Easter Chai Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting

I always forget that I love the idea of making and decorating cupcakes more than the actual project when I get started!  However, I was pretty impressed with the results of this little project.  They tasted amazing, and I thought they looked pretty cute too given my lack of patience when it comes to decorating.  Ever since I made my chai tea latte at home, I was thinking I could use the same method to make other chai tea flavored goodies, and cupcakes where the first thing that came to mind.  I googled "best vanilla cupcake recipe" and decided to try this recipe posted on 52 cupcakes blog, amended slightly for the chai tea flavor, and used a buttercream icing recipe from my cupcake cookbook.  The little chick decorated cupcake idea came from Paris Pastry's blog.  Her's look wayyyy cuter but I gave it my best go at it!!

For those wondering where the name of blog came from, here is the inspiration!

PS. These are not Weight Watcher's friendly (if you really must know, 8 points!)  Two of these killed my points counting this week, but one was definitely worth it! :)


Chai Tea Cupcakes (makes 24-30 cupcakes)

What you need:

1 3/4 cups cake flour, not self-rising
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
2 chai tea teabags
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Line cupcake pans with paper liners and set aside.  Add milk to saucepan or small pot on medium heat.  When it comes to a simmer, add teabags and simmer on low heat for approximately 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and wring out tea bags.  You may need to top up the milk to measure 1 cup again.

2. In a large bowl combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined (or can mix by hand if don't have a large stand mixer.  I don't at home and really want one now!)

3. Mix butter with mixer into the dry ingredients until in less than pea sized pieces and coated with flour.

4. Whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.

5. 3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about two-thirds full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.

6. Cool on a wire rack until completely cool before icing.

 

Vanilla Frosting (from Crazy about Cupcakes)


What you need:

3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk

What to do:

1. Gradually add the sugar to the softened butter and cream together with electric mixer.
2. Stir in the vanilla and milk and beat until smooth and slightly thick consistancy (you need thicker icing for the details when decorating)

3. I followed the directions for decorating from Paris Pastry's blog.  I used ziploc bags for piping bags for the little bits of coloured icing (do be prepared, they busted a seam a couple times!)   The yellow icing for the base, you'll need to thin a bit so it spreads easily.  Just add a few drops of milk at a time so it doesn't get too runny.

4. Decorate until your little chicks are complete!  I had a tube of candy kote in blue from a previous decorating project, so I used that for the eyes to simplify things.

5. The remainder of the cupcakes (for variety and lack of artistic ability), I piped with icing and decorted with chocolate mini eggs.

6. Share and enjoy!