Chai White Russian Cupcakes
A tea-lover version of White Russian cupcakes replaces the coffee with Masala Chai.
Equipment
- Stand mixer or handheld mixer
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- ½ cup Butter
- 2 Eggs
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1½ cup Flour
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ½ cup Chai Milk (see below)
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Chai Milk:
- ½ cup Milk
- 3 Chai tea bags
Vodka Chai Syrup:
- 3 tbsp Vodka
- 3 tbsp Chai Spice Simple Syrup (see notes)
Vanilla Chai Buttercream
- 4 oz Egg Whites
- 8 oz Sugar
- 12 oz Unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 tbsp Vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp Chai spice simple syrup
- Cinnamon for garnish
Instructions
Chai Milk:
- In a small saucepan, add the milk and heat on low until just boiling.
- Remove from heat and add the tea bags.
- Let the tea bags steep for 20 minutes and remove. Set aside to cool.
Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
- In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside
- In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition.
- Add the extracts and mix well.
- Add ⅓ of the flour mixture into the batter.
- Once incorporated, add ½ of the milk.
- Continue incorporating ⅓ of the flour, the remaining milk, finally the last ⅓ of the flour, scraping between additions and making sure to beat until smooth.
- Fill the paper liners to ⅔ using a 2 inch scoop and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean.
- Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let rest 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Vodka Chai Syrup:
- Mix together the vodka and chai spiced simple syrup.
- Using a toothpick, make several holes in the cooled cupcakes.
- Brush the mixture on the cupcakes.
Frosting:
- Put a saucepan with 1 to 2 inches of water on medium high and bring to a simmer
- In a grease-free mixing bowl, add the egg whites, salt, and sugar and whisk lightly to combine.
- Set the bowl over the saucepan with the simmering water and heat whisking continuously until it reaches 160 degrees or until it no longer feels grainy between your fingers.
- Whisk mixture on medium-high speed in the mixer until stiff peaks and mixture is to room temperature. It should be thick and glossy.
- Remove whisk attachment and replace with the paddle attachment.
- Set the mixer to low and slowly add the butter one tablespoon at a time.
- Keep beating until the buttercream thickens and reaches a smooth consistency. It may look curdled at some point but keep beating and it will come together.
- Add vanilla, and chai spice simple syrup. Mix to combine.
- Frost each cupcake and sprinkle a little cinnamon to garnish.
Notes
For the Chai Spice Simple Syrup, you can make your own using this recipe or use a commercially available syrup.
Chai Spice Simple Syrup
Simple syrup infused with Chai spices. This can be used for cocktails, cakes, desserts or to enhance the flavor of ice tea or lemonade.
Ingredients
- 2 inch Ginger sliced or grated
- 9 ea Cardamom pods crush to release seeds
- 2 ea Star anise
- 2 ea Cinnamon sticks (about 2 inches each)
- 1/2 tsp Cloves (whole)
- 1/4 tsp Black peppercorn crack for use
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 cup Water
Instructions
- Put all of the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil for 5 minutes.
- Let the mixture cool down for 2 hours and strain through a fine sieve.
Notes
For a stronger flavor, let the spices steep overnight, then strain through a fine sieve.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!