CHAI LATTE CUPCAKES

These chai latte cupcakes are the perfect combination of autumn spices with a very creamy namelaka on a fluffy sponge cake with an irresistible chai aroma.

Add this recipe to the list of unnecessary, yet must-have new addictions to your weekly treat. If you are a huge fan of the typical chai latte in the autumn, a bite of this chai latte cupcake will taste like heaven, and if you are not a fan too.

What is namelaka?
This name that sounds like a manga comic character comes from Japanese and means “very creamy”. This is exactly how these cupcakes are going to look.
Its texture is creamy like ganache but a little lighter. In addition, as it does not contain eggs, it is less greasy than a normal creamy.
That said, if you want to delight your palate with the texture of a chai cloud, give this namelaka a try because it will surprise you for sure.

Let’s bake!

Substitutions
Can I substitute all the individual spices for a single ready-made mix?
There are little jars of various spices already mixed, typical for cake recipes or autumn drinks. Its use is more comfortable, although I have them all separated to control the quantities of each one.
So yes you can, but be careful with the amount, I recommend that you start with only 1 tsp and taste the dough, if you think it needs more, add to your taste.

Can I substitute coconut sugar?
Yes, for white or brown cane sugar. In this case the proportions do not change, they would be 1:1.

Can I substitute gelatin powder for gelatin sheets?
Yes, in this case, it would be 2 sheets of 1.6g each.
So, you would not need 15 ml of water to hydrate the gelatin powder. What you would do is fill a glass with cold water and submerge the gelatin sheets there for about 5 minutes, until they are hydrated.

CHAI LATTE CUPCAKES

Yield: 9

Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Baking Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

These chai latte cupcakes are the perfect combination of autumn spices with a very creamy namelaka on a fluffy sponge cake with an irresistible chai aroma.

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Ingredients

CUPCAKES

• 125g unsalted butter at room temperature
• 125g coconut sugar
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp clove powder
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• ½ tsp ginger powder
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp anise powder
• 125g flour
• 2 eggs
• 25ml whipping cream infused with chai tea

CHAI TEA INFUSION

• 225ml whipping cream (35% fat)
• 2 tbsp chai tea

NAMELAKA

• 3.5g gelatin powder
• 15ml cold water (to hydrate the gelatin)
• 100ml whole milk
• 125g chopped white chocolate couverture
• 200ml of whipping cream infused with chai tea

DECORATION

• ground cinnamon, to taste
• 9 star anise

Instructions

CHAI TEA INFUSION

1. In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, bring the milk to a boil with the chai tea and remove from the heat.
   
2. In a medium bowl strain the infusion to remove the remains of the tea.
   With cling film, cover the bowl in contact with the infusion and let it cool completely in the fridge (of this cream, 25 ml will be used for the cupcakes and 200 ml for the namelaka).

CUPCAKES

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC only from the bottom.
   
2. Prepare a baking tray with the 9 papers for the cupcakes.
   
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter, coconut sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, and anise.
   
4. With the help of a strainer, sift the flour and mix just enough until the ingredients are incorporated.
   
5. Add the eggs and beat the dough until smooth.
   
6. Pour the infused cream with the chai tea and mix just until incorporated.
   
7. Distribute the mixture in the molds of the cupcakes prepared previously.
   
8. Bake them at 180ºC for 20 min.
   
9. Take them out of the oven and after 5 minutes put them on a wire rack to cool.
   
10. Decorate them with the chai tea namelaka when they are completely cool, otherwise it will melt.

NAMELAKA

1. In a glass put the gelatin powder to hydrate with the cold water, mix well and let it rest in the fridge for about 10 minutes.
   
2. In a small saucepan, pour the milk and bring it to a boil.
   
3. In a medium bowl, mix the milk with the gelatin together with the chocolate chopped into small pieces.
   
4. Add the cold whipping cream infused with chai tea.
   
5. With a mixer, mix well until you have a homogeneous texture.
   
6. Cover the bowl with transparent film in contact with the namelaka and let it rest in the fridge for 4 hours until it gelatinizes.
   
7. Take it out of the fridge and whisk the namelaka with the help of an electric whisk, until it has a consistent and creamy texture.
   
8. Put it in a pastry bag, with the nozzle of your choice, and decorate the already cold cupcakes.
   

Notes

• The longer the chai tea infusion is infused, the more intense flavor it will have. I normally leave it for 8 hours overnight, covered with cling film, but it is optional.
  
• These cupcakes will keep at the right texture for about 3 days, as long as you store them in an airtight container at room temperature in a dry place out of the sun.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1 Serving Size: 89
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 287.33Total Fat: 18.95gSaturated Fat: 11.08gTrans Fat: 0.45gCholesterol: 185.66mgSodium: 109mgCarbohydrates: 35.75gFiber: 0.47gSugar: 14,69gProtein: 4,35g

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