These Chai Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting are the perfect warm and comforting dessert for fall and winter! A tender vanilla cupcake infused with cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger topped with a sweet cinnamon buttercream frosting.
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Fall and winter baking is one of my favourite things to do, and these Chai Spice Cupcakes are the perfect cold-weather dessert! They’re packed with all the best chai spices like ginger, cardamom, cloves and nutmeg, and they’re topped with the most delightful, fluffy cinnamon buttercream frosting. Seriously, if you’re even the smallest fan of chai anything, you’re going to LOVE these cupcakes!!
My absolute favourite kitchen tool for making cupcakes like these is a traditional KitchenAid mixer. I have THIS ONE (Amazon affiliate link), and it is by far my favourite kitchen appliance of all time. I don’t have a kitchen bursting with kitchen tools, but I’m not sure I could live without my stand mixer since I use it almost daily!
If a stand mixer is way out of your league then this hand mixer (Amazon affiliate link) is the next best thing. They really do a great job and though they do require a little more work on your part, they definitely get the job done in style!
How to make Fluffy Buttercream Frosting
The trick to making fluffy buttercream is really simple!
- Start with room temperature butter. Butter that’s too stiff will make your frosting stiff and too hard to pipe.
- Sift your powdered sugar. Lumpy powder sugar will make your frosting lumpy too, and nobody wants that!
- Add whipping cream instead of milk. Many American buttercream recipes will call for milk to thin or soften the frosting. Heavy whipping cream does a far better job of this, and it makes the frosting silky smooth!
- Whip lots!! Whipping your frosting on medium-high speed or even high speed for about 5 minutes creates the fluffiest frosting!
- Use it at room temperature. Frost your cake or cupcakes while the frosting is at room temperature. This will make it easier to pipe onto cupcakes or smooth over your favourite layer cakes.
Looking for even more cupcake recipes? Try these Vanilla Bean Cupcakes or these Birthday Cake Cupcakes!
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I hope you love these cupcakes as much as we do! Let me know in the comments below, what’s your favourite way to enjoy chai flavours? I’d love to know!
KITCHEN TOOLS I RECOMMEND:
Looking for more delicious desserts? You’ll LOVE these!
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Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Mascarpone Buttercream
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Double Chocolate Cupcakes
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Black Forest Icebox Cake
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Chocolate Mocha Tiramisu Icebox Cake
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Strawberry Cheesecake Fruit Dip
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Easy No Bake Oreo Cheesecake
Chai Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 5 eggs
- 1 cup milk at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1-2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- cinnamon sugar for decorating (optional)
Instructions
For the cupcakes:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare two 12-cup muffin or cupcake tins with paper liners. Set aside.
- In a large bowl with a hand mixer or in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and sugar.
- Mix the butter and sugar together on high speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
- Measure the milk and add the vanilla to the milk. Set aside.
- Measure the flour, baking powder, salt and spices into a separate bowl and whisk them together to combine.
- Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed just until combined. Add half the milk mixture, mixing well just until combined. Add another 1/3 of the dry ingredients, mix, and then add the rest of the milk and mix. Finally, add the remaining dry ingredients and mix well until everything is well combined, scraping down the bowl.
- Divide the batter between the prepared 24 cupcake liners and bake for about 18-20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or until a toothpick inserted into one of the cupcakes in the middle of the oven comes out clean.
For the frosting:
- Whip the butter on high speed in your stand mixer or in a bowl using your hand mixer.
- Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time (add the cinnamon with the first addition), mixing after each addition.
- Add the heavy cream one tablespoon at a time and whip the frosting on medium-high speed for several minutes until it's light and fluffy.
Assembly:
- Add the frosting to a piping bag, fitted with an open tip (or no tip at all). Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes (NEVER frost hot cupcakes...the frosting will melt!) in a circular motion, and sprinkle with some cinnamon sugar (optional).
- Refrigerate until ready to serve, or serve immediately.
Kathy says
Can you use half and half instead of heavy cream for the frosting?
Chrissie says
Yes!
The Busy Baker says
You can, but you will probably need a little less. I suggest that you add it in 1 teaspoon at a time. Happy baking!