Green Tea cupcakes

Recently I decided to indulge two of my favourite things at once: tea and cakes. But not in the usual way: you know a lovely cake with an accompanying cuppa. No, this time I planned to enjoy both in one creation. Luckily, the lovely Rachel that I met on my cupcake course last year had sent me a recipe for green tea cupcakes that I adapted a little. In truth, although I loved the way the matcha frosting turned out, the tea flavour in the cupcake was a little bit too subtle for me. But then I do love my tea... I might be tempted to up the tea content in the cakes in future and lose the cocoa powder altogether. Still, they went down very well with everyone else so here's the recipe I used.



Green Tea Cupcakes (makes about 18)3 heaped tsp green tea (you could use green teabags if you prefer)
125ml milk
1 egg beaten
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
100g plain flour
1 1/2 tsp of baking powder
20g cocoa powder
140g of caster sugar
40g margarine (see my previous note about using marg rather than butter)
Pinch of salt

• Preheat the oven to 170º fan/180ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4
• Put the green tea in the milk and place in the fridge to infuse. A few hours is enough but longer is better. I left mine about 3 days as I forgot about it
• When you're ready to use it strain the milk, which should now be infused with a lovely tea flavour, and combine it with the egg and vanilla extract
• Sift the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt together and then mix with the butter (I use a handheld electric whisk) until well combined
• Add half the milk, egg and vanilla mixture and beat until smooth. Then add the other half and blend for a couple of minutes until everything is thoroughly combined
• Pipe (or spoon) the mixture into paper cupcake cases until they are half full
• Bake in the oven for 25 minutes - I turn my tray 180º after 15 minutes to compensate for hot-spots in my oven. They are ready when a skewer inserted into the cakes comes out clean
• After a few minutes remove the cupcakes from the tray
• Place them on a rack and let them cool thoroughly. Do not attempt to ice until fully cooled

Matcha Buttercream
250g icing sugar
20g matcha powder
80g butter
1-2 tbsp milk

• Beat together the icing sugar, matcha powder and butter (beware the powdery mixture doesn't go everywhere!)
• Add as much milk as you feel in necessary and beat entire mixture for around 5 minutes until very light and fluffy
• Pipe or spoon icing onto cupcakes

I was very lazy this time and failed to make any special decorations for the top of my cupcakes. Frankly I was just in too much of a hurry to try them! My favourite bit was definitely the buttercream and I have every intention of trying it with some other cupcake recipes. If I find any particularly good combinations I'll be sure to let you know.