Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Earl Grey Cupcakes

Anyone for a cuppa? It was a friend's birthday this week and a few weeks ago she happened to mention how much she loved Earl Grey tea. So when I came across these cupcakes they were the ideal choice as a birthday treat!

The recipe is from the Hummingbird Bakery Cake Days recipe book. The cupcakes themselves were light and moist with subtle hints of Bergamot. To get the flavour a couple of tablespoons of steeped Earl Grey tea was added, and then to the frosting tea infused milk was added.
Adding tea is a good way to add a twist to a conventional cupcake, for example the same recipe could be used but with peppermint or fruit teabags instead.
To continue with the tea theme, I accessorised with some cute red teapot toppers on top. I also tried out some silicone teacup baking moulds which you can present the cupcakes in, as above...and if that wasn't enough I couldn't resist the teapot cupcake display stands below from 'Talking Tables'...I may have got a bit carried away!

Ingredients

3 Earl Grey teabags
3 tbsp boiling water
80g unsalted butter
280g caster sugar
240g plain flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
200ml whole milk
2 large eggs

Frosting

50ml whole milk
500g icing sugar
160g unsalted butter

Half an hour before you want to start making your cake, place the 3 teabags in the 50ml of boiling water. These should then be left to infuse for 30 minutes. During this time the oven can be preheated to 190c/170c fan/ gas 5 and prepare a muffin tin with cases.

Mix together the flour, sugar, butter, baking powder and salt, preferably with an electric whisk or mixer. You should start on a low speed, this will result in a breadcrumb like mixture. Then mix the eggs, brewed tea and milk together in a jug by hand. Squeeze the teabags out fully. You will then need to keep the teabags for the frosting.

Finally, add three quarters of the egg/milk mixture to the dry ingredients and combine on a low speed, before turning up to medium to give a smooth batter. Then add the remaining milk and beat thoroughly. Divide between the cases, filling to about two thirds full. These should then be baked for 18-20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Whilst the cakes are baking, place the reserved tea bags from earlier into the milk and leave for another 30 minutes before removing and squeezing out the teabags. To make the frosting beat the butter and icing sugar together, so the butter disperses but the icing sugar is still powdery. Add the tea infused milk and whisk until nice and fluffy. Finally, pip the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Alternatively, the frosting can be swirled on with a knife.

23 comments:

  1. These look gorgeous and lovely for a birthday - bet your friend loved them! I've seen the silicone teacup molds in the shops - did they work ok?

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  2. Love the presentation. The cupcakes are looking too good! Never tried steeped tea in my cakes. Now that you have given an excellent recipe, will surely try it one day :D

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  3. They look extremely appetising! The same recipe works really well with Chai tea :-)

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  4. Ooh I saw those silicone teacup moulds at the weekend, they're really cute. The teapot display tables are gorgeous too. Perfect for a tea and cake loving friend.

    I made those cupcakes last year and they were so good! I've also tried another recipe which had a dark chocolate ganache topping, it was tasty too.

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  5. I have those silicon teacup moulds but they only come in a set of four, and when I made them for a party one person must have thrown the case away thinking it was disposable as when I cleared up after the party there were only three left! Grrr......
    I do like the idea of making tea-infused cakes of some sort though, I might have to try it some time.

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  6. Oh boy! Your cuppies look so pretty, and taste wise, I give it a thumbs up ;). Love earl grey to bits.. Can't wait to try these on my own.. Not sharing them yet.. LOL.. Have a good week!! xoxo, Jo

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  7. Those cupcakes look so cute, and the recipe sounds delicious!

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  8. I love the photos and how you've decorated your cupcakes :) where did you get those tea cup cupcake mini stands? I LOVE THEM and am totally jealous!!! :D

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  9. Absolutely beautiful AND Earl Grey is my have tea too. Have to make these and love your cute decorations! x

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  10. Gorgeous cupcakes - love the presentation and photos! I've made earl grey cookies (delicious!) and earl grey banana bread previously but have not gotten round to making cupcakes yet.

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  11. That's such a great idea - the tea infused milk could be used in so many recipes!

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  12. The little red tea pots are unbelievably cute!

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  13. Hello! I have a couple of awards for you, which involve passing on 5 random facts about yourself :-) You can see what it is here: http://www.carolinemakes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/versatile-blogger-and-sunshine-award.html

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  14. Thanks! I'm quite keen to try some more tea infused recipes now!

    Daisy - the teapot stands are from a company called Talking Tables but I got them through a cake website.

    Caroline - thanks so much for the awards!!! :-)

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  15. I always look at those cups from outside the store window. They're cute but expensive. Btw, love earl grey! love cupcakes! nothing could go wrong! oh right?! your amazing frosting!

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  16. How adorable are those little teapot toppers! so cute! No problem re: foodies 100, I added you because your cake was amazing! and was one of my fave blog posts that week! You're right about the white chocolate melting away as it's just cocoa butter, I'll have to stick with milk chocolate chunks from now on!

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  17. I love these - the presentation is fabulous and Earl Grey tea cupcakes - lovely! Perfect for an afternoon tea party! Rachel x

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  18. I adore the teapots they are so cute and so British! If you have not started selling your cakes you should!

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  19. These look great and I love that recipe - i use it for honey and camomile cupcakes all the time!
    where did you get that cute little teapot cutter from (i assume it was a cutter) they are gorgeous

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  20. I have been meaning to try this recipe! Must do it soon, they look fab :) Love your little teapot toppers :) x

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  21. Awesome! Love the teapot stands. Touch of elegance.

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