Double Dirty Chai Cupcakes

A recent spike of Double Dirty Chai Tea Lattes orders at work is the inspiration behind my latest cupcake creation: Double Dirty Chai Cupcakes.

A Dirty Chai Tea Latte is a Chai Tea Latte (Half Chai Tea + Half Steamed Milk) with a shot of Espresso. A Double Dirty Chai Tea Latte is a Chai Tea Latte with 2 shots of Espresso (it's also my favorite drink to call out). The cupcakes would be Chai cake topped with double strength coffee frosting.

Finding a Chai Cake recipe was a lot easier than I thought thanks to Food.com: 

3 tablespoons watkins powdered latte chai tea mix

2/3 cup hot water

1 cup flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon watkins cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

 

 

 I used Trader Joes Chai Tea Mix, Safeway Cinnamon and doubled the amount of Chai Tea Mix to the recipe to insure the Chai Flavor stood out.
 

First I mixed the  flour, baking powder, 1 tsp cinnamon, cloves, ginger and salt in a big bowl. Then,  I beat the sugar and butter in a second bowl with my new handy handheld electric mixer until the it was nice and fluffy. Next I beat in the eggs and vanilla then gradually beat in the flour mixture.

 

Last but not least, it was time to add the Chai.

Not only did I double the amount of Chai powder the recipe calls for I also did not mix the powder with hot water before adding it to the batter.

These bad boys got Chai straight up!

 

The kitchen was filled with a delicious Holiday Season scent as I scooped the batter into my eco-friendly silicone cupcake cups and popped them in the oven.

As the cakes baked (for 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees) I started working on the coffee frosting.

 

 

 

My attempt at making Italian Buttercream Frosting didn't work out so well and being that I bake on a budget I opted for store bought. I found a box of Vanilla Bean Frosting Mix from Fresh & Easy that only requires adding two ingredients: water and butter.

(that's only half cheating)

Once I added the ingredients and mixed in two packets of Colombian blend instant coffee the frosting was finished!

 

After loading coffee frosting on to the Chai cakes I just had to try a little of the leftovers and... it definitely tasted like coffee. Frosting.

My Double Dirty Chai Cupcakes were ready to be reviewed by my fellow Baristas!

 

 

Early the following morning, Devin, Michael and Eva were the first to try  my freshly baked Double Dirty Chai Cupcakes. Devin suggested adding more ginger or cinnamon but that he thought they were really good. Before having his, Michael asked if the recipe was mine and when he did eat one he said that  he'd buy one in a store.  It was that good. Eva had no comment which could only mean my Double Dirty Chai Cupcakes were so good they left her speechless. Next in was Joan. She  really liked the coffee frosting and asked me how I made it.

 

 

 

Alexis, Juliet, Erika and Justin all kept it simple by saying that they were really good and my coworker David gave me a hug, thanked me and told me the cupcake was so good that he...actually I don't think I should tell you what he did in his pants ;)

 

 

Overall it's safe to say my Double Dirty Chai Cupcakes were a tasty success! The Chai cake came out flavorful and buttery. The vanilla bean coffee frosting I created was like a cup o' joe with cream and sugar.

I love how inspiration is so spontaneous.
Thank you Dirty Chai Tea Latte drinkers for inspiring me to make these cupcakes!