Pumpkin chai cupcakes are a fun way to bring the spicy flavors of a pumpkin spice latte into a cupcake form! Small batch cupcake recipe makes just 4 cupcakes.
Have you seen my pumpkin ebook for 25 pumpkin recipe that aren’t pie and 1 that is? I think you would love it.
I found a way to cram a full ½ cup of pumpkin into just 4 cupcakes. It's one of my gifts, I tell ya! Which reminds me, have you seen my Pumpkin Nutella Muffins yet?
It feels like pumpkin spice is getting all the love this year, when really, chai lattes are just waiting for us all year to enjoy them. I love a good pumpkin spice latte for sure, but my everyday drink is a chai. While I can only wait for my favorite coffee shop to carry a pumpkin chai latte, I had to make cupcakes in the meantime!
This is a small batch recipe for pumpkin chai cupcakes with a spiced buttercream. You can use any spices you like, or leave them all out and use vanilla instead. Whatever you want to frost your pumpkin cupcake with is up to you! If the only spice you have is cinnamon, that's super yummy here, too.
How to decorate pumpkin chai cupcakes:
I used a Wilton star tip to make the little star frosting decorations, and it couldn't have been easier! Even I am impressed with myself, hah!
Other pumpkin desserts for two that I love include: pumpkin creme brulee, pumpkin whoopie pies, and my small pumpkin cake roll. If you're looking for ways to incorporate pumpkin into breakfast, you have to check out my small batch pumpkin scones for two.
Okay, I'm leaving you in a pumpkin haze to enjoy the Fall weather! I hope you love these pumpkin chai cupcakes!
Oh, since you might ask, YES you can double this recipe is you need more than a small batch of pumpkin cupcakes. These would be so great to share!
Pumpkin Chai Cupcakes
Yields 4 pumpkin cupcakes with chai buttercream.
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 7 tablespoons flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the chai buttercream:
- 1 ⅓ cups powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons softened butter
- 1 chai tea bag + 2 tablespoons boiling water (or 2 teaspoons chai concentrate syrup)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 and line a muffin pan with 4 cupcake liners.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, sugar and vegetable oil. Add the wet mixture to the flour mixture and stir until combined. Don't overmix.
- Divide between the cupcake liners and bake for 28-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- While the cupcakes cool, pour the boiling water over the chai tea bag and let steep for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, beat together the butter and powdered sugar until fluffy (about 3-4 minutes). Add the brewed tea (or chai concentrate syrup) and mix well. Frost the cupcakes when they are completely cool and serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 495Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 77mgSodium: 346mgCarbohydrates: 71gFiber: 2gSugar: 57gProtein: 4g
Julie @ Table for Two says
These are so cute!! :)
Jayna says
Made these tonight - they are great! Didn't have any nutmeg in my apartment so I left it out and the cupcakes turned out fantastic. Recipe made 6 cupcakes. I also swapped out the chai frosting for cream cheese frosting and I think the cream cheese/ pumpkin combo made the cupcakes delicious. Thank you for the recipe!
Amy Murphy says
Made the cupcakes just a bit ago, substituting Stevia in the Raw for the white sugar, and they came out WONDERFULLY! Can't wait to get the buttercream icing made later tonight and see how they taste at that point. Love the pumpkin flavor. The last pumpkin cupcakes I made were good, but these are definitely my favorite of the year!
Amy Murphy says
For whatever reason, when I left my first comment, it wouldn't let me rate the recipe. Trying again for the rating!
Honey What's Cooking says
Now I know what I can do with all my leftover pumpkin that's sitting in the can. I'm gonna make these. ANd being of Indian origin, I LOVE CHAI! :-) I love the cake itself uses oil, and you just used butter for the frosting. Nice.
:-)
Katie says
I made these. Delicious!! Love that the recipe only makes 4. I only had to bake them for 26 minutes.
Thank you!
April says
These cupcakes are completely yummy! My whole family loved them and I was even told that this was THE BEST dessert I've ever made (and I've made a lot of desserts!). Thanks for a great recipe.
sally says
I just made these but the frosting came out way too melty and soft even though I let the tea sit to cool down. What can I do?
Sheila kalajdzic says
I just made some this morning. I made the icing a little different and I used applesauce instead of pumpkin. They turned out great! Thanks so much for sharing the small batch recipe. :)
Darcie says
Just wanted to say that I made these on Saturday, and they turned out AMAZING (not that I was surprised).
I gave one to the dude I'm seeing, and he immediately exclaimed, "Whoa, these are like anything you'd get in a bakery. They taste like they were professionally made!"
I just nonchalantly looked at him and said, "I AM a professional." ;)
Thanks for the recipe; I'll be posting it on my blog soon. Yum! :)
Christina Lane says
I'm so glad to hear it, Darcie! Thank you :)