Orange Chai Spiced Cupcakes with Spiced Vanilla Buttercream

Fall is here.  For many of us, that means cooler temperatures, a chill in the air, the rustle of warm-hued leaves at your feet,  a change back from iced coffee to warm coffee, fragrant spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, creamy butternut squash and pumpkin, and football season. 

For me means all of those things, but most importantly, Fall means that Christmas is coming soon.  Yes, right around this time, I whip out the Christmas albums.  Nat King Cole's The Christmas Song is my personal favorite, and I anxiously anticipate the opening minor chords to the title track. And it is almost as if I can faintly hear the crackling sound that accompanied those chords on the record player that I listened to the album on when I was a young girl.  When that album is done, I follow it up with WCBS FM's (a New York Oldies Station) "The Ultimate Christmas Album Volume 1" and dance to "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" and "Santa Baby". 

But my personal favorite - one that makes me both laugh and smile warmly - is Mr. Hanky's Christmas Album from the TV Show South Park. This album was gifted to me by my father, and as you may have read, my father is quite the "young spirit" to put it nicely. 

Mr. Hanky, the Christmas Poo (I will not show the picture on this blog for fear that even a picture of a cartoon piece of poo wearing a Santa Hat will make your stomach turn slightly, something I don't particularly want on my food blog), is joined by his friend's Stan, Kyle, Cartman, Satan, Wendy, Kyle's Sister, Ike, Mr. Garrison, and Chef, among others, to sing about the wonderful season.  Classics such as "Christmastime in Hell", "Carol of the Bells (Mmmmkay)" and "Merry F---ing Christmas" are belted out. But I personally enjoy Eric Cartman's rendition of "O Holy Night".

O Holy Night

The stars are brightly shining

It is the night of the dear savior's b-b-b-birrrrth

O Holy Night

um... something something something

It is the night with the Christmas trees and pies

Jesus was born, and so I get presents

Thank you Jesus for being in born!

So you can imagine me in my kitchen, making what can be considered a very "fall" treat, as I danced around to the most twisted Christmas album of all time.  But as I took one bite of these, I was pulled right back into the fall season as I tasted hints of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, enjoyed the chai scent, savored the orange flavor, and devoured the creamy, spiced buttercream frosting. And then "The Most Offensive Song Ever" came on and I was once again pulled back into the Christmas spirit.

And yes, that is the real name of the Christmas song on that album. Google, if you dare, but it is not for the religious, prudish, or thin-skinned. You have been warned.

Merry Christmas!

Orange Spice Chai Cupcakes with Vanilla Spice Buttercream Frosting adapted from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody

2 ½ cups sifted cake flour


1 tsp baking powder


1 tsp baking soda


½ tsp salt


zest of one medium orange


2 tsp ground cinnamon


1 tsp ginger
 

½ tsp freshly ground nutmeg


1/3 cup vegetable oil


½ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed


1 cup granulated sugar


2 eggs


1 tsp vanilla extract


2 chai tea baga


¼ cup water


½ cup buttermilk


½  cup orange juice, preferably fresh squeezed

 Preheat oven to 350F. Spray two mini cupcake tins with baking spray. Or grease and flour them.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in medium bowl. Set aside.

Place sugars in a medium bowl. Add zest. Using your fingers, rub the zest into the sugar. Oils should release and give your sugar an orange flavor.

In a small saucepan, bring ¼ cup water to a simmer. Add tea bag. Leave for 3-5 minutes, depending on how strong you want the flavor. Remove tea bag. Let cool to room temperature. Set aside.

Using a stand mixer, add the oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Beat at high speed of an electric mixer for 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl often.

In a large liquid measuring cup add cooled tea, buttermilk, and orange juice.

Add sifted dry ingredients, alternating with buttermilk/chai mixture, starting with and ending with the dry ingredients.

Mix until fully incorporated and batter is smooth with no lumps.

