• Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Dessert First

a san francisco food and travel blog | all things sweet

  • About Me
    • about pastrygirl
    • faq
    • press
    • Contact Me
    • Disclosure
    • Privacy Policy
  • My Books
  • Recipes
    • Breads
    • Cakes
    • Candy
    • Chocolate
    • Cookies
    • Custards
    • Fruit
    • Ice Cream
    • Pastry
    • Tarts
  • Sweet San Francisco
    • Sweet Spots
    • SF Events
  • Travel
    • Asia
    • Europe
    • California
    • Hawaii
  • reviews and recs
    • Cookbooks
    • Chocolate
    • Tools
  • Conversions

Chai Cupcakes, Two Ways

Aug 11 by Anita 44 Comments

Chaicupcaketraybyanitachudessertfirst

When I worked at this chocolate cafe, we in the pastry kitchen were responsible for baking up all sorts of chocolate-intensive treats, as well as making the chocolate drinks that were the specialty of the house.

From classic hot chocolate to mochas to bicerins, we made the mixes for the drinks in the kitchen, and they never seemed to last long enough before we’d have to make a new batch. I have to say that the smell of melting chocolate is one of my favorite memories from working there, along with the stream of regulars who would always gush happily about the spicy hot chocolate, or the chocolate thai ice tea, without which their day wouldn’t be complete.

Sadly, I don’t have the metabolism anymore to consume a bowl of hot chocolate every day, or I’d be bigger than Augustus Gloop from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But every once in a while I’ll get a nostalgic craving for one of Bittersweet’s drinks. One of my favorite things to do in the early morning when I arrived for my shift, was to heat up one some of the chai-infused milk we used in the chocolate chai drink, as my sort-of morning tea. It was just spicy enough, and warm, which was nice in a kitchen not yet heated up from just-turned-on ovens. Even though I’ve used all the spices that make up chai before, a whiff of it never fails to make me think of the exotic.

Chaicupcakeduobyanitachudessertfirst

Memories of that chai is what inspired these chai cupcakes. Well, that and my attempts to pack up the kitchen for the impending move unearthed a mini cupcake tin I hadn’t even used yet, and a host of half-used spice jars. Yes, I know that spices lose their potency the longer you keep them around, and had I not been sternly warned by the boyfriend to stop buying more stuff when we’re trying to move, I might have gone out to get the fresh cloves and cardamom to grind myself. However, I’m still pleased with the flavor I achieved in these cupcakes: just lightly spicy, with a whiff of the exotic. While I combined ground spices to my liking, you can also get chai flavors in your cupcakes by infusing the milk with chai tea bags. I like being able to control the amounts of the various spices, and the intensity of the flavor. 

Chaicupcakecloseupbyanitachudessertfirst

So in trying to decide what kind of chai cupcake to make, I went a little overboard. I couldn’t decide if I wanted a plain chai cupcake or a chocolate chai cupcake; in the end; indecision won out and I decided to make both – simply as a taste-testing experiment, of course. I used my basic vanilla and chocolate cupcake recipes, which baked up beautifully in miniature form. The vanilla chai cupcake is beguilingly freckled with the spices, and is pleasantly spicy, sort of like vanilla with a new dress on, while the chocolate version is richer, with a more smoldering flavor; I used more spices in the batter to boost the flavor. The question of what frosting to use arose as well: what started as a simple desire for cupcakes turned into a full-blown project as I settled on a cinnamon chocolate whipped ganache for the vanilla cupcakes, and a honey swiss meringue buttercream for the chocolate ones. These cupcakes have sugar and spice and everything nice packed into them! Maybe I went a little carried away with the cupcake experimentation, but the results were worth it – they make such nice visual contrasts to each other, don’t you think?

