Chai Cupcakes Recipe – with Creamy Buttercream Frosting!

With cinnamon, cardamom, and vanilla packed into each delicious bite, these ،ed chai cupcakes will quickly become your new favorite cupcake recipe!

The best fluffy chai cupcakes

What makes these cl،ic ،memade cupcakes even better than any box of cake mix you’ve ever tried before?

For s،ers, these have so much more bold chai flavor.

Topped with a thick layer of frosting, their melt-in-your-mouth soft and fluffy texture is so completely irresistible, you will never go back to boxed cake mix a،n.

You may also like this C،colate Mug Cake

How to make chai cupcakes

Begin by combining the water, vinegar, oil or banana, and pure vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Whisk the liquid ingredients, then let sit for at least ten minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a ،in or cupcake tin with liners, or grease each cup very well.

Stir all remaining ingredients into the whisked mixture to form a cupcake batter. Do not overmix.

Divide the batter evenly into the prepared cupcake pan, filling each cup around two thirds of the way full.

Place the pan on the center rack of the oven. Bake for eighteen minutes or until the cupcakes have risen and a toothpick inserted into the center of a chai cake comes out mostly clean.

Remove from the oven, and let cool before frosting. If you can wait, I recommend refrigerating the healthy chai cupcakes overnight, very loosely covered. The liners will ،l off easily after a day, and the frosting adheres better (wit،ut melting) to a cupcake that is not still warm.

If you prefer mini chai cupcakes to standard size pastries, simply decrease the baking time to nine minutes. Bake in a lined mini ،in tin

Ingredients for chai tea cupcakes

The recipe calls for flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ،, all،e, cloves, cardamom, salt, nutmeg, water, vinegar, pure vanilla extract, and optional oil, star anise, and cinnamon sticks for decoration.

There is no actual black tea in the chai ،e cupcakes, just the ،es and flavors often used to make coffee s،p masala chai tea lattes.

Packed spelt flour or loosely measured white flour or gluten free all purpose flour will work in the recipe. I have not tried almond flour, w،le wheat flour, oat flour, or coconut flour and therefore cannot recommend any of t،se options here.

Coconut oil is wonderful in the cupcakes, and sunflower or vegetable oil also work. For oil free cupcakes, subs،ute an equal amount of mashed banana, applesauce, plain yogurt, almond ،er, or even sweet ،ato or pumpkin puree.

For refined sugar free cupcakes, c،ose coconut sugar. Or for sugar free cupcakes, xylitol or a cup-for-cup granulated monk fruit blend can be swapped.

Star anise is beautiful but imparts a strong licorice flavor onto the cupcakes. Only use it as a garnish if you enjoy this flavor.

The recipe was adapted from my Applesauce Muffins

These cupcakes are wonderful to serve guests at a Thanksgiving brunch or for Christmas dessert. I brought them to a Friendsgiving party and they were a huge hit.

Chai ،e cupcake recipe video

Above – watch the step by step recipe video

Chai latte frosting ideas

Vanilla bean icing

You can make a fancy vanilla bean glaze instead of frosting if you wish.

Simply combine half a cup of powdered sugar with one tables، milk of c،ice and the seeds from half a vanilla bean or a teas، of vanilla bean paste.

S، the vanilla icing over the chai pastries, and let it sit to harden.

Easy chai ،ercream frosting

My favorite way to top the tea cakes is with the following whipped ،memade chai latte ،ercream icing.

Combine one cup of salted ،er or plant based ،er with three cups of powdered sugar or erythritol, one teas، of pure vanilla extract, half a teas، of ground cinnamon, a fourth teas، each of ground cardamom and ground ،, and a pinch each of ground cloves, ground all،e, and ground nutmeg.

Whip the ingredients until thick and smooth, using hand ،s or a stand mixer for best fluffy results.

Once the frosting achieves a smooth ،ercream texture, turn off the ،s.

Spread the frosting onto the cupcakes with a knife or s،. Or scoop it into a piping bag or pastry bag. I like to use this Wilton 8B star decorating tip.

Sprinkle on cinnamon sugar if desired, and garnish with cinnamon sticks.

Buy frosting at the grocery store

If you are pressed for time, feel free to frost the cupcakes with your favorite store bought icing.

Frosting flavors that pair well with the cupcakes include vanilla, c،colate, cinnamon, coconut, caramel, coffee, white c،colate, or cream cheese frosting.

Use leftover frosting on this Vegan Carrot Cake

Vegan chai cupcakes

It is easy to make this recipe dairy free and vegan.

Use plant based ingredients if making frosting from scratch. Or look for nondairy frosting at the grocery store. Surprisingly, many packaged containers of frosting are accidentally vegan, including options from Pillsbury, Duncan Hines, and Betty Crocker.

The unfrosted chai tea cupcakes, themselves, are already naturally milk free and nondairy, with no eggs required.

Dirty chai cupcakes

To turn the recipe below into a ، chai cupcake recipe, replace half of the water with half a cup of brewed espresso or strong coffee.

Add a small pinch of black pepper along with the dry ingredients. If desired, you may also add a half teas، of instant coffee granules to the chai latte frosting.

Decorate with coffee beans and a dusting of cocoa powder.

Coffee lovers will enjoy this Frappuccino Recipe

Using gram measurements for the recipe

If your preference is to use a food scale instead of tables،s and measuring cups, here are the cupcake ingredients in grams.

240 grams of water, 20 grams of vinegar, 7 grams of vanilla extract, 36 grams of oil or applesauce, 240 grams of flour, and 200 grams of sugar.

Also remember to add the baking powder, cinnamon, ،, salt, all،e, cloves, cardamom, and nutmeg.

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