Dirty Chai Cupcake with Queen Professional Vanilla Buttercream Icing

The first in Queen Professional’s café-inspired cupcake recipe series, this Dirty Chai Cupcake taps into a key flavour trend in bakery.

Using our Vanilla Buttercream Style Icing delivers consistency while reducing prep and labour, helping foodservice operators bring trend-led desserts to their menu more efficiently and keep pace with customer demand without compromising quality.

Prep

35 minutes

Cook

18-22 minutes

Portions

48 cupcakes

Download Recipe

Vanilla cupcakes

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 18-22 minutes

500g Unsalted Butter, softened

600g Caster Sugar

8 eggs, room temperature

480ml milk

4tbsp Queen Professional Organic Vanilla Bean Paste

760g Plain flour

6tsp baking powder

1tsp fine salt

Dirty Chai Buttercream

Prep Time: 10 minutes

1kg Queen Professional Vanilla Buttercream Style Icing (White)

5tbsp instant coffee powder (dissolved in 3 tbsp hot water, cooled)

1tbsp cinnamon

1.5 tsp ground cardamom

1tsp ground ginger

0.5tsp ground cloves

0.5tsp group nutmeg

  1. Using a planetary mixer fitted with a paddle, cream butter and sugar until light, then add eggs gradually followed by Queen Professional Vanilla Bean Paste. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt, then add alternately with milk on low speed until just combined. Deposit into lined muffin trays at approximately two-thirds full and bake at 170°C for 18–22 minutes, rotating trays if required, then cool completely before decorating.
  2. Place the Buttercream into the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until smooth, light and workable. With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add the cooled coffee mixture and beat until fully incorporated. Add cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves and nutmeg, then mix until evenly distributed throughout the buttercream. Scrape down the bowl, then mix briefly until the buttercream is smooth, aerated and ready for consistent piping across the full batch.
  3. Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe onto the cooled cupcakes. Finish with a light dust of ground cinnamon, and if desired, a pinch of extra chai spice.

Products used in this recipe

Vanilla Buttercream Style White Icing 2kg

1-96-000651

Organic Vanilla Bean Paste with Vanilla Seeds 320 g

1-96-000264

Other recipe ideas

Fright Night Cupcake: Blood Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese icing and Bloody Red Glaze

Dubai Chocolate Naked Cake