For Lovers of Earl Grey
For a tea addict like myself, having the perfect cup of tea is a necessity. Imagine now having the same flavours of your favourite tea in dessert form – and say hello to Earl Grey Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream!
Serving Size:
12
Prep Time:
20-25 min
Bake Time:
12 min
Calories:
357 per cupcake
About this Recipe
On a regular day, I will drink anywhere from 4-8 cups of tea. This number goes up in the winter (is there anything more comforting than a hot cup of tea on a cold day??) or if I have a cold. Naturally, I needed to come up with a tea-flavoured dessert to help combat my tea addiction.* I knew that Earl Grey and lemon was a classic tea combination, so decided this was the perfect place to start for creating a tea flavour profile in dessert form.
*Disclaimer: I still have my tea addiction. However, these cupcakes provide another avenue for my tea obsession and are guaranteed to satisfy your tea craving!
Ingredients
Earl Grey Cupcakes
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp Earl Grey tea, ground
- Earl Grey tea leaves in strainer
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
Lemon Buttercream
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 2 1/2 cups icing sugar
- Juice of 1 lemon
It turns out I was right, the earl grey flavour comes through gorgeously in the batter and pairs perfectly with the tangy lemon buttercream. I get requests for these cupcakes to this day! The trick is infusing the milk with earl grey tea before baking to really maximize the tea flavour. Your taste buds, family and friends will all thank you!
Some Pro Tips:
As with all my cupcakes, be sure to cream the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy. This will ensure your cupcakes come out the same way!
The same goes for the buttercream – the longer you beat your butter, the smoother the frosting will be and the easier it will be to pipe on top of your cupcakes.
I like topping these cupcakes with some lemon zest for a beautiful finish. Save the lemon you use for the juice in the buttercream and grate this!
Step by Step Instructions
onlyStep 1
Prepare beforehand: Infuse the milk with the tea to maximize the earl grey flavour. Heat up the milk on the stove until you see it steaming, then remove from heat and add the tea in the strainer. Let steep for at least 10 minutes. The tea will not steep as quickly in the milk as it would in hot water, so I leave the tea in the milk until I’m ready to use it.
Pro Tip: If you are making your own buttermilk by adding lemon juice to regular milk (see Step 6 for detailed instructions), infuse only the regular milk with tea.
Step 2
Preheat the oven to 350. Grease the cupcake pan or place cupcake liners in the tray.
Step 3
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ground tea.
Pro Tip: I use a mortar and pestle to ground up my tea. No worries if you don’t have one! You can place the tea on a plate or a cutting board and crush it with the bottom of a glass. It’s okay if the tea doesn’t become a uniform powder – small pieces of the tea are a cool touch in the cupcake.
Step 4
In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Step 5
Add in the vanilla and beat until well incorporated. Add in the eggs, one at a time, making sure the first is well incorporated before adding the second.
Step 6
Alternate adding in the flour mixture and the milk. Do not over mix the batter.
Pro Tip: I make my own buttermilk by adding a tablespoon of lemon juice to the tea-infused regular milk at least 30 seconds before using it.
Step 7
Fill the cupcake pan almost to the top – larger cupcakes are easier to frost and decorate! Bake 12-15 minutes until the tops are golden, and a toothpick inserted in comes out clean. Let cool completely before removing from pan and frosting.
Pro Tip: The exact time will depend on your oven. It’s better to start with less time and check frequently afterwards, adding a minute or two as necessary than to put too much time at the beginning and burn the cupcakes.
Step 8
To make the buttercream, start by beating the butter for at least 10 minutes.
Pro Tip: Ideally, an electric mixer is used for the buttercream. Stop the mixer periodically to clean the blades and scoop the bottom of the bowl with a spatula. This will ensure the butter is evenly mixed and does not stick to the sides of the bowl.
Step 9
When the butter is nice and light, alternate adding the icing sugar and the juice of one lemon. Continue beating until the buttercream comes together and is light and fluffy, but a little stiff (after all, you need to pipe it onto the cupcake).
Pro Tip: Squeeze the lemon into a separate bowl before adding to the bowl with the butter. This is to ensure you don’t accidentally get any seeds into the mixture! You can use a strainer or your hand to catch any seeds.
Step 10
Add the buttercream to a piping bag and pipe on top of the cupcakes. Garnish with lemon zest. Enjoy your lovely creations with family and friends, or as a treat to yourself!
Pro Tip: If you don’t have a piping bag, you can always use a plastic bag and cut a small portion of the corner off. This will mimic a piping bag.
Pro Tip: I grate the lemon right over the frosted cupcakes to get a random pattern of lemon zest on top of the cupcakes. I find this looks better and more natural than carefully placing lemon zest on top of each cupcake.
Enjoy my Earl Grey Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream recipe!
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