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Brown Butter Dirty Chai Cupcakes

Brown Butter Dirty Chai Cupcakes with espresso-chai depth and a fluffy brown butter chai frosting. The cupcakes bake up tender and golden, then get a swirl of frosting dusted with espresso powder and chai spice.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 18 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 360
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For dirty chai cupcakes
  • 1.75 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp chai spice blend
  • 1 tsp espresso powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter, browned and cooled
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.333 cup strongly brewed espresso, cooled
  • 0.5 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
For brown butter chai frosting
  • 0.75 cup butter, browned
  • 3 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 1 tsp espresso powder
  • 1 tsp chai spice

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the cupcakes
  1. Brown 3/4 cup butter and cool, then brown the remaining butter for the frosting and cool it as well, until both are no longer hot to the touch.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350F and line cupcake tins so the batter can go in right after mixing.
  3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, chai spice blend, espresso powder, and salt until evenly combined.
  4. Beat the cooled browned butter with packed brown sugar, then add eggs, espresso, buttermilk, and vanilla and beat until smooth.
  5. Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients just until no dry streaks remain, for a tender crumb.
  6. Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full and bake for 18-20 minutes, until the tops spring back and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  7. Cool cupcakes completely before frosting, so the frosting stays fluffy and doesn’t melt.
Make the frosting and finish
  1. Beat browned butter until smoother, then add powdered sugar and mix on low before switching to medium-high until fluffy.
  2. Beat in milk, espresso powder, and chai spice until the frosting is pipeable with visible swirls.
  3. Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes and dust with espresso powder and chai spice to finish.

Notes

Pro tip: let the browned butter cool to room temperature before mixing so the batter and frosting emulsify smoothly. Store cupcakes covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving. Freeze frosted cupcakes up to 2 months—thaw overnight in the fridge. For a less sweet option, use a reduced-sugar powdered sugar substitute in the frosting (the texture stays pipable, but sweetness drops).