Chocolate Chai Cupcakes

Jonathan has already said that we’re “housesitting”.  And, I love being in a full kitchen again.

Our apartments have been nice, but not one of them has had a full size oven yet.  And, this is the first place we’ve stayed that has been fully equipped.

You know, with things like an electric mixer, cookie sheets, an immersion blender, and everything I could possibly think to want.

To celebrate, I wanted to bake a cake using some vanilla bean we picked up in Tahiti.  Jonathan wanted brownies.

I compromised.  I made cupcakes.  But not just any cupcakes.

One of the few cakes I like is a spice cake.  So, I made chocolate chai cupcakes.  The chocolate to meet Jonathan’s brownie request, and the chai and cake for me.

These may not sound that good.  But trust me, they are fantastic.  Chocolate.  Chai.  What’s not to like?

Remember how I said that this kitchen has everything.  Well, it does.  Everything.  Except muffin tins.

So I baked these cupcakes in handy dandy aluminum foil cups.

Chocolate Chai Spice Cupcakes

18 regular cupcakes / 350 degree oven

200 grams of 61% cacao chocolate

1-1/2 sticks butter

1-1/8 cups sugar

4 eggs

3/4 cup flour

1/8 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3 teaspoons chai spice mix (recipe below)

pinch of salt

1. Chop chocolate and transfer into the bowl of a standing mixer.

2. Add butter to the chocolate and place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir until chocolate melts and butter is combined.

3. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Let mixture cool for 10 minutes.

4. Beat in an electric mixer for 3 minutes.

5. Add one egg at a time, mixing for 30 seconds between each

6. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, chai spice mix, and a pinch of salt into the mixture and mix until blended.

7. Scoop into cupcake cups and bake at 350 F for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Chai Spice Mix

2 teaspoons cloves, ground

1 tablespoon cardamom, ground

2 teaspoons cinnamon, ground

2 teaspoons ginger, ground

Pinch of ground black pepper.

Chai Spice Buttercream Frosting

1 stick butter

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1/8 cup milk

2 teaspoons chai spice mix

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

1. Beat butter until creamy, scrape bowl.

2. Add sifted powdered sugar, milk, spice mix, and ginger. Beat until combined.

3. Add more powdered sugar as needed to get piping consistency.

Note: You can add as much or as little of the chai spice as you want.

Assemble

1. Frost the cooled cupcakes.

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