Chocolate Chai Cupcakes
Time: 40 minutes plus chilling time
Serves: 12 cupcakes
Moist and decadent chocolate cupcakes with notes of warm chai spices frosted with a lightly sweet whipped cream cheese frosting infused with blackberry purée. This recipe is a delicious spin on traditional chocolate cupcakes and is sure to impress whoever you’re hosting this Holiday season!
Prep Time:
25 minutes
Cook Time:
15 minutes plus chilling time
Serves:
12 cupcakes
Perfect for:
Birthday Parties
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 2 chai tea bags
- 1/4 cup hot water
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup buttermilk at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup neutral oil (such as canola or vegetable oil)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Frosting
- 1 package (6 ounces) Driscoll’s Blackberries, divided
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, unsalted, at room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions
Cupcakes
- PREHEAT oven to 350°F.
- LINE wells of a 12-count cupcake pan with cupcake liners and SET ASIDE.
- PLACE 2 chai tea bags into a mug or small bowl and ADD 1/4 cup boiling water.
- SET ASIDE to steep 10 minutes.
- PLACE 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour into a large mixing bowl.
- ADD 1 cup brown sugar.
- ADD 2/3 cup cocoa powder.
- ADD 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder and ADD 1 teaspoon baking soda.
- ADD 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon and ADD 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger.
- ADD 1 teaspoon ground cardamon and ADD 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.
- ADD 1/2 teaspoon allspice.
- ADD 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves and ADD 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg.
- ADD 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.
- WHISK to combine and SET ASIDE flour mixture.
- CRACK 2 large eggs into a medium mixing bowl and WHISK thoroughly.
- REMOVE and DISCARD teabags from chai tea and ADD to mixing bowl.
- ADD 3/4 cup room temperature buttermilk.
- ADD 1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter.
- ADD 1/4 cup neutral oil (such as canola or vegetable oil).
- ADD 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
- WHISK thoroughly to combine.
- ADD egg mixture to flour mixture.
- STIR just until combined. Do not overmix.
- DIVIDE batter evenly between cupcake wells.
- BAKE 15 – 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center cupcake comes out clean.
- TRANSFER cupcakes to a cooling rack and ALLOW to cool to room temperature.
Frosting
- RESERVE and SET ASIDE 12 blackberries from 1 package (6 ounces) blackberries.
- PLACE remaining blackberries into a medium saucepan.
- ADD 2 tablespoons water.
- COOK over high heat until boiling.
- REDUCE heat to medium low and MASH blackberries with a potato masher or the back of a large spoon.
- COOK 10 minutes and STIR occasionally until thickened to a jamlike consistency.
- SET ASIDE blackberry puree to cool completely.
- PLACE 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese onto a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- WHISK until cream cheese is completely smooth.
- ADD 1/2 cup (1 stick) room temperature unsalted butter.
- WHISK until smooth.
- ADD 3 cups powdered sugar.
- ADD 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
- ADD blackberry puree.
- WHISK until soft peaks form.
- TRANSFER frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star tip OR TRANSFER to a sealable plastic bag with a corner snipped off.
- CHILL frosting until firm, about 45 minutes.
- PIPE a generous amount of frosting onto each cupcake.
- GARNISH each cupcake with 1 reserved blackberry.
- SERVE immediately.