Bake for  12-15 minutes, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and move cupcakes to wire rack to finish cooling. When cool, frost with buttercream.

Vanilla Spice Buttercream

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature


6 to 8 cups powdered sugar


1 tsp ground cinnamon


1/8 tsp ground ginger


1/8 tsp fresh ground nutmeg


2 tsp vanilla extract

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl.

Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the spices, and vanilla.

On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes.

Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar.

Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Frosting source: Adapted from More from Magnolia by Allysa Torey

Comments

[Mike]

We have the same tastes in music (especially Nat)! Just today, I bought my first "Christmas Cookies" magazine on the newstands... "it's the most wonderful time... of the year...!" Wow, I am going to have to make these - I've never baked with chai before - virgin territory! But that little dollop of frosting on the top is so full of class - I love it! It's like a drop of snow.....yikes, did someone say snow??? Beautifully done!

[jenn]

Mmmm...cupcakes. Pass some my way, will ya? I love this time of year partly due to all the holiday goodies that will be made and eaten. hehe...

[Cheri]

When I was growing up I used to always start listening to Christmas music during fall too... but then a couple of years ago one of my brothers told me that I ruined Christmas music for him forever because he got so sick of listening to it. So, now I try and wait until as close to the end of November as I possibly can, so that I don't ruin christmas for my husband and son too. :) Although, that doesn't stop me from playing it every once in a blue moon when it feels like a particularly christmassy day. :)

[Caitlin]

Haha, wow. I'm not a huge Christmas music fan, so my family doesn't allow my mom to play it until December. And she has to stop Jan 1, or else it'd spill over into February! And yes, fall = pumpkin and cinnamon and nutmeg... my favorite season!

[Andrea@WellnessNotes]

I love all the fall flavors in your cupcakes. And they are so beautiful... I could eat one (or two) right now! :)

[natalia]

Ciao ! I adore chai flavour!

[Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction]

Yum - the cupcakes look delicious! I love chai. I always have to force myself to hold off on the Christmas music until Thanksgiving. Otherwise, I drive everyone crazy. I love the fall and then I love Thanksgiving and Christmas. The best part of the year is on its way!

[Irina@PastryPal]

Wow, that is some early Christmas listening! When I was young, I worked in a store that played Christmas music day in and day out starting in November. I kind of had my fill, but not of cupcakes. These are tempting. And they look all set up for bowling.

[Wendy]

Perfect cupcakes for fall! Love chai.

[Eliana]

you just reminded me I need to start digging my christmas albums from the deapths of my closet. oh - and the cupcakes look picture perfect :)

[The Duo Dishes]

Christmas so soon???? :) Yikes. These would be perfect for Thanksgiving's table. Yum.

[Jen]

Yum chai cupcakes!

[grace]

christmas music already? say it ain't so!
moving on to happier things (yes, even happier than christmas music)--these cakelets are phenomenal. i love chai spices, and mixing them with citrus is a great idea. nicely done!

[Mary]

We are not particularly high brow around here but I LOVE Mr. Hanky, the Christmas Poo and have been known to sing his songs around the house all year long....glad you liked it too...hee..hee...

[Jennifer]

This post cracked me up. And the cupcakes look delicious! I've never made anything with chai spice...but this is the second post that popped up in my reader today that uses it! Maybe I just need to go ahead and try it.:)

[Natasha - 5 Star Foodie]

Scrumptious cupcakes - perfect fall flavors with all the wonderful aromatic spices!

[Jessie]

you get even more major props from me because you quoted south park! I loved that Christmas poo episode.

these yummy Chai cupcakes definitely put me in the mood for fall

[rebecca subbiah]

wow great cupcakes for this time of yr

[Miranda]

I absolutely love chia!! This looks wonderful. I am looking for something to make for my birthday on thursday. This may work. Thanks!!!

[Cajun Chef Ryan]

My, those little treats look so delightful! Chai spiced too, indeed a lovely dreamy morsel.