• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Sugared & Stirred

dairy-free. still delicious.

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Bars + Brownies
    • Breads
    • Cake
    • Cookies
    • Gluten-Free
    • Ice Cream + Popsicles
    • Pies + Pastries
    • Vegan
  • About
  • Contact
  • Resources
    • FAQ
    • Shop
    • Work with Me

spice cupcakes

Cranberry Chai Spice Cupcakes (dairy-free)

December 2, 2020 by Rachael Ng Leave a Comment

Sweet and fluffy, spiced cupcakes dotted with tart cranberries! These simple Cranberry Chai Spice Cupcakes are topped with an EASY spiced frosting and glistening sugared cranberries. They’re perfect for your next holiday get-together, or, you know, Tuesday night.

Cranberry Chai Spice Cupcakes

Yield: 12 Cupcakes

Cranberry Chai Spice Cupcakes

Cranberry Chai Spice Cupcakes

Sweet and fluffy spiced cupcakes dotted with fresh, tart cranberries! All topped off with an easy spiced buttercream frosting and glistening sugared cranberries!

Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 20 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

  • 1 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • Big pinch of ground black pepper
  • 1 cup plant-based milk
  • 1/2 cup plant-based butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup raw cane sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temp
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries, washed and patted dry (see Note 1)

Frosting

  • 1/2 cup plant-based butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup vegetable shortening, or more butter (see Note 2)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 6 cups powdered sugar
  • 4-5 Tbsp plant-based milk
  • 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • Pinch of ground black pepper

Sugared Cranberries

  • 1/3 cup + 1 cup white granulated sugar (divided)
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries, washed and patted dry

Instructions


Sugar the Cranberries

  1. Add the water and 1/3 cup of sugar to a medium pot and mix. Bring just to a simmer and then remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
  2. Add the fresh cranberries to the sugar mixture, coating each cranberry and then removing them to a wire cooling rack. It's easiest to use a slotted spoon to remove the berries.
  3. Add 1 cup of sugar to a shallow bowl or dish. Begin adding the sticky cranberries, a spoonful at a time, to the sugar, swirling them about to coat them in the sugar. Carefully remove to a baking sheet or plate to cool/set.

Make the Cupcakes

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners. Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for 10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices; set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
  4. Prepare your cup of milk. Then beat ~1/3 of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Add half of the milk and beat. Repeat once more and then, finally, beat in the last 1/3 of the dry ingredients.
  5. Fill the lined muffin wells a little more than 3/4 full. Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes (mine took 19) or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean.
  6. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before gently removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Make the Frosting

  1. Once your cupcakes are totally cool, make the frosting: in a large bowl, beat together the butter and shortening. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add 3 cups of the powdered sugar and beat. Add the remaining 3 cups of sugar + 2 Tbsp of milk. Begin beating and add milk as you need. You want the consistency to be thick and stable to hold shape yet spreadable enough that the texture is smooth.
  2. Add frosting to a piping bag fitted with your favorite frosting tip (I used a Wilton 1M tip). Frost each cupcake and immediately top with a sugared cranberry, sprinkles, or whatever you'd like.
  3. Store any leftover cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Notes

  1. Cranberries: you can use whole cranberries or slice/chop the cranberries into smaller pieces. I chose to slice the bigger berries and left the smaller ones whole.
  2. Shortening: this helps stabilize the softer plant-based butters. If you choose to omit it (and use more butter in its place), you may need to add less milk to your frosting.

© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Cake

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @sugaredandstirred on Instagram and hashtag #sugaredandstirred

Filed Under: Cake, Dairy-free Tagged With: chai cupcakes, cranberry chai cupcakes, cranberry cupcakes, dairy free cupcakes, holiday baking, holiday cupcakes, spice cupcakes

Primary Sidebar

Meet Rachael

Hi! I’m Rachael, a home baker who creates dairy-free, indulgent treats. As a sweets lover and former candy addict, I believe we shouldn’t have to give up everything we love in pursuit of wellness. That’s why I create delicious and approachable desserts that you can enjoy, in moderation, no matter your goals! Because, let’s face it, sometimes you just need a giant slice of frosted cake, sans guilt! Read More…

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Never miss a recipe!

Instagram

S’mores Chocolate Chip Cookies are stuffed with marshmallow, tons of chocolate, and plenty of graham cracker crumbs and pieces!! ✨The weather has been slowly warming and we all know that summer = s’mores! 🪵🔥 What’s your fave s’mores dessert?!
Vegan Classic Brownies made perfectly chewy and delicious! 🤎 Baked with standard pantry ingredients, these brownies are simple to make and taste just as good as the non-vegan version 😇 Find the recipe at the link in my bio @sugaredandstirred
My soft-baked Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Cookies are out-of-this-world delicious!! 💫 Roll them in sugar or chocolate sprinkles for an extra mouth-watering aesthetic 🤤 Find the recipe linked in my bio, friends! @sugaredandstirred 🤎
NEW! ✨ Your favorite chocolate chip cookie dough dipped or drizzled in luscious chocolate! This classic cookie dough is seriously irresistible and made safe to eat using applesauce and heat-treated flour. I promise you won’t taste the apple! Just sweet, sweet cookie dough just the way you love 😋 Find the recipe at the link in my bio @sugaredandstirred 💛
Soft-baked Peanut Butter Cookie Bars loaded with chocolate chips and nutty, sweet spelt flour! ✨ These irresistibly moist cookie bars are made with olive oil and a bit of low GI coconut sugar (plus brown sugar!). Find them at the link in my bio 💛
🍋✨NEW✨🍋 Lemon Ginger Cupcakes have hit the blog! Make them mini or standard size - whatever you do, you’ll LOVE these! Soft, springy cake flavored with fresh lemon & fresh ginger. All topped with an easy lemon ginger buttercream. Find the recipe at the link in my bio 💖
Blueberry Thyme Collagen Muffins made with @ancientnutrition ‘s new Multi Collagen Protein!! 🫐😋 [ad] The new formula, now with fermented collagen, has the power of 5 collagen types! Plus both vitamin C and probiotics ✨ Mix the unflavored powder into these muffins as a tasty way to get more collagen. YUM. Check out the link in my bio to shop the @ancientnutrition Multi Collagen Protein or head to your local @target ❤️ Find the recipe for these amazing healthier muffins below!
Mini Banana Cupcakes are perfect for the upcoming Easter weekend! 🌸 Topped with a dark chocolate frosting, these two-bite cupcakes will be loved by all ☺️ Find them at the link in my bio!
Salted Caramel Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies will always be one of my favorites! A soft, vegan-friendly cookie made with a silky, chewy caramel ✨ Have you made these?? They’re a reader favorite, and I’ve loved seeing your bakes! 🥰❤️

Top Recipes

  • S'mores Chocolate Chip Cookies (dairy-free)
  • Vegan Classic Brownies
  • Brownie Sandwich Cookies with Peanut Butter Frosting (dairy-free)
  • Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Cookies (dairy-free)
  • Peanut Butter Spelt Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Footer

Connect with Me

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Copyright © 2021 · Foodie Pro & The Genesis Framework