These pumpkin and chai cupcakes will quickly become a seasonal favourite. A light, moist sponge is topped with a creamy chai frosting bursting with warming spices — the perfect treat to enjoy with a hot cup of tea.
Autumn brings an abundance of flavour and produce, and pumpkin is one of the season’s best. This recipe celebrates pumpkin with tender cupcakes and a fragrant chai buttercream that pairs beautifully with the cake. It’s inspired by a pumpkin loaf recipe and uses the same cosy spice notes to make something a little more indulgent and shareable.
Why you will love this recipe
There’s nothing better on a crisp day than a warm drink, a cosy jumper and a freshly baked spiced cupcake. These pumpkin and chai cupcakes are simple to make and deliver a light, tender crumb with a rich, smooth chai frosting on top. The spices bring depth and comfort without overpowering the pumpkin’s natural sweetness.
The chai frosting — a blend of cinnamon, ginger, mixed spice and a touch of black pepper — adds an aromatic, warming finish that complements the pumpkin sponge perfectly. Once you try these, they’ll likely become a regular in your autumn baking rotation.
Ingredients
If the ingredient list looks long, don’t worry — it’s similar to any classic cupcake recipe, broken into dry and wet components.
Dry ingredients: plain flour (or spelt, wholemeal or buckwheat as alternatives), ground nutmeg, mixed spice, ground cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and a pinch of salt.
Wet ingredients: softened unsalted butter, light soft brown sugar, golden caster sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, pumpkin puree and milk of your choice.
Chai flavoured frosting
Chai is one of those flavours that feels made for cool weather. For the frosting you’ll need unsalted butter, icing sugar and a blend of spices: cinnamon, ground ginger, mixed spice, a little ground black pepper, a pinch of salt and vanilla extract. The spices create a fragrant, slightly spicy buttercream that’s silky and spreadable.
Instructions
Begin by preheating the oven to 170°C (fan) and lining a muffin tray with paper cases. Sift the dry ingredients — flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder and salt — into a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
In a large bowl or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter with both sugars until light and fluffy. Slowly pour in the oil, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in the pumpkin puree until smooth.
Add half of the flour mixture on low speed, then pour in the milk and mix until just combined. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until everything is incorporated. Divide the batter between the cupcake cases, filling each about three-quarters full.
Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let the cupcakes cool completely on a rack before frosting.
To make the frosting, beat the butter until pale and fluffy, then sift in the icing sugar and add the cinnamon, ginger, mixed spice, black pepper, a pinch of salt and the vanilla extract. Beat until soft and creamy; if it’s too thick, add up to a tablespoon of milk to loosen the texture. Pipe or spread the frosting onto cooled cupcakes and dust lightly with extra cinnamon.
Storing
These spiced cupcakes keep well for up to four days at room temperature when stored in an airtight container. You can also freeze them, frosted or unfrosted, for up to three months.
To freeze cupcakes: place cooled cupcakes on a tray and freeze until firm (about 6 hours). Wrap each cupcake individually in cling film, then store them upright in a sturdy airtight container in the freezer. When ready to serve, transfer the wrapped cupcakes to the fridge for about two hours to thaw gradually and to prevent condensation on the frosting. Bring them to room temperature before unwrapping and serving.
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📖 Recipe
Pumpkin and Chai Cupcakes
25 mins
20 mins
Ingredients
For the pumpkin cupcakes
- 240 g plain flour
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp mixed spice
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 60 g unsalted butter, softened
- 110 g light soft brown sugar
- 100 g golden caster sugar
- 80 ml vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 285 g pumpkin puree
- 80 ml milk
For the chai frosting
- 225 g unsalted butter, softened
- 320 g icing sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon (plus extra for dusting)
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 1½ tsp mixed spice
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 pinch salt
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan). Line a muffin tray with liners.
- Sift together the flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
- Beat the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Slowly add the oil, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in the pumpkin puree.
- Add half the flour mixture on low speed, then add the milk and mix until just combined. Add the remaining flour and combine gently.
- Divide the batter between the muffin cases, filling each about ¾ full. Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting
- Beat the butter until pale and fluffy. Sift in the icing sugar and add the spices, salt and vanilla. Beat until soft and creamy. If needed, add up to 1 tablespoon of milk to reach the desired consistency.
- Pipe or spread the frosting onto cooled cupcakes and dust with a little cinnamon. Serve and enjoy.
All recipes are developed and tested using metric measurements. For best results use digital scales. Conversions to US customary units are provided but may not have been tested.
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