Gluten Free Chai Spice Cupcakes

I love chai spice and often make a warming cup on cool days, but using this spice mix in baking adds a wonderful complex flavour. Make the spice 22g first and store the remainder in a jar ready for next time you want use it. Here I've used the recipe to make easter nest cupcakes.

Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:

Spice mix-

4 tsp cardamom pods

2 tsp all spice

1 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

4 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp cloves

8 tsp ground ginger

Few black peppercorns

Cupcakes-

220g veg spread/margarine

220g golden caster sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

220g Gluten free self raising flour

3 tbsp chai spice mix

1 tsp baking powder

Method:

1. To make the spice mix, crush the cardamom pods lightly in a pestle and mortar to crack them, then remove the pods, leaving the black seeds behind. Tip these into a spice blender or small food processor along with the cloves and peppercorns. Blitz thoroughly and then add the remaining ground spices and blitz again to mix.

2. Preheat the oven to 160C. For the cupcakes, whisk the margarine and the sugar together, either by hand or in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk the eggs and vanilla essence in a jug and slowly add to the sugar mixture, scraping down the sides to combine well.

3. Sift in the baking powder, flour and chai spice mix along with a pinch of salt. beat together until smooth and light.

4. Put 12 cupcake cases in a 12 hole pan and either spoon in the mixture or to keep things neater, fill a piping bag with the mixture and pipe into the cases, filling 3/4 up.

5. Bake for 25/30 minutes until risen and a deep brown. When completely cool, top with your favourite icing if you like.