Chocchaicupcakebyanitachudessertfirst

A couple baking notes about the frostings: I’m becoming very fond of whipped ganache; it’s ridiculously simple to make and so addictive, especially if you use your favorite chocolate. Be sure to let it chill completely before whipping it, otherwise it might curdle (some recipes say you only need to let it cool to room temperature, however I had better results when I chilled mine). Also, don’t overwhip it; you’ll get the same unpleasant mess you do when you overwhip cream. However, what you can do with overwhipped ganache is to simply melt it over a bain-marie, let it set up again in the refrigerator, and rewhip – carefully. For the swiss meringue buttercream, I love it because it’s quicker to make than italian meringue, but it is less stable, so I’ve learned a few tips to making it: be sure to cook the egg white mixture to 160 degrees F, to make sure all the salmonella bacteria are killed; whip the meringue in the mixer until it’s fully cooled and thick, or else hot meringue will melt the added butter; your butter should be room temperature and softened to incorporate easier into the buttercream; and finally, many times the buttercream appears to curdle or break, which always sends people into a panic, but you simply have to keep beating the buttercream for several minutes and it will come back together into a nice velvety buttercream.

So I guess baking a batch of cupcakes isn’t exactly packing up the kitchen, but at least we have something to snack on while we continue our moving-out endeavors!

Cupcaketraybyanitachudessertfirst

Vanilla or Chocolate Chai Cupcakes

makes 12 regular cupcakes or 30 mini cupcakes
Print
Save

Vanilla Chai Cupcakes

  • 1 1/2 cups cake flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons chai spice mixture (see below)
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Chai Spice Mixture (combine all ingredients together in a small bowl)

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamon

Chocolate Chai Cupcakes

  • 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cake flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon chai spice mixture
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk

Swiss Meringue Honey Buttercream

  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 4 large egg whites
  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 1-in pieces
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Whipped Chocolate Cinnamon Ganache

  • 4 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the vanilla chai cupcakes:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
  • Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl. Stir in the chai spice mixture.
  • Cream the butter and sugar together in a stand mixer with paddle attachment on medium speed until soft and creamy.
  • Add in egg and egg whites, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition to combine before adding the next.
  • Combine milk and vanilla in a measuring cup or small bowl.
  • Add in the flour mixture and milk mixture in three alternating additions, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Beat just to combine each addition before adding the next.
  • Using an ice cream scoop or a spoon, fill each cupcake liner about ¾ full with batter. Bake in oven for 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the cupcakes comes out clean. Mini cupcakes will take about 15 minutes, so check sooner.
  • Let cupcakes cool in tin on a wire rack until cool before decorating.

For chocolate chai cupcakes:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
  • Place chocolate in a metal bowl and melt over a pot of simmering water. Set aside.
  • Sift the flours, baking soda, and salt together into a medium bowl. Stir in the chai spice mixture.
  • Cream the butter and both sugars together in a stand mixer with paddle attachment on medium speed until soft and creamy.
  • Add in the chocolate and mix to combine.
  • Add in eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition to combine before adding the next.
  • Add in the flour mixture and buttermilk in three alternating additions, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Beat just to combine each addition before adding the next.
  • Using an ice cream scoop or a spoon, fill each cupcake liner about ¾ full with batter. Bake in oven for 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the cupcakes comes out clean. Mini cupcakes will take about 15 minutes, so check sooner.
  • Let cupcakes cool in tin on a wire rack until cool before decorating.

For the swiss meringue buttercream:

  • Combine the sugar, honey, and egg whites in a medium metal bowl and place over a pan of simmering water.
  • Whisk the sugar mixture constantly over heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture looks smooth and shiny. Continue whisking until the mixture reaches 160 degrees F.
  • Remove mixture from heat and pour into a stand mixer bowl. Whisk on medium speed for about 5 minutes until the mixture has cooled.
  • Switch to the paddle attachment and with the speed on low, add the butter a few pieces at a time, beating until smooth. Do not add the butter too quickly or beat too quickly or the buttercream may break.
  • When all the butter has been added, beat the buttercream on medium-high speed for about 6-10 minutes until it is very thick and smooth. It may appear to separate briefly but continue beating and it should come back together.
  • Add in the vanilla extract and beat to combine.
  • The buttercream is ready to be used. Place a piece of plastic wrap against the surface until you are ready to use it to prevent it from drying out.

