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Vanilla Chai Pumpkin Latte Cupcakes with Cinnamon Brown Sugar Frosting…autumn in a sweet cupcake, and so good. Extra pumpkiny, chai-spiced pumpkin cake cupcakes made with warming spices and brown sugar. Each cake is generously frosted with the most delicious creamy cinnamon brown sugar frosting, and finished off with a sprinkling of chai sugar. Sooo much to love here! You can’t beat these cute little latte cupcakes for dessert.
I’ve been waiting to share these cupcakes for weeks…and weeks. Originally, I was going to share a version of this cupcake back in September. The first version didn’t include any pumpkin. But then, me being me, I began to play with the addition of potential ingredients in my head. I started to wonder about adding pumpkin to my chai cupcakes. Once the idea of a pumpkin chai latte cupcake was in my head, there was no going back.
It sounded way too good and way too perfect for fall. I had to make these cupcakes.
But not in September, because we all know how I feel…apples in September, pumpkin in October and November. So, here we are today in mid-October. We have a couple of weeks left before Halloween and about a month and a half before Thanksgiving. It’s the heart of fall and the perfect time for the sweetest little chai pumpkin latte cupcakes. Or at least that’s my thought, I hope you guys are all on the same page!
And really, it’s Friday (whoop, whoop). Fridays need something sweet, and today that something is going to be these cupcakes. I couldn’t love them more. If you could see me, I am smiling ear to ear. Something about these cupcakes, they’re just fun and make ya feel good…cheesy, but true.
To make these Vanilla Chai Pumpkin Latte Cupcakes…
You need pumpkin, vanilla, and a good amount of warming autumn spices. Plus butter…lots of butter.
For the cupcakes, I knew I really wanted the pumpkin flavor to shine. To achieve this, I used a whole lot of pumpkin, and a whole lot of chai spice. The chai spice highlights the sweet flavor of the pumpkin, while also adding that extra special touch that makes these little pumpkin cakes better than any other. And if you’re curious about the inspiration to mix pumpkin with chai? Well, of course…Starbucks.
We all love their pumpkin spice latte and we all also love their chai latte. Combine the two and you get the very best of both.
Before you start the cupcake batter, make the chai spice mix. It’s a blend of cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, all-spice, cloves, and the tiniest bit of black pepper. You’ll be using half of the spice mix in the cupcake batter and the other half is mixed in with the sugar to make a chai sugar. The chai sugar is used for topping each cupcake.
Now, make the batter, it comes together in no time. This is a one-bowl kind of cupcake batter. Once poured into molds just bake and wait patiently. The smells coming from the oven will have you so excited. It’s like Thanksgiving, with cozy scents of pumpkin mixed with hints of sweet sugar wafting throughout your kitchen.
Each cupcake is incredibly moist, so soft, and perfectly sweetened. The secret is truly in all that pumpkin. It makes for the best sweets.
On to the frosting…
This frosting is everything and has to be one of my favorites. I drew inspiration from a few of my older recipes, but especially from these sweet brown sugar cookies and also these butter pecan frosted fudge brownies.
There are two simple secrets to this frosting.
One, use a mix of brown sugar and powdered sugar. Powdered sugar adds practically zero flavor. The brown sugar adds hints of warm molasses and really deepens the flavor to create a frosting that’s perfectly rich and sweet.
The second secret, vanilla and cinnamon swirled throughout. SO GOOD. Think creamy, buttery, and hinted with brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Honestly? It’s addicting, and you should slather on more than you think your cupcakes will actually need. Because people always want more.
It’s the perfect pairing with the warming chai spices.
Now, frost, decorate…and eat.
I didn’t do anything fancy here. I simply dolloped a generous swirl of the brown sugar frosting, then sprinkled with that sweet chai sugar. Finish off each cupcake with a cinnamon stick (my favorite fall decoration has got to be cinnamon sticks) to mimic our favorite fall beverage…that pumpkin spice latte.
And that’s it. Honestly, these are really pretty simple to put together. The frosting is a little annoying because you do need to melt the brown sugar on the stove, then let it cool before using, but it’s all still very easy.
And so very good. Each bite is filled with sweet pumpkin and light, fluffy frosting. Best kind of autumn weekend cupcake.
I know it’s hard to believe, but Halloween is two weeks from Saturday and Thanksgiving is only getting that much closer. I’m thinking ahead and already planning to include these on my Thanksgiving menu.
My recommendation? Bake these cupcakes this weekend, then again on Halloween. Then one more time in November. Yes, these cupcakes will be perfect for Thanksgiving too! Fall is always such a short season, live it up while it’s here and enjoy every sweet minute of it…preferably with a cupcake in hand!
