Sugarcane Chai Tea Cupcakes

Would you like to play in the Bake Happy Kitchen with me?

Yeah, play. Nothing serious. Just you and me, an oven and a recipe.

I'll let you do the mise en place if you let me choose what we'll bake today.

So, is that a yes? I'll even let you operate my cherished (as old as me) hand held mixer while I sift the flour and spices.

No? How about we watch Xian Lim in My Binondo Girl while baking? 

What? Still a no? Yeah, that might distract you (not me).

How about if I tell you, we will be baking with Chai Tea?

Can I see a gentle nod there? Yes! 

I got it from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes. Her recipe is paired with a Condensed Milk Icing, I decided (I mean.. we) we decided to pair it with another flavor. Sugarcane buttercream sounds interesting don't you think?

So shall we start?

Chai-Tea Cupcakes

adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

350 F / makes 18 (or so - I forgot to count) cupcakes

3/4 cup milk

2 bags chai tea

1 bag black tea (such as Ceylon)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup cake flour, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon course salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground crdamom
Pinch of ground cloves
Pinch of freshly grated nutment
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature

(1) Line cupcake pans with cupcake liners. Bring milk to a simmer over medium heat.  Remove from heat; add tea bags, and let steep, covered, 15 minutes. Remove tea bags, squeezing the bags over the pan, and discard.  Allow milk to cool completely.

(2) Whisk together both flours, baking powder, salt, pepper and spices.

(3) With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy.

(4) Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping sides of bowl as needed.  Reduce speed to low. 

(5) Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of tea-infused milk, and beating until just combined after each.

(6) Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full.  

(7) Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until tops spring back when lightly touched and are pale golden, 15-18 minutes.  

(8) Turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.  Cupcakes can be frozen up to 1 month in airtight containers.

Sugarcane Buttercream Frosting


I used Italian Buttercream as base. The rule is for every 2 cups of Italian Buttercream, mix in 1/4 cup sugarcane juice. 


Italian Meringue Buttercream
from MarthaStewart.com



Ingredients


1 1/4 cups sugar
5 large egg whites
Pinch of cream of tartar
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring sugar and 2/3 cup water to a boil. Continue boiling until syrup reaches 238 degrees on a candy thermometer (soft-ball stage).

Meanwhile, place egg whites in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat on low speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, and beat on medium-high speed until stiff but not dry; do not overbeat.

With mixer running, add syrup to whites in a stream, beating on high speed until no longer steaming, about 3 minutes. Add butter bit by bit, beating until spreadable, 3 to 5 minutes; beat in vanilla. If icing curdles, keep beating until smooth.

Aren't you glad you spent sometime in my kitchen? Erm... now who will wash the dishes in the sink? :)