LAURA ASHLEYShop Online

Just in time for the preparation of our Jubilee celebratory spreads, the lovely team at Hummingbird Bakery have loaned us their Earl Grey Tea Cupcake recipe – perfectly apt for a royal affair!

Earl Grey tea has a lovely bergamot flavour that gives these cupcakes a subtle edge. Variations can be made using herbal and fruit teas….

 

Makes 12-16 cupcakes

For the sponge:

3 Earl Grey teabags

3tbsp just-boiled water

80g (3oz) unsalted butter, softened

280g (10 oz) caster sugar

240g (8 ½ oz) plain flour

1tbsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

200ml (7fl oz) whole milk

2 large eggs

 

For the frosting:

50ml (1 ¾ fl oz) whole milk

500g (1lb 2oz) icing sugar

160g (5 ½ oz) unsalted butter, softened

 

One or two 12-hole deep muffin tins

 

1. Place the teabags in a bowl and add the just-boiled water, then leave to brew for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F), Gas mark 5, and line a muffin tin with muffin cases. Use a hand-held electric whisk or freestanding electric mixer with paddle attachment to mix the butter, sugar, flour, baking powder and salt on a low speed until the texture of fine breadcrumbs.
3. Pour the milk into a jug, add the eggs and whisk by hand. Add the brewed tea, squeezing every last drop from the teabags into the milk mixture, then set the teabags aside for the frosting.
4. Pour three-quarters of the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix on a low speed to combine. Then mix on a medium speed until smooth and thick. Scrape the sides of the bowl, add the remaining milk mixture and beat until all the ingredients have come together and the batter is smooth.
5. Divide the batter between the paper cases, filling each two-thirds full. If there is batter left over, spoon it into more cases in a separate tin. Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes or until risen and springy to the touch, then leave to cool slightly in the tin before transferring to a wire rack to cool fully.
6. While the cupcakes are cooking, place the used teabags in a small bowl with the milk for the frosting and leave to infuse for 30 minutes. Remove the teabags and give them a good squeeze to extract maximum flavour.
7. Using the electric whisk or freestanding mixer with paddle attachment, whisk the icing sugar with the butter on a low speed until no large lumps of butter remain and the mixture is still powdery. Pour in the tea-infused milk while mixing slowly, then increase the speed to high and whisk until soft and fluffy.
8. Divide the frosting between the cold cupcakes, smoothing the tops and swirling with a palette knife.

 

Variations

Peppermint tea cupcakes: Make as above but use 3 peppermint teabags instead of Earl Grey.

Fruit tea cupcakes: Make as above, but with 3 fruit teabags of your choice, such as summer fruits, mixed berry, strawberry or raspberry, and top the frosted cupcakes with fruit to match, such as summer berries or slices of fresh strawberry.

 

To shop Laura Ashley’s delicious range of new season teabags click here >>

Main image by photographer Kate Whitaker.

Recipe extracted from The Hummingbird Bakery Cake Days Book (Collins, £20) Tarek Malouf.