Description
Flavored with robust spices, this homemade chai spice buttercream is luxuriously creamy, silky, and smooth.
Ingredients
Chai Spice Mix
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
Buttercream
- 1 and 1/2 cups (340g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 5.5 – 6 cups (660-720g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 and 3/4 teaspoons chai spice mix (above)
- 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- optional for garnish: cinnamon sticks
Instructions
- Prepare chai spice mix: Mix all of the chai spices together. You’ll have 2 and 1/8 teaspoons. You will use 1 and 3/4 teaspoons in the buttercream and have extra for garnish. If you don’t plan to use the extra chai spice mix for garnish, just beat it all into the frosting—the extra spice flavor is wonderful!
- With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add 5 and 1/2 cups (660g) confectioners’ sugar, the heavy cream, 1 and 3/4 teaspoons chai spice mix, the vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 2 minutes until combined and creamy. If frosting looks curdled or greasy, it’s best to beat in more confectioners’ sugar to smooth it out. Beat in up to 1/2 cup (60g) more confectioners’ sugar to smooth out if needed. If frosting seems too thick to pipe or spread, beat in another Tablespoon (15ml) of cream. Taste and beat in another pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet.
- Use immediately or cover tightly and store for up to 1 day in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer. After freezing, thaw in the refrigerator then beat the frosting on medium speed for a few seconds so it’s creamy again. Adding a splash of heavy cream or milk will help thin the thawed frosting out again if needed.
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Small Glass Mixing Bowl | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Rubber Spatula
- Piping Tip: I used Wilton 8B piping tip in the above photos. This is one of my favorite piping tips and you can watch how to use it in our piping tips tutorial video. If you plan to pipe the frosting, you’ll also need a piping bag (reusable or disposable).
- Quantity: This recipe is enough for 12-16 cupcakes, a thin layer on a 9×13-inch quarter sheet cake, or a 2 layer cake. For a 3 layer cake, I recommend 1.5x the recipe to ensure you have enough for each layer.