The best Masala Chai Cupcakes with Spiced Chai Buttercream | Chai Tea Cupcakes

These easy & homemade masala chai tea cupcakes prepared with strong chai-infused milk are as light as air. They are paired with a creamy & gooey chai buttercream made with chai and spices like cinnamon and ginger. For all tea lovers, these cupcakes are like a comforting cup of tea but in dessert form.

AUTHOR : KHUSHALI PATEL

PREPARATION TIME: 45 minutes
BAKING TIME: 25 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 10 minutes

*For the best results, read the entire post & follow the instructions.

What do these masala chai cupcakes with spiced chai buttercream taste like?

Moist & light cupcake sponge base with a predominant tea flavour
Creamy buttercream with a subtle spiciness coming from the ground cinnamon & ginger.

These exceptionally delicious cupcakes taste like a morning cup of masala tea BUT in cupcake form.

What to expect from this masala chai cupcake recipe?

Flavour

I have got to be honest. The first time I made chai tea cupcakes, it wasn’t a dessert I wished to eat again because it was bitter and did not taste like tea.

For this reason, I aimed to make a tea-inspired dessert that brings out the natural earthy and sweet flavours of the tea leaves balanced perfectly with spices because tea and spices are a match made in heaven.

These cupcakes have a bold, earthy, and caramel-like flavour coming from the tea leaves paired with a spicy and creamy chai-infused buttercream.

YES! The buttercream has chai too!

And the best part?

The buttercream is prepared with 50% less icing sugar. So, you can surely enjoy the natural flavours of the ingredients.

Texture

Other than the flavour, the texture of the cupcakes makes this recipe a massive hit. The cupcake base is moist, light and fluffy while the spiced chai buttercream is gooey and creamy without being dense or overly sweet.

These cupcakes are as light as air, making you want to go in and have another without feeling full.

Time and Ease

The cupcakes and buttercream are made using the creaming technique with simple ingredients. This makes it a beginner baker-friendly recipe and you can prepare them in just over an hour.

Key ingredients in this masala chai cupcake recipe

Chai infused milk

So, let’s talk about the best part about these cupcakes.

The chai-infused milk!

While making these cupcakes, everything relies on how well you make the chai.

But not to worry.

With my instructions, your favourite tea leaves and a cup of milk, you will have a strong yet delicious chai-infused milk that will take your cupcakes from good to mind-blowing.

And not to forget, the cupcake base AND the buttercream are flavoured with this infused milk, so it has got to be THE BEST.

Roasted milk powder

Now this is the secret flavouring ingredient.

Like most of my recipes, I always prepare my desserts with a supporting ingredient that helps boost the flavours of the hero ingredient.

For this specific recipe, it is the roasted milk powder.

Roasted milk powder tastes like caramel in powder form. This being a tea recipe, gently roasting the milk powder was the perfect way to go, as it provides depth to the natural flavours of the tea leaves.

Spices like ground cinnamon and ginger

Tea is incomplete without spices, especially cinnamon and ginger. For this recipe, I did not add any spices to the cupcake base as it masked the tea flavours completely.

So, I highly recommend adding the spices to the buttercream instead, Feel free to add any other spices you prefer like cardamom, pepper or cloves. But make sure that it does not exceed 6 grams.

All-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt

Initially, I hoped to prepare these cupcakes with cake flour but the cupcakes weren’t firm enough and dense. As I aimed to prepare a light and airy cupcake base, the recipe uses all-purpose flour to give it a good structure and texture.

The baking powder and baking soda helps make the cupcakes light while the salt cuts the sweetness.

Castor sugar and brown sugar

This recipe uses a mix of castor sugar and brown sugar to make the cupcakes tender and soft. The brown sugar also provides moisture and caramel-like flavours to the cupcakes.

Unsalted butter

Use high-quality unsalted butter in this recipe as it not only provides tenderness to the cupcakes but also contributes to the flavour.

Whole eggs

This recipe uses whole eggs wherein the egg whites and egg yolks contribute to the moist yet light texture of the cupcakes.

Icing sugar

Use sifted icing sugar in this recipe. The buttercream recipe unlike the usual American buttercream has almost 50% less sugar. I highly recommend sticking to the recipe and following the instructions closely for the best-spiced chai buttercream.

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04 baking tips for the best masala chai cupcakes

Use the butter at the right temperature & texture

Making the cupcakes and buttercream when the butter has the right texture and is at the right temperature can either make or break your recipe.

You may have heard that you should always bring your butter to room temperature. But here is the catch. The room temperature where you live and where I live can be completely different, so bringing it to room temperature is not the right way to go.

The butter is ready to be used when it is anywhere between 18°C to 21°C. But that does not mean you have to check the butter using a thermometer every time you bake.

