Pumpkin Chai Cupcakes

So yesterday I ran a marathon.  I can't believe I get to say that now!  I completed the Bank of American Chicago Marathon.  My toes really hurt right now, but I am so excited and proud of myself.  My finishing time was 4 hours and 37 minutes and I ran the entire time at about a 10 minute mile pace.  I walked through water stations and stopped for the bathroom, but other than that, I ran the entire freaking thing.  It was so cool.  If you want, check out my thoughts on this whole thing here: My First Marathon.

And here are some of the highlights from yesterday!

Ready to start!

13 miles in!

DONE! 

One refreshing beer...that I had 4 sips of

My running buddy Jana and our metals! 

I was so nervous going into this weekend, that I baked cupcakes for no reason at all.  I just needed something to do.  However, now I am really happy that I did because these Pumpkin Chai Cupcakes are super delicious and a well-deserved treat after the 26.2 miles I ran yesterday.  Make these delicious cupcakes for a yummy fall treat!

Pumpkin Chai Cupcakes (I call them Chumpkin Cupcakes)
adapted from (The Kitchn)

Ingredients:
Chai Syrup:
1 cup water
6 tbsp sugar
4 chai tea bags
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
Cake:
2 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp cloves
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup + 2 tbsp canola oil
4 eggs
3 tbsp chai syrup
1 tsp vanilla
15 oz pumpkin puree (plain)
Frosting:
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp chai syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:
1. To make the chai syrup:  Place water, sugar, spices, and tea bags in a medium saucepan.  Stir and bring to a rolling boil.  Lower heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes or until water is reduced and you have a syrup texture.  Remove tea bags and place syrup in a container.  Place in fridge until cool.
2. Preheat oven to 350 and place cupcake liners in your cupcake pan.  I made regular cupcakes and mini cupcakes.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, and cloves.  In a large bowl, place brown sugar, sugar, and canola oil.  Beat until well combined.  Beat in eggs, chai syrup, and vanilla.  Slowly add in the flour mixture until just combined.  Stir in the pumpkin puree until combined.
4. Fill cupcake wells about 2/3 full.  For regular cupcakes bake 20-23 and for mini cupcakes bake for 15-18 minutes.  An inserted toothpick should come out clean.  Let cool before frosting.
5. To make the frosting, beat butter until whipped and then beat in the powdered sugar, chai syrup and vanilla.  Beat until well combined and frost!

Enjoy :)

Mini Chai Tea Muffins

The weather is absolutely gorgeous today.  It is the first day that we have hit over 60 degrees and spring is in the air.  In my book, good weather means a good mood and good moods tend to mean baking.  I was home this weekend and I got to reunite with my stand mixer.  Some people miss their pets, some miss their beds, others miss showering without shoes...I miss my mixer.

I made these great mini chai tea muffins for study night.  It was a ton of fun and I loved that the recipe incorporated such great spices and was pretty light.  I made large ones to leave at home for the family and they said they were great!  I can't wait to try the mini ones :)

Typically I bake on Tuesdays, the night before study night, but now that I already baked, I am not sure what to do with my time.  I did have tons of homework, but I was able to work on most of it while at work.  Plus the fact that it is so nice out is making me really want to throw something together tonight just for fun...


It is Oreo's 100th birthday...maybe I'll have to do some cookies and cream bars or something. Anyone else celebrating one of the greatest cookie's birthdays?


Anyways, here is the recipe for my lovely little chai tea muffins (they were originally cupcakes, but I decided to nix the frosting and just enjoy them the way they are):

Mini Chai Tea Muffins (from Cooking Ala Mel)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 eggs
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup skim milk
4 chai tea bags

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare mini muffin tins.  This recipe will make about 5 dozen mini muffins (I made 4 dozen and then 6 large muffins).
2. Heat milk over medium-low heat until it simmers.  Turn heat off, put in tea bags, and let it seep for 10 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and the 4 spices.
4. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs one at a time until well combined.  Mix in the applesauce.
5.  Mix in 1/3 of the dry ingredients, then 1/2 of the milk, then 1/3 of dry, 1/2 milk. and final 1/3 of dry. For each addition, mix until just incorporated.
6.  Fill cupcake holes about 1/2 full and bake for 10-12 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Enjoy :)