For the whipped chocolate ganache:

  • Place chocolate into a medium heatproof bowl.
  • Combine cream and cinnamon in a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Heat just until it comes to a simmer.
  • Pour cream over chocolate and let sit for a minute before stirring to combine. Stir until chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is smooth.
  • Pour into a container and chill in refrigerator for an hour until it is firm.
  • Place ganache in a stand mixer and whip with whisk attachment until it is light and fluffy. Do not overwhip or it will become dry and crumbly, just like overwhipped cream.

Filed Under: Cakes, Recipes Tagged With: chai, chocolate, cupcake, spice, vanilla

Related Posts

  • Pinwheel Cookies OverheadHoliday Pinwheel Cookies
  • Dandelion Afternoon Tea{SF}Bloom Chocolate Salon at Dandelion Chocolate
  • S'mores Whiskey TartS’mores Chocolate Whiskey Pudding Tart
  • Chocolate Pudding FlatlayPerfect Dark Chocolate Pudding
  • Rose Lychee Parfait FlatlayRose Raspberry Lychee Parfaits
« Green Tea Cheesecake
Roasted Pluot Phyllo Tarts and a Farewell to My Kitchen »

Comments

  1. 1

    Anh says

    Aug 11 at 1:47 am

    Very pretty, and I can only imagine how good these are!

    Reply
  2. 2

    Michelle says

    Aug 11 at 4:28 am

    Okay, first of all, I’d like to have a tall glass of that chocolate thai iced tea right about now. It sounds amazing.

    These cupcakes are a bit amazing too. They sound absolutely delicious and the photos are wonderful. Very nicely done! I’m bookmarking this for later. : )

    Reply
  3. 3

    monica says

    Aug 11 at 4:29 am

    mmmm i’ve been thinking about making chai cupcakes for the cupcakes on my menu…these look fantastic anita!

    Reply
  4. 4

    kat says

    Aug 11 at 5:08 am

    both version look so good!

    Reply
  5. 5

    Kati Angelini says

    Aug 11 at 6:14 am

    yum, chai is my favorite go-to drink when i need something hot. it is intoxicating and exotic yet very soothing. i bet these cupcakes wer delish. thanks for sharing. they are very cute and tres chic too–perfect in many ways, thanks again

    Reply
  6. 6

    Wenwen says

    Aug 11 at 6:38 am

    Anita, all your desserts look so amazing!!! All too often I found myself reading your blog and wanting to dash off to a pastry shop right away hahaha. Especially heart the Asian flavor inspired creations.

    Thanks for generously sharing the recipes and I hope I can try them out soon.

    Wenwen
    New York

    Reply
  7. 7

    Valérie says

    Aug 11 at 7:26 am

    Thank you so much for all the information and tips on frosting.

    I love chai. And chocolate. Why am I not baking these right now?! 🙂

    Good luck with packing up. I tend to procrastinate such things as well… Plus, I get panicky at the idea of not being able to cook for a while.

    Reply
  8. 8

    Cricket says

    Aug 11 at 7:37 am

    I just put my mini muffin tin to use for the first time too. Your muffins sound ( and look ) wonderful! I love the idea of making your own chai spice mixture.

    Reply
  9. 9

    Rose says

    Aug 11 at 8:30 am

    Hahaha! “Stop buying more stuff when we are trying to move” LOL we just moved and I heard THAT for quite awhile!!! These look outstanding. I love Chai. Can’t wait to give them a go!

    Reply
  10. 10

    lisa (dandysugar) says

    Aug 11 at 8:31 am

    Both versions look delicious. I love the spices in chai tea so the cupcakes must be incredible. I like whipped ganache too- decadent taste but so simple to make! Thanks for sharing your recipes.

    Reply
  11. 11

    banquet manager says

    Aug 11 at 9:38 am

    I wish my chef would try some of these. Looks good. Visit:
    So You Want To Be a Banquet Manager

    Reply
  12. 12

    Romy says

    Aug 11 at 10:09 am

    I just came from the kitchen where I was making a chai granita and found your post about these lovely cupcakes! Beautiful!

    Reply
  13. 13

    chris says

    Aug 11 at 11:07 am

    I love the visual contrast between the two and your choice of decoration. Looks great!

    Reply
  14. 14

    Danielle says

    Aug 11 at 12:26 pm

    nothing beats a good ganache! Your cupcakes are beautiful

    Reply
  15. 15

    cakebrain says

    Aug 11 at 4:12 pm

    Lovely looking mini cupcakes! Gorgeous pics!

