Earl Grey Cupcakes

When we moved countries a few years ago, the one big lifestyle change that happened to us as a couple was that we gave up drinking Chai. The milk-added version of tea. It’s kind of sad. Because tea was one of the first things that was taught to girls in Indian homes when I was growing up, it brings back a great deal of nostalgia. I learnt to make a good cup of chai from my grandmother. Good quality tea leaves with a great milk-water-sugar ratio and a hint of cardamom and ginger is the secret to a rejuvenating cup of tea. Like my Dad would say ‘ good cup of tea in the morning is a great start to the day’. Alas! In the last few years I became totally Australian in my love for coffee.

It all started during our first few months in Australia. Moving out of your comfort zone in to a new country means starting life anew. What we brought with us for the kitchen was minimal and most often, everything was cooked in either in the single frying pan or single saucepan we had with us. So boiling tea the traditional way didn’t seem like a good idea when the cleaning was quite a task. So we switched over to tea bags. I experimented with all  varieties of tea I could find but never fell in love with any. Coffee was instead what I got hooked on to. The tea bags were soon used to flavour desserts. Tea is a wonderful flavour infuser. And Earl Grey is a classic! These cupcakes have a strong dose of Earl Grey tea and they are fabulous. They use the tea inside the bags to not only add flavour but texture as well. Unlike infusing milk ,cream or water with the tea bags, this recipe uses the actual leaves in the batter.

I’ve used an orange buttercream to frost the cupcakes to stick to the citrus notes in the cupcake. Did you know the flavour in Earl Grey is actually from the rind of Bergamot Oranges? Well, I’ve never seen that variety but how gorgeous is the flavour!

Earl Grey Cupcakes With Orange Buttercream 
Makes 12 (cupcakes adapted from here)

2 Earl Grey tea bags
(1/4 cup) boiling water
1/3 cup (80 ml )milk
100 g butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
2/3 cup castor sugar
1 1/4 cups (190 g) self-raising flour

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Line a 12-hole muffin pan with paper liners

Empty the tea leaves from the tea bags into a cup and add the boiling water. Set aside for 3 minutes. Stir in the milk and then transfer to a large bowl.

Add the butter, eggs, sugar and flour to the tea mixture. Use electric beaters on low speed to beat until just combined. Increase speed to medium and beat until the mixture is pale and creamy (the mixture may look slightly curdled).

Spoon the mixture evenly into the greased pans. Bake in preheated oven for 20-22 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted in the cakes comes out clean. Remove from the oven and set aside for 2-3 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool.

Once completely cooled, frost them with orange buttercream using a piping bag and a star nozzle. Decorate with sugar flowers.

Orange Swiss Meringue Buttercream
4 egg whites
1 cup castor sugar
300 g unsalted butter, room temperature
Finely grated zest of one orange
2 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tsp Orange liquor (I used Cointreau), optional

To make the Buttercream : Place the egg whites and sugar in a large bowl that is placed over a saucepan of simmering water (over low heat), and whisk continuously, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the bottom of the bowl is warm to touch

Remove the bowl from the heat and whip on high speed until meringue holds stiff peaks and looks glossy. The bowl should have completely cooled by now.
Add the butter, 2 tablespoon at a time, until thick and fluffy. If it begins to look curdled, continue to whip until it comes back together, before adding in remaining butter.

When the buttercream has come together, add the orange zest and juice (and liquor, if using) and mix till smooth and well blended.