Super Moist and Yummy Earl Grey Cupcakes

Patrina and her Earl Grey mini-cupcake with mascarpone frosting

I recently celebrated with Jasmine Pearl Tea Merchants as they acknowledged an important business milestone.  Their tea shop was brimming with happiness and amazingly delicious and creative foods!  Patrina brews up a fine cup of tea, and in her spare team, dreams up delicious recipes using tea as an ingredient.  These Earl Grey cupcakes are worthy of celebration on their own.  Patrina has graciously allowed me to share the recipe.  Enjoy!

Patrina's Earl Grey Cupcakes with Mascarpone Frosting

3/4 cup butter (softened)

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup whole milk

3 Tbsp whole Earl Grey tea leaves (loose)

1 tsp finely ground Earl Grey tea leaves

To make the tea infused cupcakes...

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.  Prep a cupcake pan with liners.
2. In a small saucepan, stir tea leaves into the milk.  Warm the milk until hot and steaming, making sure to stir so it doesn't scald. 
3. Remove from heat and let steep.  You want the milk to have a strong tea flavor, so let it sit at least 10 min.
4. Strain the tea leaves out of the milk.
5. In a mixing bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, ground tea and salt).
6. With a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until combined.  Then add eggs, one at a time, and finally the vanilla. 
7. Into the butter/sugar mixture, alternate adding some dry ingredients and some of the tea-infused milk, and mix it into the butter/sugar mixture until everything is well combined.
8. Pour the batter into liners, and bake for 14-16 minutes (full sized cupcakes).  Check with a toothpick, and when it comes out clean or very slightly moist, remove from oven.
9. Cool on a wire rack.

To make the mascarpone frosting....

8 oz mascarpone cheese

1 cup powdered sugar

1 pinch of salt

1 tsp vanilla extract (or tea-infused vanilla extract - see below)

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1. In a medium bowl, combine mascarpone, sugar, salt and extract.  Stir until well-combined.
2. Whip the cream to stiff peaks.
3. Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture gently until it is combined.  The texture should end up light and fluffy.
4. Spread frosting generously on cooled cupcakes.

Tea-Infused Vanilla Extract

1. In a jar, add 8 oz vodka and 3 medium vanilla beans.
2. Let steep in vodka for 8 - 10 weeks.  Shake the bottle occasionally.
3. When that part is done, add in 1 Tbsp of loose tea (Earl Grey for purposes above).
4. Let sit for 3 hours and then strain, enjoy!