A classic pound cake in cupcake form lightly spiced with a homemade chai spice mix and topped with a dreamy brown butter bourbon buttercream.
Prep Time1 hourhr
Cook Time1 hourhr
Cooling time1 hourhr
Total Time3 hourshrs
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Chai Spice Pound Cake, Chai Spice Pound Cake Cupcakes, Chai Spice Pound Cake Cupcakes with Brown Butter Buttercream
Servings: 20cupcakes
Ingredients
Chai Spice Pound Cake Cupcakes
1cbutter,softened
1 1/2tspChai Spice Mix*
1/2tspsalt
1 2/3csugar
5eggs
1 3/4cflour
Brown Butter Buttercream
3/4cbutter,softened
4 1/2 cpowdered sugar
1Tvanilla extract
3/4tspChai Spice Mix*
2Tbourbon
3-4Tmilk
Instructions
Chai Spice Pound Cake Cupcakes
Measure out all ingredients and allow to come to room temperature.
Line your muffin tins with cupcake liners. Set aside.
Add butter to the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a large bowl and a hand mixer). Add Chai Spice Mix and salt, and beat for 4 minutes at medium speed, stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice.
Continuing to beat on low speed, gradually add the sugar and blend until fluffy, beating for another 2 minutes. Scrape bowl.
Continue beating and add 4 of the eggs one at a time, beating for a total of about 1 minute. Scrape bowl.
Add all of the flour and beat 2 more minutes. Scrape bowl.
Add the 5th egg, beating just until incorporated, about 15 seconds.
Measure the batter out evenly into your prepared muffin tins.
Place in a COLD oven, then set the temperature to 275°F. Bake for about 50-60 min or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
Brown Butter Buttercream
Brown the butter (see my post on Brown Butter for details), then pour into a bowl and allow to cool until it's a paste texture (or, a soft butter texture) - about an hour or so. Note: To speed up the cooling process, you can pop the butter into the fridge.
Once your butter is browned and cooled to a soft butter texture, put it in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl using a hand mixer), along with 1 c of the powdered sugar, the vanilla and the chai spice mix (if using). Beat until well combined, light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Add remaining sugar 1 c at a time, alternating with the bourbon and milk, beating until light and fluffy.
Spoon frosting into a pastry bag fitted with your desired tip, and pipe onto cooled cupcakes. Dust top of cupcakes with additional Chai Spice Mix if desired, and serve.
Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and bring to room temperature before serving.