Chai Latte Cupcakes (From Betty Crocker)

HokiesMom's Note:

From the Betty Crocker website. I LOVE these cupcakes. A nice grown-up taste and very simple to make using a cake mix. I like 'Zaar "Vanilla Buttercream Frosting" for the vanilla frosting but you can use your own or pre-purchased frosting.

• Total Time: 35 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 24

Yield: 24.0 cupcakes

Cake

• 1 (18 1/4 ounce) box French vanilla cake mix
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 3 tablespoons instant chai tea mix

Frosting

• 1 cup vanilla baking chips
• 1 (1 lb) container vanilla frosting (or use recipe noted in description)
• ground cinnamon, for topping

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F for shiny metal pans (or 325F for dark or nonstick pans).
2. Line muffin cups with paper baking cups.
3. In large bowl, beat cake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
4. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
5. Bake 18-23 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
6. Cool 10 minutes then remove from pan to wire rack to cool completely (about 1 hour).
7. In medium microwavable bowl, microwave baking chips on High 30 seconds; stir until melted (if not melted microwave 15 seconds longer).
8. Stir until smooth then cool 5 minutes.
9. Stir in frosting until well blended.
10. Immediately spread or pipe frosting mixture on cupcakes.
11. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
12. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

Reviews

[AyronV]

These are delicious! I used fat free vanilla pudding and added chai mix to it for the frosting , I then added fat free sugar free cool whip to the top of that. I then sprinkled nutmeg on top. YUMM!

[Lorrie in Montreal]

Made for 123 tag. I LOVE these pretty little cuppiecakes.I like the indian spices in the chai...along with the vanilla-choccie flavoured icing...oh divine...SO simple too.

[CoffeeB]

I can see why you love these cupcakes Melly. They truly have great taste. Three were gone in no time by DS#1 plus he took home 1/2 dozen. :-). I didn't see a french vanilla cake mix on our grocer's shelf and so I used a Betty Crocker butter yellow cake mix. I sure a white cake mix would work too, although I'm going to keep an eye out for the french vanilla flavored as I"m sure that would definitely up the taste even more. For the chai mix, I used General Mills International Chai Latte. I used a Meijer brand of vanilla frosting (although again, I"m sure home-made would have been better), and then added the one cup of Ghiradelli's vanilla chips. I've never added white chips to a can of frosting b/f and this definitely is a must for store bought frosting I've decided. Really upped the taste all around. This is the 2nd cupcake recipe I've made of yours and both are real keepers. Made for Holiday Tag~