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
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
Cupcakes
1
PREHEAT oven to 350°F.
2
LINE wells of a 12-count cupcake pan with cupcake liners and SET ASIDE.
3
PLACE 2 chai tea bags into a mug or small bowl and ADD 1/4 cup boiling water.
4
SET ASIDE to steep 10 minutes.
5
PLACE 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour into a large mixing bowl.
6
ADD 1 cup brown sugar.
7
ADD 2/3 cup cocoa powder.
8
ADD 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder and ADD 1 teaspoon baking soda.
9
ADD 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon and ADD 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger.
10
ADD 1 teaspoon ground cardamon and ADD 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.
11
ADD 1/2 teaspoon allspice.
12
ADD 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves and ADD 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg.
13
ADD 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.
14
WHISK to combine and SET ASIDE flour mixture.
15
CRACK 2 large eggs into a medium mixing bowl and WHISK thoroughly.
16
REMOVE and DISCARD teabags from chai tea and ADD to mixing bowl.
17
ADD 3/4 cup room temperature buttermilk.
18
ADD 1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter.
19
ADD 1/4 cup neutral oil (such as canola or vegetable oil).
20
ADD 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
21
WHISK thoroughly to combine.
22
ADD egg mixture to flour mixture.
23
STIR just until combined. Do not overmix.
24
DIVIDE batter evenly between cupcake wells.
25
BAKE 15 – 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center cupcake comes out clean.
26
TRANSFER cupcakes to a cooling rack and ALLOW to cool to room temperature.
Frosting
1
RESERVE and SET ASIDE 12 blackberries from 1 package (6 ounces) blackberries.
2
PLACE remaining blackberries into a medium saucepan.
3
ADD 2 tablespoons water.
4
COOK over high heat until boiling.
5
REDUCE heat to medium low and MASH blackberries with a potato masher or the back of a large spoon.
6
COOK 10 minutes and STIR occasionally until thickened to a jamlike consistency.
7
SET ASIDE blackberry puree to cool completely.
8
PLACE 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese onto a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
9
WHISK until cream cheese is completely smooth.
10
ADD 1/2 cup (1 stick) room temperature unsalted butter.
11
WHISK until smooth.
12
ADD 3 cups powdered sugar.
13
ADD 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
14
ADD blackberry puree.
15
WHISK until soft peaks form.
16
TRANSFER frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star tip OR TRANSFER to a sealable plastic bag with a corner snipped off.
17
CHILL frosting until firm, about 45 minutes.
18
PIPE a generous amount of frosting onto each cupcake.
19
GARNISH each cupcake with 1 reserved blackberry.
20
SERVE immediately.
