Chocolate Chai Cupcakes Food

THE BEST CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.
• Whisk together the cake flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk together the buttermilk, coffee, oil, eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl.
• Pour half of the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and beat on low speed just until combined. Scrape down the bowl then add the remaining wet ingredients and beat to combine. Scrape down the bowl and paddle. Increase the speed to medium and beat for a full minute.
• Fill the prepared cupcake tins 2/3 of the way full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of each comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly pressed, 15 to 18 minutes.
• For the frosting: Melt the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl set over simmering water in a medium saucepan. Remove from the simmering water and let it cool until room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• Beat the butter and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low, drizzle in the melted chocolate and beat until completely blended. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla. Increase the speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Decoratively pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.

CHAI CUPCAKES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and pepper; set aside., In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and 1-1/2 teaspoons spice mixture. Gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition., Fill 12 paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 24-28 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a large bowl, beat butter until fluffy; beat in the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and remaining spice mixture until smooth. Add enough milk to reach desired consistency. Pipe frosting over cupcakes.

CHOCOLATE CHAI CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Put nonfat milk powder in a measuring cup; stir in enough black tea to make 1 cup. Stir until milk is dissolved. Set aside to cool.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Combine cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and black pepper together in a small bowl.
• Sift spice mixture, flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together into a large bowl. Stir cooled tea mixture, oil, and egg into flour mixture until batter is just combined; fold in ginger. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each 3/4-full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool cupcakes on wire racks.

CHOCOLATE CHAI SPICE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• With a small food processor, grind up the whole fennel and cloves.
• Transfer to a small bowl and add remaining spices. Mix to combine.
• Chop chocolate and transfer into the bowl of a standing mixer.
• Add butter to the chocolate and place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir until chocolate melts and butter is combined.
• Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Let mixture cool for 10 minutes.
• Beat in an electric mixer for 3 minutes.
• Add one egg at a time, mixing for 30 seconds between each.
• Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, chai spice mix, and a pinch of salt into the mixture and mix until blended.
• Scoop into cupcake cups and bake at 350 F for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Beat butter until creamy, scrape bowl.
• Add 4 cups of sifted powdered sugar, milk, spice mix, and ginger. Beat until combined.
• Add more powdered sugar as needed to get piping consistency.
• Assemble cooled cupcakes.

CHOCOLATE CHAI CUPCAKES WITH BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F Place paper baking cups into muffin pan cups; set aside.
• Combine all filling ingredients in medium bowl. Beat at medium speed until creamy; set aside.
• Combine boiling water and tea bags in glass measuring cup, let stand 5 minutes. Remove tea bags, squeezing out excess liquid. Add enough water, if necessary, to equal 1 1/2 cups.
• Reserve 3 tablespoons prepared tea; set aside. Place remaining prepared tea in large bowl; add cake mix, melted butter and eggs. Beat at low speed 30 seconds. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy.
• Spoon about 2 tablespoons cake batter into each prepared muffin cup. Top each with 1 tablespoon filling. Spoon additional cake batter over filling until cups are about 2/3 full. (DO NOT OVERFILL.) (Batter does not have to cover filling completely.) Bake for 19 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely.
• Combine 3 tablespoons reserved prepared tea and milk in 2-quart saucepan. Add flour and cocoa; whisk until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and just comes to a boil (4 to 6 minutes). Remove from heat; cool about 15 minutes.
• Combine 1 cup butter, 1 cup sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl. Beat at high speed until creamy. Continue beating, gradually adding cocoa mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, until light and creamy and sugar is dissolved. Frost or pipe cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired. Store refrigerated.

GROWNUP CHAI CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line a muffin tin with 10 paper liners.
• Melt butter and chocolate in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Open tea bags and pour the chai mixture into a spice grinder; grind into a fine powder, 5 to 10 seconds.
• Mix flour, sugar, and chai powder together in a large bowl; add eggs, one at a time, whisking until batter is smooth after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract. Pour chocolate mixture into batter, stirring until just combined. Pour batter into the prepared muffin cups.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean and the tops are glossy and slightly cracked, about 25 minutes. Remove muffins immediately from tin and cool on a wire rack.

CHAI TEA CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line 12 muffin cups with paper or foil liners., In a small saucepan, bring milk to a simmer (do not boil); remove from heat. Add tea bags; steep, covered, 10 minutes. Discard tea bags; cool tea completely., Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, spices and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with steeped milk, beating well., Fill prepared cups three-fourths full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 15-18 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, beat butter and vanilla until creamy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar and enough milk to reach desired consistency. Spread over cupcakes. If desired, sprinkle with nutmeg.