Follow this simple yet effective experiment, and you will be a baking pro instantly. For this, you will need a thermometer.

Take a stick of butter in its packaging and leave it on your kitchen counter away from the sun.
Now every 10-15 minutes, check the butter.
When it reaches 18°C, poke the butter with your finger. You will find that the butter will resist your finger, and you will have to put a bit of pressure to make a dent. The butter will also be a little cool to the touch. This is when your butter is ready to be used for baking
Now check the texture of the butter once it reaches 21°C the same way.

While doing this experiment, note down the time the butter took to reach the right temperature. So now every time you have to bake, you know how much time your butter needs to stay out.

Avoid over-creaming the butter and the sugar

Creaming can be a little tricky as there is a chance of over-mixing the batter, which leads to dense desserts. But it can be avoided if you are quick and only cream the butter, sugar and eggs till it is soft, pale and fluffy.

While adding the dry ingredients, mix them in till they are combined and then lightly fold the batter with a spatula to get rid of any lumps or pockets of dry ingredients.

Use the best quality ingredients that are available to you

Delicious desserts are not just dependent on how sweet they are. The authentic flavours also make them extremely enjoyable to consume.

So, I highly recommend using the best quality ingredients you can find, to make the best cupcakes in the comfort of your home.

Weigh the ingredients instead of measuring

Using measuring cups and spoons may seem like an easier tool to use. But baking is highly dependent on accuracy, which measuring cups and spoons do not provide.

Use a weighing scale instead as this will reduce the chance of a baking failure almost completely. You can read more about weighing scales in this post.

How to Roast Milk Powder

Weigh 200g of milk powder in a non-stick pan.
Heat the milk powder on low heat stirring continuously with a whisk.
The milk powder may clump up a little during the process but try to break them as much as possible using the whisk.
Avoid increasing the heat to avoid burning the milk powder.
Once the milk powder is amber in colour, turn off the heat and transfer it into a bowl to cool.
Once cool, sift the milk powder to get rid of any lumps.
Store in an air-tight container.

Step-by-step instructions

Masala Chai Cupcakes with Spiced Chai Buttercream | Chai Tea Cupcakes

Khushali Patel

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 45

Baking Time 25

Total Time 1 10

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 cupcakes

Equipment

01 Weighing Scale
01 Stand mixer or handheld mixer
Bowls
Whisk
Spatula
Spoons
01-02 12-cup muffin tin
12 Standard cupcake liners
01 Saucepan
01 Sifter
01 Strainer
Plastic wrap

Ingredients

Masala Chai Cupcakes

165 grams All-Purpose Flour sifted
04 grams Roasted Milk Powder optional
06 grams Baking Powder
04 grams Baking Soda
03 grams Salt
172 grams Whole Eggs
172 grams Unsalted Butter, chopped* softened
103 grams Castor Sugar
52 grams Light or Dark Brown Sugar
86 ml Chai Infused Milk strained and cool

Chai Infused Milk

206 ml Whole Milk
20 grams Tea Leaves or 2 tea bags

Spiced Chai Buttercream

377 grams Unsalted Butter, softened* chopped
440 grams Icing Sugar sifted
04 grams Salt
15 ml Chai infused milk
07 grams Roasted Milk Powder optional
03 grams Ground Cinnamon Powder
03 grams Ground Ginger Powder

Instructions

Preparation

For the chai-infused whole milk
Weigh the whole milk in a saucepan and the loose tea leaves (if using) in a small bowl.
Heat the whole milk on low heat till just boiled.
Stir in the loose tea leaves or steep in a tea bag.
Let the chai flavours infuse into the milk till the milk becomes completely cool or overnight.
Make sure that the milk has a strong tea flavour. You can even taste a small quantity of it.
If you find that the tea is not strong enough heat the milk again and add in more tea.
Let it cool completely and strain the tea before using it in the cupcake batter.
For the roasted milk powder
Weigh 200g of milk powder in a non-stick pan.
Heat the milk powder on low heat stirring continuously with a whisk.
The milk powder may clump up a little during the process but try to break them as much as possible using the whisk.
Avoid increasing the heat to avoid burning the milk powder.
Once the milk powder is amber in colour, turn off the heat and transfer it into a bowl to cool.
Once cool, sift the milk powder to get rid of any lumps.
Store in an air-tight container or glass jar.
For the cupcake batter
Bring out the butter and let it come to the right temperature & texture. Weigh & chop the butter into even-sized cubes before using. See notes
Weigh the chai-infused whole milk and set aside.
Weigh the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Sift well and set aside.
Weigh the roasted milk powder in a small bowl.
In another bowl, weigh the castor sugar and brown sugar in a bowl and set aside.
Weigh the eggs in a bowl and whisk till combined.
For the spiced chai buttercream
Weigh and sift the icing sugar well. Add in the roasted milk powder and set aside. No need to mix
Weigh the softened unsalted butter into a bowl of a stand mixer or a big bowl.
Weigh the chai-infused milk and set it aside.
Weigh the salt & set aside.

