We gave quinoa a sweet twist in these chai-flavored cupcakes that use its healthy benefits in both the cake and the frosting.
Get the recipe for Whipped Quinoa Frosting.
Advertisement
Chai Quinoa Cupcakes
Rate this recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 2/3 cup white quinoa, rinsed well
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons golden flaxseed, ground
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 Darjeeling tea bags (remove leaves from bags)
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring 1¼ cups water to a boil. Add quinoa, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes (you may have to reduce heat more if water boils or quinoa is getting too dry). Turn off heat and leave pan on burner, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff quinoa with a fork and set aside to cool.
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line 14 muffin cups with paper liners. In a bowl, whisk together sugar, flaxseed, cinnamon, baking powder, ginger, baking soda, salt, cardamom and cloves. Lightly crush tea leaves to a fine texture and add to dry mixture; set aside.
- In a blender, blend eggs, buttermilk and vanilla on high speed for a few seconds.
- Add quinoa and butter to egg mixture in blender and blend on high speed just for another few seconds or until smooth.
- Pour quinoa mixture into sugar-spice mixture and fold together until all dry ingredients are incorporated.
- Scoop batter into liners until mostly full. Bake cupcakes for 28–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out with only a few crumbs. Let cupcakes cool in pans 5 minutes, then transfer out of pans to a cooling rack to cool completely. Frost cupcakes with Whipped Quinoa Frosting. If desired, top cupcakes with dash of ground cinnamon.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Facts
Chai Quinoa Cupcakes
Amount Per Serving
Calories 1194
Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g
12%
Saturated Fat 5g
25%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 3g
Cholesterol 59mg
20%
Sodium 242mg
10%
Total Carbohydrates 25g
8%
Dietary Fiber 1g
4%
Sugars 21g
Protein 4g
8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
PER SERVING (1 cupcake with frosting): 194 cal, 8 fat (3g mono, 1g poly, 5g sat), 59mg chol, 242mg sodium, 25g carb (1g fiber, 21g sugars), 4g protein
