#59 Chai Tea Cupcakes

I hope everyone has been enjoying this lovely holiday season. I've been working on a lot of different projects and have finally gotten a chance to whip up a batch of cupcakes. Now I tried out a different chai cupcake recipe before but this one really has a good spicey chai flavor to it. I'm thinking my favorite flavor by Stash did the trick. You'll have to try it out for yourself and let me know what you think.

Chai Tea Cupcakes (courtesy of Baking Confessions)

The Goods
1 3/4 cups cake flour sifted
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour sifted
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 /4 teaspoon salt
4 Chai spice tea bags
1 cup butter, room temp. chopped into little pieces
4 lg eggs room temp.
1 cup milk
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract

The How To

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a small sauce pan bring the milk to simmer. Steep 3 Chai tea bags in milk 10-15 minutes.

Once tea has steeped, squeeze milk from tea bags and discard bags.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together eggs, tea-steeped milk, and vanilla then set aside.

Cut open remaining tea bag and grind until fine.I used my rolling pin.

  
In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, sift together, flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, and ground Chai tea; mix to combine.

 Add butter and mix until coated with flour.

 Mixing at medium speed, slowly add in the wet ingredients. Beat the batter until ingredients are thoroughly combined, being careful to not over beat.

Fill each cup about two-thirds full.  Bake for 18-20mins rotating halfway through the bake time. Cool on wire rack and lightly dust the tops with cinnamon.

Creamy Vanilla Bean Frosting
If you don't have a vanilla bean handy then substitute with another 1/2 tablespoon of vanilla extract.

The Goods
16oz cream cheese at room temp

1 stick of butter at room temp

6-7 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean pod sliced down the center

The How To
Cream together butter and cream cheese until well combined on medium speed.

Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add confectioners' sugar until thoroughly incorporated and smooth. Add the extract and scrapped vanilla bean paste.

Now frost away!!!!

Up Next...

Dinoriffic Red Velvet Cupcakes

 

#50 Maple Bacon Cupcakes

I bet you were thinking that I'd given up on my cuppycake challenge. Nope just taking a little break but I'm back now and ready to show off these tasty creations. I'm also excited to see that I'm half way through my challenge too. I never thought I would have 50 different cupcakes under my belt! So back to the cupcakes.... Think IHOP pancakes and bacon. Just grab a cup of OJ and you have a complete breakfast! I'm not a huge fan of cream cheese frosting but in this case it complemented the cupcake well with it's perfect combination of sweet and salty.

Maple Bacon Cupcakes (courtesy of foodnetwork)
The only adjustment for next time would be to add more BACON!!!

The Goods

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup cake flour

1 3.9-ounce box instant vanilla pudding mix

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon potato starch

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temp

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

4 large egg whites, at room temperature

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup half-and-half, at room temperature

1/2 cup chopped cooked bacon

The How To
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cook your bacon and set aside to cool.  In a large bowl whisk together the flours, pudding, baking powder, potato starch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer cream the butter and both sugar until light and fluffy about 3-5mins on med-high speed.

Turn the speed down to low and gradually mix in the vanilla and egg whites. 

Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the maple syrup and half-and-half, mixing after each addition and ending with flour. Mix until the ingredients are just combined; do not over mix.

Fold in the bacon.

Fill liners about two thirds full and bake for 20-25mins rotating halfway through the bake time.

While those little tasty morsels are cooling whip up the
Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

The Goods

8oz package cream cheese room temp

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temp

2 cups sifted powdered sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 teaspoons cinnamon

The How To
Combine the cream cheese and butter with the mixer on medium speed until creamy.

Add the powdered sugar, maple syrup and cinnamon; beat until combined. 

 I also added a little extra bacon to the frosting :)

 Now frost and top with more BACON!!!

Up Next...
PB & J Cupcakes 

#35 Banana Cupcakes

Oh Banana...... You are tasty and slightly sweet but why did you give me such a hard time? I didn't just bake these once but 3 times! My out come was to have a cupcake that was light and airy not dense like a muffin. My first attempt I used a frozen banana and switched out the Crisco for butter. While I was mixing the butter and sugar together it seemed to me like it needed more butter. So channeling my inner Paul Dean I tossed another stick into the bowl. The batter was really thick but amazing! It had the perfect banana flavor. The outcome wasn't too pretty. They over flowed and were just a huge mess. Not to be discouraged I pulled out my Martha cookbook and went with the baked banana recipe. And yes you bake the bananas. I personally didn't think it made a difference. This recipe called for 3 bananas, cake flour, and whipped egg whites. The batter reminded me of banana pudding. So I did have high hope for these ones. The texture was interesting... Almost sponge like. Not what I was going for at all. So on to round 3. I'm starting to think that I will never have the perfect banana cupcake. This time I went back to the original recipe I started with and used the darn Crisco and a fresh banana. The batter was similar to  my first attempt but I noticed that the banana flavor wasn't as prominent. With many volunteer taste testers on hand, I and many others have decided that my first attempt was the best, butter and all. If I ever go on another banana baking rampage I will go with a recipe my grandma used to make and with that I am guaranteed banana goodness. So here's my first attempt your going to either like it or love it. If your going with fresh bananas my suggestion is to add another banana or two.

Banana Cupcakes (courtesy of All Recipes)
This is the original recipe so it's your choice if you want to sub out the butter. I noticed that the ones made with the Crisco held up better after a couple days than the ones made with butter.

The Goods

1/2 cup shortening (or butter)

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs room temp

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup mashed ripe bananas

1/4 cup buttermilk room temp

2 cups flour sifted

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

The How To
Preheat oven to 350degrees. Mash your bananas and set aside. If your using frozen banana make sure to take them out early enough so they have time to defrost. In another bowl combine sifted flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Set aside.

In case you've never seen roasted banana's here is my before

and after. Wasn't hard just bake at 400degrees for 15mins.

In the bowl of a stand up mixer cream shortening (or butter) and sugar on medium speed for about 3mins or until it looks fluffy and combined.

Add the eggs, vanilla, bananas and buttermilk.

eggs



vanilla



bananas-frozen in my case

Add the flour mixture then the mashed bananas. Fill 18 paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full.

Bake  for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

 
Cinnamon Honey Cream Cheese Frosting
This is some amazing stuff! If your looking for something a little more low key, I would go with a vanilla cream cheese frosting. Martha makes a good one :)

The Goods
1/2 cup butter room temp
4oz cream cheese room temp
1 heaping tablespoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon honey
2-4cups powdered sugar
1-2tablespoons milk

The How To
In the bowl of a stand up mixer cream the butter until light and fluffy about 3mins.

Add the cream cheese and beat for another 2mins

Add the honey and cinnamon.

Gradually add the powdered sugar one cup at a time. I did 3 cups it just depends on how thick you like it. Add the milk only if needed! I used 1 tablespoon.

Now frost those little gems up and take a bite!!!

I got a huge set of frosting tips for Christmas so I decided to experiment a little...

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Chocolate Chip Cupcakes