Earl Grey Cupcakes with Lemon Frosting

Many of the recipes I researched seemed very similar: 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 1/2 cups flour, etc. The method for getting the tea in the cupcakes did change. Some used tea steeped in milk. Others used teabags. Some even used the tea from the tea bags rather than loose-leaf tea. The starkest contrast between the cake recipes came in the form of leavening. 3 recipes using the same proportions of other ingredients used wildly different amounts of baking powder: one used 2 tablespoons (!), another used 1 1/2 teaspoons (and explained that the cupcakes fell), and a third used 2 1/4 teaspoons.

It's needless to say, but this made me want to find my own way. An Earl Grey cupcake is nothing more than a delicious yellow cake infused with tea. Therefore, to start, I needed a delicious yellow cake. I can't think of any better that Hershey's Golden Cake (found in my mother's vintage Hershey's cookbook and, apparently, nowhere online). I used the same recipe in the same amounts and made roughly two dozen cupcakes rather than three 9-inch layer cakes, and I added the earl grey tea. So for simple, golden cupcakes, use the cold milk, unadulterated by tea.

Thankfully, the recipes for the lemon frosting were much more consistent, so I'm using one found over at Honey and Jam.

Earl Grey Golden Cupcakes
yield: 24 cupcakes, at least

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract
5 eggs, separated

2 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 cup milk
8 earl grey tea bags

First, we'll start with the tea. In a small saucepan heat the milk to just below a boil. In a bowl, empty 3 of the tea bags into the bottom and add the remaining 5 bags, unopened. Pour the hot milk over the tea leaves and tea bags, and let it set until cool. Refrigerate until cold. You can do this the night before. This process ensures a strong tea flavor along with ensuring that the batter will be flecked with bits of tea leaves.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 if you're like me and your cupcake tins are rather dark). Line two 12-cup cupcake pans with liners.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the egg whites until medium-stiff peaks form. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter, shortening, sugar, and powdered sugar. Cream on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and egg yolks, one at a time until incorporated. Be careful not to over-mix. Add the flour in three additions and cooled milk in two, beginning and ending with flour. Fold in the whipped egg whites in 3 additions, being careful not to deflate them and mixing in the first addition to lighten the batter.

Fill cupcake tins no more 2/3 full and bake for 20 - 24 minutes at 325 (around 18 - 20 at 350), or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. I slightly overfilled my cupcake tin and came out with 24. Had I been a little more frugal with the batter, I probably could have gotten 26 out of this recipe. Frost with lemon frosting recipe that follows.


Lemon Frosting

1 cup butter, softened
3 - 4 cups powdered sugar
zest of 3 medium-sized lemons
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Gradually incorporate 3 cups of confectioner's sugar, one cup at a time until fully incorporated. Next, mix in the zest and lemon juice. If the frosting is a little too loose, incorporate more confectioner's sugar until it's of spreading consistency. This frosting is magic. Overall, everyone at work loved the cupcakes, but I need to find a better way to get more tea flavor into them...