Chai Cupcakes

These incredibly tasty grown-up cupcakes are inspired by Indian Chai tea, but you can make them with or without the actual tea bags. They're very similar in taste to spice cake.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs, separated
1/4 cup applesauce
2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup of milk
2 black chai tea bags (to make without tea, omit step 2 and increase all spices by 1/2)
Cinnamon or cocoa powder for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cupcake pan with liners or a light coat of cooking spray.
2. In a small mixing bowl, whisk or sift dry ingredients (flour -- cloves) and set aside.
3. In glass measuring cup, bring milk to a low simmer in the microwave. Add tea bags and let steep for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
4. In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time, reserving egg whites in a separate bowl.
5. Add applesauce and vanilla.
6. While mixing, alternate adding milk mixture and dry ingredients; mix until smooth.
7. In separate bowl, whisk egg whites into soft peaks and fold into cupcake batter.
8. Gently spoon mixture into cupcake pan, filling cups to 3/4 full.
9. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
10. Let cakes cool completely.
11. Frost with vanilla or cinnamon frosting and dust with cinnamon or cocoa powder.