    Reply
  16. 16

    sarah says

    Aug 11 at 5:50 pm

    I know what you’re saying about the swiss meringue buttercream…the first time I tried it a threw away what my husband explained to me later was probably a perfectly good batch of chocolate buttercream if I had just had a little patience.
    Funny that you made these mini, as I made some chocolate chai spice cupcakes recently (http://syrupandhoney.typepad.com/blog/2009/05/chocolate-chai-spice-cupcakes.html) and my boss said these would be the perfect small bite because they are so bursting with flavor.

    Reply
  17. 17

    kat says

    Aug 11 at 8:00 pm

    congrats on the new house! also, I love bittersweet cafe! I go to the one in SF =)

    Reply
  18. 18

    morgana says

    Aug 11 at 11:53 pm

    Mmmmmmmmm. So cute… And I’m sure that so fragant too. I love spices and I’m completely sure I’d love these cupcakes too.

    Reply
  19. 19

    Rituparna says

    Aug 12 at 10:10 am

    Yumm …………
    I just have to make them now.
    Next project coming up.

    Reply
  20. 20

    ABowlOfMush says

    Aug 12 at 7:56 pm

    anything chai is good in my book!

    Reply
  21. 21

    ovenhaven says

    Aug 12 at 10:31 pm

    I am in LOVE with your chocolate whipped ganache. It looks so lovely! Definitely giving it a try soon 🙂

    Reply
  22. 22

    Joyce Siew says

    Aug 13 at 12:03 am

    i love chai, masala chai tea especially. I’m sure this is gonna be so good. 🙂

    Reply
  23. 23

    Asianmommy says

    Aug 13 at 7:04 pm

    Wow–so pretty!

    Reply
  24. 24

    isa says

    Aug 13 at 10:43 pm

    They look absolutely gorgeous and so cute!
    I can’t decide wich one is my favorite:))
    Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  25. 25

    Fudge Addict says

    Aug 14 at 9:13 am

    The chocolate chai cupcake looks divine! Great recipe. Thank you from a fudge addict.

    Reply
  26. 26

    jennywenny says

    Aug 14 at 12:05 pm

    Mmm, that looks delicious, I’ll have to give them a try! I had some whipped ganache split on me recently, which really made me feel like I’ve lost my mojo, but I just need to try again!

    I usually use fresh and easy organic egg whites for my swiss meringue buttercream since they are pasteurized I dont have to worry quite so much. I still heat them, but it gives me a little peace of mind.

    Reply
  27. 27

    Connie says

    Aug 14 at 4:05 pm

    Absolutely gorgeous (as usual)…thank you for your inspiration!

    Reply
  28. 28

    maris says

    Aug 16 at 11:29 am

    These sound perfect – especially the Vanilla Chai ones! Love the way you iced them, also. So elegant 🙂

    Reply
  29. 29

    sudhakar says

    Aug 19 at 10:47 pm

    You seem to have great little cafe’s and such in San Francisco.
    Great looking cakes. By cake flour do you mean self-raising flour?

    Reply
  30. 30

    Sweet Sadie's (Penny) says

    Aug 23 at 6:32 am

    The cupcakes look so beautiful and I love the chai element!

    Reply
  31. 31

    MJ Molas says

    Aug 24 at 7:38 pm

    These look to die for! Chai is an amazing thing 🙂

    Reply
  32. 32

    Katie says

    Aug 30 at 11:38 pm

    I wouldn’t know which to choose. I love chai tea so these cupcakes sound amazing. I know what you mean about the spices always giving the sense of the exotic

    Reply
  33. 33

    Barbara Gordon says

    Jan 13 at 5:03 pm

    I just might have to break down and bake something!

    Looks Y-U-M-M-Y!

    Reply
  34. 34

    Rosemary says

    Feb 1 at 9:44 am

    When you say you can infuse the milk with tea bags, do you mean to just steep the tea bags in cold milk? Or would you heat the milk, steep the tea bags, then chill the mixture before using it to bake? Thanks, and love the contrast!

