Chai Spiced Glazed Doughnut Muffins

YIELD: 12 muffins

PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 17 minutes

Ingredients:
For the Muffins
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp finely ground black pepper
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk

For the Glaze
3 Tbsp butter; melted
1 cup confectioners’ sugar; sifted
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cardamom
1/8 tsp ground allspice
3/4 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp milk

Method:

For the Muffins

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a standard muffin tin, or line with 12 paper muffin cups.
2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter, vegetable oil, and sugars until smooth.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating to combine.
4. Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, allspice, black pepper, salt and vanilla. Mix well to fully incorporate.
5. Stir the flour into the butter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour and making sure everything is thoroughly combined.
6. Using a large scoop (about 3 tablespoons), divide the batter evenly into the prepared pan, filling the wells nearly full.
7. Bake the muffins in preheated oven for 15 to 17 minutes, or until they’re a pale golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the middle of one of the center muffins comes out clean. Prepare the glaze.

For the Glaze

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the melted butter, confectioners’ sugar, spices, vanilla and milk. Whisk until smooth.
2. When muffins have cooled slightly (about 5 minutes), dip the muffin crown into the glaze and allow the glaze to harden. At this point, you can leave them as is or go for the double dip. I glazed my muffins twice.
3. Serve warm, or cool on a rack and wrap airtight. Muffins will keep at room temperature for about a day.