and not just a muffin? Frosting!
Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese
5 tablespoons butter
1 scant cup of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash of cinnamon
Dash of cloves
Dash of allspice
Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until incorporated. Carefully mix in the powdered sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla and spices (you can change it up as you’d like) and beat until smooth, creamy, and flecked with spices throughout.
Top your cupcakes with a generous dollop of frosting, smoothing it out for even coverage. You could get fancy and pipe it on, but my family eats too fast to appreciate that sort of effort. Voila! Chai cupcakes!