    Reply
  35. 35

    pastrygirl says

    Feb 4 at 3:37 pm

    Hi Rosemary,
    I would do it similar to making tea – heat the milk to simmering, then place the tea bags in and let steep as long as desired to get the depth of flavor in the milk. I would let the milk cool before using it, but it’s not necessary to chill it. Good luck!

    Reply
  36. 36

    Jamieanne says

    Mar 11 at 2:19 pm

    Hi there, I just made these cupcakes the other day and dressed them up just a bit – I infused both the vanilla chai cupcakes and ganache frosting with real chai tea, and added chocolate chips to the cupcakes. They are so delicious! Here’s my post about them: http://www.sweetestkitchen.com/2010/03/choc-chip-chai-cupcakes/

    Reply
  37. 37

    d says

    Mar 27 at 11:06 am

    I liked two small changes I made to the recipe for vanilla chai cupcake (though I am confused why the name has vanilla in it when there is no vanilla in the recipe). This made it come out very very light and added a nice taste.

    Reduced flour to 1 cup.
    replaced 1/2 cup milk with 2/5 cup milk + 1/10 cup kahlua.

    Reply
  38. 38

    Ms.Z. says

    Nov 20 at 4:25 am

    I am so making these bad boys today! They look delicious!

    Thanks so much for an awesome recipe.

    Reply
  39. 39

    Stacy says

    Dec 15 at 6:30 pm

    Thank you for this amazing recipe, they are DELICIOUS!

    Reply
  40. 40

    Marie H says

    May 25 at 9:33 pm

    I just made a small batch of this deliciousness… and WOW!

    My world will never be the same.

    Reply
  41. 41

    Aisha says

    Mar 25 at 1:40 am

    I work in a cupcake cafe and still these cupcakes are amongst the best I’ve ever tasted! The buttercream took a bit of patience, but it was well worth it. I’d recommend making them in a mini muffin tin, as the frosting can be a bit rich for a full size cupcake. Thanks for this recipe!

    Reply
  42. 42

    millicent says

    Jul 12 at 9:07 am

    I made these last night after finding your recipe on a google search for Chai cupcakes. They turned out very well and delicious. But I agree with the above reader who mentioned a vanilla chai cupcake with no vanilla? I will add 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste next time. Great recipe and photos though! I look forward to trying more of your other recipes. 🙂

    Reply
    • 43

      Anita says

      Jul 24 at 11:35 pm

      Hi Millicent,

      Thanks so much for the kind comment and I’m glad you liked them. You know, I can’t remember now if I left out the vanilla by mistake or it was a naming error. I’ll have to go back and retest, but thanks for bringing it to my attention!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. {SF} All The Cupcakes You Can Handle: At The SF Cupcake Challenge says:
    Feb 28 at 10:42 am

    […] Chai Cupcakes Two Ways […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating





About Me
Mentions in the Press
Want to go to pastry school?
Email me

subscribe to receive posts in your inbox

Archives

best of dessert first


The Making of Macarons (Sucre Cuit Style)

Hong Kong Eggettes (Daan Jai) for Mom


Tis the Season

A Better Brioche for World Bread Day


Consider the Humble Chocolate Chip Cookie

A Feast of Figs


Pure Dessert, Pure Inspiration

My Own Remembrance of Things Past: Dan Tats


The Slow Drip of Coffee on a Languorous Summer's Day

Still Life of Strawberry Tart

disclosure

This site uses affiliate links. Purchasing through the links will give this site commissions. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

about pastrygirl

Anita Chu, also known as pastrygirl, is a baker, writer, and photographer with a passion for pastry. She trained at Tante Marie's Cooking School and is the author of Field Guide to Cookies, Field Guide to Candy, and Lollipop Love. Anita lives in San Francisco with her husband, baby girl, and rescue cockapoo Snickerdoodle. More about pastrygirl

my latest cookbook


My newest cookbook, Lollipop Love, is now out!

stay connected

Subscribe to new posts by email

  • home
  • my books
  • recipes
  • sweet san francisco
  • reviews
  • conversions
  • shop
  • archives
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

© 2006–2023 Anita Chu. All Rights Reserved. Design by Deluxe Designs