Vanilla Chai Cupcakes

It's Friday! And it should be celebrated with good food...these cupcakes.  Maybe some grilled veggies and fresh fruit also, but mostly these cupcakes :)  I made these to take to a friend who had surgery, because is there honestly a better road to recovery than one paved with cupcakes? But this girl and her dad are big on a little QA testing before delivery, just to ensure a quality product.  This. Is. A. Quality. Product.

Vanilla Chai Cupcakes

from The Novice Chef Blog

For the cake:

1 stick butter

1 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla 

2 eggs

1/2 quantity chai spice mix (recipe to follow)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

Chai Spice Mix:

1 1/2 tsp ground cardamom

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

For the Vanilla Chai Buttercream:

2 sticks butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1/2 quantity chai spice mix

1/2 Tbsp cold milk, if needed

Mix spices for chai spice mix.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Cream together butter and sugar.  Add vanilla and beat in eggs one at a time.  Stir in half the quantity of the chai spice mix.  Fold in flour and buttermilk alternately and stir until combined, but don't over mix.  Mix together the baking soda and vinegar and mix into the batter.

Spoon into a prepared cupcake tin, each 3/4 full and bake 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

For the buttercream:

In a stand mixer, beat the butter until creamy.  On low, mix in the vanilla and the rest of the chai spice mix.  Carefully beat in the icing sugar about 1/2 cup at a time.  If the buttercream is too thick add 1-2 Tbsp cold milk until you reached desired consistency.  Pipe or spread onto cooled cupcakes.