Chai-Spiced Cupcakes with Honey Frosting for the Joy the Baker Spotlight!
 
 
All the spices of chai tea in cupcake form! These Chai-Spiced Cupcakes with Honey Frosting bring afternoon tea to a whole new level of awesome.
Yield: 12 cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 1 cup AP flour
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • pinch of salt
  • 3 tbsp chai tea, from tea bags (originally called for chamomile)
  • ½ cup almond milk (or regular milk!)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
For the frosting
  • 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 6 tbsp heavy cream
  • pinch of salt
Instructions
  1. Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 325. Line a cupcake pan with paper or foil liners and set aside.
  2. To make the cakes: in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and tea leaves. the mixture will be slightly coarse and sandy when mixed for several minutes.
  3. Whisk together milk, egg, and vanilla.
  4. Pour half of the milk mixture into the flour mixture with the mixer on medium-low speed. Beat until just incorporated. Pour in the remaining milk mixture, and turn mixer up to medium. Beat for 1 minute, until well blended.
  5. Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake cups. There isn’t a lot, so only fill the liners up about halfway. Scrape the bowl to make sure you get as much batter out as possible…there is not even a tablespoon to lose!
  6. Bake cupcakes for 17 to 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow cakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove cakes to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
  7. To make the frosting: whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, honey, cream and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth. Use a butter knife to generously spread the frosting atop the cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with a bit of tea leaves (or top with a sugar pearl!). Cakes will last, well wrapped, at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
Adapted from Joy the Baker Cookbook: 100 Simple and Comforting Recipes
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 cupcake
Recipe by Joanne Eats Well With Others at https://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/2012/02/recipe-chai-spiced-cupcakes-with-honey-frosting-for-the-joy-the-baker-spotlight.html