Looking for other chai and or pumpkin sweets? Here are a few ideas:
Cinnamon Swirl Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Butter Bread
Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookie Pumpkin Pie
Chai Spiced Maple Sugar Cookies with Browned Butter Frosting
Lastly, if you make these Vanilla Chai Pumpkin Latte Cupcakes with Cinnamon Brown Sugar Frosting be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Vanilla Chai Pumpkin Latte Cupcakes with Cinnamon Brown Sugar Frosting
Servings: 16 cupcakes
Calories Per Serving: 300 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
Chai Spice
- 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon all-spice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
Pumpkin Chai Cupcakes
- 1/2 cup melted coconut oil (melted butter or canola can be used)
- 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Brown Sugar Frosting
- 8 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- 1. To make the chai spice. In a shallow bowl, combine the cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, all-spice, cloves, and pepper. Divide the mix in half. Mix one half of the spice blend with the granulated sugar and set aside for topping the cupcakes. Reserve the remaining chai spice blend for the cupcake batter. 2. To make the cupcakes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 16 cupcake molds with paper liners. 3. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand-held mixer) beat together the coconut oil, brown sugar, vanilla, eggs, and pumpkin until combined. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and remaining chai spice. Mix until smooth and no lumps remain in the batter.4. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pan. Transfer to the oven and bake 18-22 minutes, until the tops are just set, and no longer wiggly in the center. Remove and let cool. 5. To make the frosting, melt together 2 tablespoons butter, the cream, and brown sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for one minute or until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and add to the bowl of a stand mixer. Place the bowl in the freezer (or fridge for longer) for 15-20 minutes or until cool to touch.6. Grab the cooled butter mixture from the freezer and add the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter, the vanilla, cinnamon and the powdered sugar to the bowl. Beat together until well combined. 7. Frost each cupcake and sprinkle with chai sugar. Add cinnamon sticks, if desired.
This post was originally published on October 16, 2020
Hi there,
Can I ask how do you make the pumpkin puree for this recipe?
Hey Annette,
I purchase canned pumpkin puree. I hope you enjoy the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Could I use coconut cream instead of heavy cream?
Hey Megan,
Yes, is just might not get a fluffy as heavy cream. I hope you enjoy the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
These are amazing. Gone in 3 days in my two person household.
Amazing!! I am really happy you all enjoyed this one! Thank you! xTieghan
These are amazing! Not overly sweet, perfectly fluffy, and perfect for fall. My family gobbled them right up!
Thank you Sydney! I am really happy to hear that! xTieghan
Just made these this morning, made my day! So delicious and smell heavenly while baking! Love the frosting recipe. I keep having to fight off my family from eating seconds so I still have some to bring to my friend’s place later tonight. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe : )
Thank you Emily! I am really glad this recipe turned out so amazing for you! xTieghan
Will the cupcakes keep if I make them on Saturday? I hope to bake them Saturday and keep them in airtight container. Then make the icing and ice on Sunday? Thanks!
Hey Stacy,
Yes totally fine! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
We visited a cute little cafe with my son and his daughter – the Cosmic Cafe in Dallas, Texas. We had the BEST cake I think I have ever tasted in my life there. It was a vegan Vanilla Chai Cake. These cupcakes are as close as I have been able to get to that cake. These cupcakes are phenomenal! All the feels of fall. As one person mentioned, they are not overly sweet and that’s the way we like our cakes.. I will say though my frosting was way too sweet. I am not sure what I did wrong, but it was pure sugar. I made these for a friend’s birthday gathering and I didn’t have time to start over. I found 1/2 a package of cream cheese in the fridge. Just on a whim, I added the softened cream cheese to the icing. It did the trick. That chai mix you sprinkle on the top – everyone commented on how delicious it was and all asked for the recipe. Another awesome recipe from Half Baked Harvest! This one for SURE is a keeper. Thank you!! p.s. Your photography is incredible!!
Hi Cindy! I am glad these cupcakes tasted similar and could bring back some good memories I hope! Thank you so much for trying these! xTieghan
These were a hit for my mom’s birthday, the frosting is just divine!
I love to hear that! Thank you Ashley! xTieghan
Sooo excited for this recipe! Can’t wait to make them… but more excited to eat them! I How long would I bake minis for? Thank you!
Hey Dom,
I would start checking for doneness at 15 minutes. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
These turned out amazingly well. Delicious! Thank you for the recipe.
Thank you for trying this Sev!! xTieghan
Omg!! That Frosting makes it! Cupcake was the perfect texture, not dry at all, and not too sweet. The frosting is very sweet. Perfect combo… I’m thinking that frosting would be amazing on French toast too!
Yes!! So happy this turned out so amazing for you, Andrea! Thank you! xTieghan
These are the most delicious cupcakes. I can’t believe I made something so good at home! Thank you for sharing your recipes, I can’t wait to try more of them! I used butter and coarse kosher salt as that is what I had. I think I’ll be using the extra chai sugar with some mashed sweet potato in overnight oats!
I am so happy you have been loving these, Krystal! Thank you so much for trying them! xTieghan
Thank you so much for this absolutely deliciously moist cupcake with to die for frosting! I used vegetable oil and I added double the powdered sugar for a thicker consistency. I am adding this to my list of favorite cupcakes and making them for Thanksgiving.☺️❤️
I am so happy you loved these, Cindy! I hope they turn out just as amazing (if not, more) for Thanksgiving! Thank you! xTieghan
Could you make this in a sheet cake pan instead of muffins?
Hey Sage,
I would use a 9×13 baking dish. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I live in a country (Italy) where people (me included) don’t know what the fluff heavy cream is and wouldn’t know what to do with canned pumpkin puree lol For the pumpkin I can make it myself but making heavy cream from scratch looks like too much work, can I omit it or substitute it with whipping cream? Thank you! ^^
Hey Serena,
You can use whipping cream! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan