Old love of mine, meet new love of mine. With the help of a friend’s suggestion (I can’t believe I didn’t come up with this sooner), I have combined two of my favorite foods ,cupcakes and Chai, into one spicy masterpiece that is: the Chai-Spiced Cupcake.

If you’re not a fan of cinnamon, this cupcake might not be for you. And actually, if you’ve never even tried Chai before, you still have a great chance of liking (heck—loving) this cupcake. It has the rich, smooth taste of French vanilla, paired with a tiny pop of spice and cinnamon. The perfect cupcake if you feel like branching out and trying something new for desert, a quick snack, or an upcoming celebration.

You’ll need:

1 cup flour
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp each baking soda, salt
5 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup whole milk (whole or non-fat)
2 large egg whites
2 tbsp Instant Spicy Chai Latte mix (I sware by Trader Joe’s brand—I think it’s the best for making your own Chai Latte at home)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Begin by mixing flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Next, whip butter in a large bowl until soft. Add sugar to your butter and beat. Add milk and your two eggs to your sugar and butter, and continue beating. Finally add the rest of you’re the bowl of flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in, along with two tablespoons of Chai mix, and beat altogether until rich and creamy.

Fill your baking cups with 2-3 tablespoons of batter, and pop into the oven for about 13-15 minutes.  Don’t forget to stick a toothpick or a sharp knife into the center to determine their readiness.

After you let them cool (for 30 minutes), you can put the frosting on. I added a sprinkle of cinnamon on top, just as a little something extra.

*The original recipe called for Betty Crocker’s French Vanilla Cake Mix, but I chose to make the cupcakes from scratch.

These cupcakes pair nicely with a white wine or a cup of tea (preferably not Chai tea though).