earl grey mini cupcakes with lemon buttercream frosting

a while ago i made some mini cupcakes. well, i made these as well. i have to say i love earl grey and lemon as a combination. it is the perfect little bite in your mouth. like a cute cup of lemony tea (although i must admit, i don't like and don't drink tea). mmmm... nevertheless, still delish!

below's the recipe for these cute little cupcakes should you be interested in making some. i say they work great for that next tea party or any occasion. so bake away and let me know what you think! :)


i'm not a big tea person, but i have to say, i love this lemon and earl grey tea combination. so good, the perfect little bite in your mouth for that afternoon sweet. :)

earl grey mini cupcakes with lemon buttercream frosting

ingredients:

mini cupcakes:

1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 earl grey tea bag

pinch of salt
1 cup buttermilk (you can use milk + 1 tbsp distilled vinegar)

1/4 cup oil

lemon buttercream:

 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

 3-3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

 2-4 tablespoons of lemon juice
milk or cream, as needed

directions:

for the mini cupcakes:

1. preheat oven to 350°f
2. if using milk + vinegar as substitute buttermilk, combine milk and vinegar and stir to combine. set aside for 5 minutes. mixture will curdle. otherwise, if you're using buttermilk you can skip this step.
3. in a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. add in the earl grey tea bag and stir until combined.
4. whisk sugar, oil and vinegar into buttermilk (or curdled milk mixture). make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. mix until relatively smooth.
5. fill mini cupcake liners with a scant tablespoon of batter (cups should be just under 2/3 of the way full). bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden, and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. transfer to cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

for the frosting:

1. cream butter in electric mixer for 1-2 minutes until fluffy.
2. slowly add 1 cup sugar and beat until smooth. add in the lemon juice, a little bit at a time and mix until combined.
3. add remaining confectioners’ sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, and beat until well incorporated. mix at medium-high speed until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes).
4. add cream or more sugar as necessary to achieve proper consistency. pipe or spread onto cooled cupcakes.

makes 36 mini cupcakes (or 16 regular ones). enjoy and happy eating! :)