Method

For the masala chai cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 180°C
In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or handheld mixer, cream the butter on low-medium speed till pale and fluffy.
Add the castor sugar and brown sugar. Cream till fluffy on medium-high speed. scrape the bowl completely from side to side and top to bottom. Cream for 10 seconds to mix well.
With the mixer running, add the egg mixer in three batches, mixing well till the mixture forms peaks before each addition without turning off the mixer.
Turn off the mixer, and scrape the bowl well and cream for 10 seconds.
Add the sifted dry ingredients and roasted milk powder into the cupcake batter and mix well till just combined on low speed.
Add the cool chai-infused milk (check the quantity in the recipe) and mix until just combined. Avoid overmixing. The batter will be thick.
Gently fold the cupcake batter using a spatula just in case any of the ingredients haven’t mixed well.
For even cupcakes
Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
Put the bowl with the cupcake batter onto a weighing scale.
Bring the weighing scale to zero.
Scoop 60g of batter into each cup scraping the spoons well before zeroing out the weighing scale and scooping more cupcake batter for the next cupcake.
Bake the cupcakes for about 25 minutes or till the centre of the cupcake springs back when touched.
Allow them to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes.
After that transfer them to a cooling rack or tray to cool completely before frosting.
For the spiced chai buttercream
With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter till pale and fluffy for about 3 minutes on medium speed.
Add icing sugar in three batches and beat on a low speed of 30 seconds increasing to medium speed and beat till combined well before each addition.
Add about a teaspoon of the chai-infused milk one at a time till the frosting is not too thick. When the frosting reaches its right consistency, it will be fluffy yet hold its shape well when scooped.
Use immediately or store it in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for about two weeks.

Decoration

Thaw the frosting till it reaches pipeable consistency.
Transfer the frosting into a piping bag. You can even use a piping tip to decorate the cupcakes. Avoid overfilling.
Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, pipe the frosting on each cupcake generously.
You can sprinkle either brown sugar, cinnamon sugar or a cinnamon stick on the cupcakes to decorate.

Notes

Whole Milk for the chai infusion - The recipe requires 86g of chai-infused milk for the cupcake batter and about 15 ml for the chai-spiced buttercream. However, the liquid reduces during infusion if you use loose tea leaves. For this reason, use 206ml of milk with 15-20g of loose tea leaves. Use 105g of hot milk if you are using a tea bag for both the cupcake and buttercream. Always prepare fresh chai-infused milk before making the cupcakes.
Unsalted butter - As mentioned in the tips section, experiment and observe how long the butter comes to the right temperature and texture. Depending on the time it takes, weigh out the recipe or bring out the butter mid-way through prep.
Freezing Instructions
1. Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then at room temperature till soft.
2. Frosting can be stored and frozen in an air-tight container or clean zip-lock bag for 2 months.
3. I do not recommend freezing roasted strawberry puree as it's best used when made fresh.
Storage Instructions
1. The masala chai cupcakes with frosting can be stored in the refrigerator especially if the weather is warm for a week. Thaw at room temperature before consuming.
2. Prepared cupcakes can be kept at room temperature away from direct heat for about 2 hours. I recommend refrigerating after 2 hours to preserve the freshness.
3. Make-ahead - The chai-infused milk, roasted milk powder, cupcakes and buttercream can be prepared a day in advance. Store them under refrigeration overnight and thaw the cupcakes and puree before using.
Alternate Frosting Recipe - These cupcakes go absolutely well with my Caramel Buttercream. So, if you wish to prepare these cupcakes with caramel buttercream you can find the recipe here.
Ingredient Substitution & Weighing Guide - Read it here

Small Batch Recipe (06 cupcakes)

Masala Chai cupcakes Ingredients	Quantity
All-Purpose Flour	80
Roasted Milk Powder	2
Baking Powder	3
Baking Soda	2
Salt	3
Eggs	84
Unsalted Butter, Soft	84
Castor Sugar	50
Brown Sugar	25
Chai infused milk	42

Spiced Chai Buttercream	Quantity
Unsalted Butter	126
Icing Sugar	147
Salt	1
Chai Infused Milk	5
Roasted Milk Powder	3
Ground Cinnamon	1
Ground Ginger	1

Chai Infused Milk	Quantity
Whole Milk	150
Tea Leaves	15

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