Chai Cupcakes with Burnt Honey Buttercream

*This recipe is by one of our Love Baking Club subscribers, Isla Connolly. Thank you for this recipe, Isla!

Cupcake

Ingredients:

  • 125ml milk
  • 190g plain flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 1 quarter of a teaspoon of salt
  • 115g softened butter
  • 200g of caster sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or essence
  • 2 large eggs
  • 30g of Chai loose leaf tea
  • Half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon ginger & cardamom

Method:

  • Step One: Preheat oven to 180°C and line your cupcake tin with greaseproof paper
  • Step Two: First steep the chai and the milk over low to medium heat for about 15 minutes, afterwards strain out the chai and place the milk on the side to cool completely.
  • Step Three: Now in a big bowl, sift your flour baking powder salt and ground cinnamon ginger and cardamom. In another bowl beat the butter and caster sugar together until light and fluffy then add your vanilla extract or essence then add an egg at a time and whisk until just combined. Now alternate adding in the chai infused milk and your butter-sugar mix.
  • Step Four: Spoon your batter into the cupcake tin. Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Let cool in the tin for 5 minutes then place on cooling rack to get started with the buttercream

Buttercream

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (200g) of sugar
  • 1/3 cup of water with 2 teaspoons separated
  • 8 egg yolks
  • 115 grams (1/3 cup) of honey
  • 500g of butter

Method:

  • Step One: First, pour your honey into a pot and bring to the boil on your stove, then turn down the heat to a simmer until the honey begins to smoke slightly. Quickly remove from the heat and add your separated 2 teaspoons of water. Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks for about 3 – 4 minutes until pale.
  • Step Two: Get a candy thermometer and placed into your pot and now add your sugar and remaining water to the honey and cook on high heat. You will do this until the honey sugar mix reaches 115°C on your candy thermometer.
  • Step Three: While the egg yolks are still whisking on high, pour your honey mixture into the egg yolks in a slow stream. Then continue to have the mix whisking on high for 5 minutes.
  • Step Four: Add your butter 2 tablespoons at a time, until all the butter is fully incorporated into your buttercream.
  • Step Five: Grab a piping bag with your chosen piping tip and fill the piping bag with the finished buttercream.