Earl Grey Cupcakes – regular and mini versions

A good cup of tea and a freshly baked cupcake go hand in hand. So when I found a recipe for Earl Grey infused cupcakes I had to try them out. And they did not disappoint. They are light and fluffy and with a light flavor of earl grey tea.

From this batch I baked 12 mini cupcakes and 12 regular cupcakes. It is the first time I baked mini cupcakes, but not the last. They are just the cutest and perfect little cakes you can eat in one or two bites. Yum!

Ingredients:

3 Earl Grey teabags

3tbsp just-boiled water

80g (3oz) unsalted butter, softened

280g (10 oz) caster sugar

240g (8 ½ oz) plain flour

1tbsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

200ml (7fl oz) whole milk

2 large eggs

For the frosting:

50ml (1 ¾ fl oz) whole milk

500g (1lb 2oz) icing sugar

160g (5 ½ oz) unsalted butter, softened

Method:

Place the teabags in a bowl and add the just-boiled water, then leave to brew for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 190°C and line a muffin tin with muffin cases.

Use a hand-held electric whisk or freestanding electric mixer with paddle attachment to mix the butter, sugar, flour, baking powder and salt on a low speed until the texture of fine breadcrumbs.

Pour the milk into a jug, add the eggs and whisk by hand. Add the brewed tea, squeezing every last drop from the teabags into the milk mixture, then set the teabags aside for the frosting.

Pour three-quarters of the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix on a low speed to combine. Then mix on a medium speed until smooth and thick. Scrape the sides of the bowl, add the remaining milk mixture and beat until all the ingredients have come together and the batter is smooth.

Divide the batter between the paper cases, filling each two-thirds full. If there is batter left over, spoon it into more cases in a separate tin. Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes or until risen and springy to the touch, then leave to cool slightly in the tin before transferring to a wire rack to cool fully.

* Baking time for the mini cupcakes is 7-10 minutes.

While the cupcakes are cooking, place the used teabags in a small bowl with the milk for the frosting and leave to infuse for 30 minutes. Remove the teabags and give them a good squeeze to extract maximum flavour.

Using the electric whisk or freestanding mixer with paddle attachment, whisk the icing sugar with the butter on a low speed until no large lumps of butter remain and the mixture is still powdery. Pour in the tea-infused milk while mixing slowly, then increase the speed to high and whisk until soft and fluffy.

Now decorate your cupcakes with the frosting and ENJOY