Jasmine Tea Cupcakes

I just learned how to make tea-infused butter, and I used jasmine tea for these cupcakes. I should say using it in these cupcakes really gave them a strong jasmine tea flavor. And I topped them of with vanilla buttercream so that the frosting doesn't overpower the jasmine tea flavored cupcakes. These cupcakes gives off a wonderful tea aroma that will surely fill your kitchen.

I love tea. Every time I eat any kind of pastry there must always be tea. I prefer it over coffee, hot chocolate, or anything else that is drunk during breakfast. Maybe it's because I am of Chinese ancestry. Or maybe because I am a baker and almost every pastry goes well with tea. But despite my love for tea, I haven't tried anything tea-flavored before, just plain drinking tea. These cupcakes are just as good as plain tea, perhaps even better.

I learned to make tea-infused butter from Cupcake Project, which is also one of the blog which inspired me to bake and blog. At first I doubt that the tea flavor will be strong, and I was very wrong. The jasmine tea-infused butter gave these cupcake a quite strong jasmine tea flavor. Just be sure to use loose leaf tea, because tea in teabags would be hard to sieve.

Jasmine Tea Cupcakes

Notes [ HEAD: Vanilla, BASE: Jasmine, Tea ]

Ingredients

Cupcakes [makes 16-18 mini cupcakes, or 6-7 regular cupcakes]

1/4 c. jasmine tea-infused butter, room temperature [see below]

1/2 c. sugar

1 egg 

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

dash of salt

1/4 c. milk

Jasmine Tea-infused Butter [adapted from Cupcake Project]
1/2 c. butter [1 stick]
1/4 c. loose leaf jasmine tea

Frosting

1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

1. INFUSE BUTTER: In a saucepan, heat butter in medium heat until melted, add tea and switch to low heat and cook for 5 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.
2. Pour mixture over a fine sieve, pressing hard on the leaves to release the butter. Discard the leaves.
3. MAKE BATTER: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pan with liners. 
4. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.

5. In a separate bowl, mix the tea-infused butter and sugar, then add egg, and vanilla extract. Mix well.

6. Add half of the flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beat then add remaining flour mixture.
7. BAKE CUPCAKES*: Fill liners with a tablespoonful of batter. Bake for about 12 minutes, do toothpick test. If they are not done, check at 1 minute intervals. Cool on wire rack.

8. MAKE FROSTING: Whip butter until light and fluffy, add powdered sugar and vanilla extract then beat until well incorporated.

9. ASSEMBLE CUPCAKES: Frost the cupcakes. Serve and enjoy.

* FOR REGULAR CUPCAKES: Fill liners 2/3 full. Bake for about 18 minutes, do toothpick test. If they are not done, check at 1 minute intervals. Cool on wire rack.

Have you tried tea-infused butter in other pastries? Tell me in the comments below.