chai cupcakes with bourbon espresso frosting
So we have the Caesar ho and the bourbon bitch now (both being me) and the latter has returned, suckers.
Chai cupcakes made their debut at last weekend’s Friendsgiving, and out of 22, only 2 remained. I’m staring them down as we speak. The only reason that pair survived was that I only had 9 guests.
Cupcakes are the ideal treat for groups. They’re presented in individual portions already and look real pretty propped up on a nice cake stand or tray. I love layer cakes as much as the next guy, but the cupcake reigns supreme right now; due in part, too, by my enjoyment of making them versus finagling with a giant leaning tower of confection. Which then you have to figure out how to slice evenly without mangling the cute decorations. I fail at that part. I’m not a graceful man.
Put these guys on your Thanksgiving menu (shit, it’s on mine) or bake them whenever you need a treat in a pinch. The batter contains double the chai flavor thanks to tea-infused milk and plenty of rich warm spices; the crumb is soft, just sweet enough. The buttercream is ridiculous. Coffee and booze? Hello. Brings all the boys to the yard. And me. The ultimate boi.
Is There Chai-Fi Here?
The cupcake models itself after a nice vanilla batter, but spiced up, starting with the milk. You’ll want to avoid boiling the milk since that’ll scald it, which isn’t cute, and then throw in your favorite chai teabags to steep for awhile. Throw out the bags and let the milk cool.
Mix up your standard cupcake ingredients, starting with the wet then moving to the dry. We do this in one bowl cos I ain’t got time for a trillion dishes, and the cupcakes don’t suffer one bit from the two component groups sharing a home. When you add the flour and all that crap, stir in my favorite blend of chai spices: cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, clove, and black pepper.
Divvy up the batter into lined cupcake tins. Expect 20-24 little guys, since I know some pans differ slightly in depth. Bake them up, put them on a wire rack, and cool them down.
Bourbon for President
I’d vote for it.
Pull out your secret weapon for the most incredible treats: the buttercream. I am obsessed with this fluffy wad of cloud-soft frosting. A fucking cumulonimbus of awesome.
The recipe makes quite a load of buttercream, but I always like to have extra since I always swipe at it with a spoon because I’m gross and I like a good tall layer on top of each cake. One key note is to ensure you’re using instant espresso. Fresh ground coffee or espresso will be too course and will not blend up smoothly with the other ingredients, inevitably leaving chonks. Again, not cute.
I use a star piping tip and a pastry bag, but if you’re less concerned about pretty swoops, no problem. Either frost with a knife or snip the tip off a ziptop bag and swirl it on that way. The important part is the plentiful espresso and bourbon within. And that you made them with love. If you didn’t, that’s just rude.
Making this ahead? The cupcakes keep well for a few days before serving. Just make sure they’re fully cooled and covered, and I prefer to keep them in the fridge. Before serving, let them come to room temperature.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Hey, sugar:
Irish Coffee Cupcakes with Whiskey Chocolate Frosting
chai cupcakes with bourbon espresso frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 chai tea bags
- 2 sticks butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt, at room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
bourbon espresso frosting
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 sticks butter, softened
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp instant espresso powder
- 3 tbsp bourbon
- 1/4-1/3 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-slot muffin tins with cupcake liners.
- In a small sauce pot, heat the milk until steaming. Remove from the heat and add the chai tea bags. Steep 15 minutes. Squeeze any excess milk from the bags back into the pot, and discard the bags. Cool.
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until each is fully incorporated, then beat in the yogurt and vanilla. Don't be alarmed if the batter curdles a bit after you add the yogurt.
- Add the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cardamon, cloves, black pepper, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer running, slowly stream in the chai milk until just combined. The batter will be thick.
- Fill each cupcake tin 2/3 of the way to the top. Depending on the size of your tin and the eagerness of your hand, you may end up with 20-24 cupcakes. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the center is set and an inserted toothpick emerges with just a few moist crumbs. Cool 10 minutes in the pans, then transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely.
- When the cupcakes are cooled, make the frosting. On high speed, beat together the powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, espresso, and bourbon. Add heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time until the buttercream is smooth and spreadable. You may need up to 1/3 cup.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag with a star tip, or a large ziptop bag with a corner snipped off. Pipe the frosting onto each cupcake. Sprinkle with espresso powder and garnish with a star anise pod, if desired. Enjoy!
