Moonshine Sweet Tea Cupcakes With Chai Base | CookOS

Moonshine Sweet Tea Cupcakes

Name: Moonshine Sweet Tea Cupcakes With Chai Base
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons almond milk; 1 chai-tea tea bag; 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice; 1.5 cups unbleached cake flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; ¼ teaspoons baking soda; ¼ teaspoon salt; ⅓ cup canola oil or melted coconut oil; 1 teaspoon vanilla; ¾ cup sugar; ½ cup Moonshine Sweet Tea; ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temp (see vegan option below); 3-3.5 cups powdered sugar, sifted; 3 tablespoons Moonshine Sweet Tea

Moonshine Sweet Tea Cupcakes are delicate chai tea-based cupcakes topped with sweet tea buttercream frosting and syrup, delivering floral and aromatic flavor in every bite.

🌍American 🥗Vegan 🥗Vegetarian 🥗Dairy-Free 🏷️Moonshine sweet tea 🏷️Cupcakes Dessert

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Total

Servings

Difficulty

Hard

Est. Cost

$26–$43

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Love And Lemons

Ingredients

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons almond milk
1 chai-tea tea bag
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1.5 cups unbleached cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup canola oil or melted coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup sugar
½ cup Moonshine Sweet Tea
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temp (see vegan option below)
3-3.5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
3 tablespoons Moonshine Sweet Tea

14 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin tin with paper cups.
2
Steep the tea in the almond milk. Let cool to room temp. Add the lemon juice and let it sit together while you prep the dry ingredients.
3
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
4
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, mix the coconut oil, vanilla, sugar, and almond milk/tea mixture. Mix until well combined, then add the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl and mix on high speed for 1 more minute.
5
Scoop batter, ¼ cup at a time, into muffin cups.
6
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.
7
Make the Sweet Tea Syrup. In a small saucepan, simmer Moonshine Sweet Tea until it reduces by (almost) half. Set aside and let it cool to room temp.
8
Make the frosting: In an electric mixer, cream the butter. Add sifted powdered sugar and mix until incorporated and creamy. Add Moonshine Sweet Tea to thin the frosting to your desired consistency. Chill until ready to use.
9
Assemble the cupcakes with a big dollop of frosting (or pipe it on with a piping bag). Make a little welt in the middle and drizzle in the Sweet Tea Syrup.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Steep the chai tea bag in warm almond milk for 3–5 minutes to extract full flavor, then cool completely before mixing into batter to prevent curdling.
Don't overmix the batter after adding flour; fold gently until just combined to keep cupcakes tender and prevent dense crumb.
Fill cupcake liners only two-thirds full to prevent overflow; these cupcakes rise moderately with the baking powder and soda combination.
Test doneness with a toothpick at 18–20 minutes; the center should show a few moist crumbs, not batter, as they continue to set while cooling.

Substitutions

Almond milk → oat milk, soy milk, or dairy milk (1:1 swap)
Canola oil → melted coconut oil or light olive oil (1:1 ratio)
Chai tea bag → ½ teaspoon ground chai spice blend steeped in milk (more intense flavor)

Storage & make-ahead

Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days; unfrosted cupcakes freeze well for 3 months.

Equipment

cupcake pan · cupcake liners · stand mixer or hand mixer

Common Questions

Can I brew the chai tea ahead of time?

Yes. Steep the chai tea bag in the almond milk, let it cool completely, then refrigerate up to 2 days before making the batter.

What can I use instead of almond milk?

Oat milk, soy milk, or regular dairy milk work equally well. Adjust the quantity if your milk is thinner or thicker than standard.

How do I make the sweet tea buttercream?

The recipe calls for sweet tea-infused buttercream; brew a strong sweet tea, let it cool, and incorporate into your butter-sugar base for frosting.

How should I store these cupcakes?

Keep frosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, or refrigerate up to 5 days for extended freshness.

Can I make these vegan?

Yes. Use vegan butter for the buttercream frosting and ensure your baking powder is aluminum-free. The recipe already uses almond milk and canola oil.