Pumpkin Chai Cupcakes with Tea Infused Cream Cheese Frosting

For the Cupcakes:

Note: For moist and tender cupcakes, I highly recommend mixing this recipe by hand rather than with an electric mixer.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 muffin cups with cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and all spice; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, pumpkin puree, sugar, milk, vanilla, and eggs until well blended.
4. Pour wet mixture into the dry mixture, folding with a rubber spatula to mix until just blended.
5. Fill prepared muffin cups 2/3 full with batter, being careful not to over fill or the cakes will run over while baking. A large, level kitchen scoop (3 Tablespoon capacity) works well for filling the muffin cups.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 17-19 minutes, or until muffins are just set, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Allow cupcakes to cool in their pans for about 4 minutes, before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Frost cooled cupcakes with Chai-Infused The Only Frosting You’ll Ever Need (recipe follows).

Store cupcakes in an airtight container on the counter for 1 day, or in the refrigerate for longer storage. Cupcakes are best when served at room temperature.

For the Chai-Infused Frosting:

To Infuse Butter:
1. Melt butter in a small saucepan set over low heat. (Or in a microwave safe bowl for 1 minute on 60% power.)
2. Submerge tea bags into the melted butter, and continue to simmer over low heat for 5 minutes (or microwave on 20% power for 5 minutes, then steep for 3 more minutes on the counter.)
3. Remove tea bags from the melted butter, and squeeze them well to release all of the butter from the bags. Or if using loose tea, strain tea out of butter by pouring it into a mesh strainer that has been lined with cheese cloth. Squeeze the cloth to get all the butter out of it.
4. Let butter cool to room temperature. Butter will re-solidify, but remain soft. Stir the softened butter before using.

To Make Frosting:
5. Cream together cream cheese and infused butter until fluffy.
6. Stir vanilla extract into the creamed mixture.
7. Sift or whisk powdered sugar into a bowl to aerate it.
8. Stir powdered sugar into cream cheese mixture, 1 cup at a time, until well blended.
9. Makes enough to generously frost a 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan, 24-28 cupcakes, or an 8-inch layer cake.

Notes:
– This makes a soft consistency frosting.
– For a stiff decorator frosting: add more powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Be aware that more powdered sugar will dilute the tea flavor of the frosting.