Chocolate Chai Tea Cupcakes with Pumpkin Frosting

Woah! That was a mouthful wasnt it! Now, I know these cupcakes sound different, and maybe even crazy to you, but food should be interesting and daring. Once I made these, everyone agreed that they hit the spot. The Chocolate cupcakes are so moist and the pumpkin buttercream is creamy and adds such a nice contrast to the spices in the cupcakes. When I thought of these, I saw that I had every ingredient except for the chai tea and cupcake liners. These are thrifty cupcakes!! So be bold and daring and try em out. They'll leave you wanting more!

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Chocolate Chai Tea Cupcakes(makes 12 cupcakes)

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk(if you have none, 1/2 cup milk,1tbl. vinegar or lemon juice)
1/2 cup vegetable oil( I used grapeseed oil)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup water
2 chai tea bags
2oz.(2squares) bittersweet chocolate
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
1/4 tsp. ground ginger

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

In a saucepan over high heat, add water and tea bags.

Once tea begins to boil, reduce heat to a simmer and add in the bittersweet chocolate.














Be sure to stir often until chocolate is completely melted. Remove tea bags and turn off heat.

After it should look something like this

In a bowl add in the rest of the ingredients. Add in the chocolate chai tea mixture and Stir well.

Line cupcake tin with liners and spray with non stick cooking spray. Fill each liner with 1/4-1/3 cup of batter depending how big you want your cupcakes.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, then allow to cool.

Pumpkin Buttercream

1 stick butter, softened
1/3 cup canned pumpkin
3 cups confectioners sugar(SIFTED)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla

Using a mixer with a whisk attachment, beat butter and pumpkin on medium high..

                                                                  

Sift in confectioners sugar and salt and blend until smooth.

Stir In Vanilla

Using a piping bag or ziploc, use a large round piping tip or simply cut an edge off of the ziploc and pipe with frosting.

ENJOY!!!!!!