Baking Sweet Tea Cupcakes

My friend and fellow blogger, Courtney, decided to bake cupcakes with me this weekend! Honestly, we wanted a break from schoolwork, so we decided to do something we both love- baking. We decided to collaborate together on this recipe to make it fit with both of our themes, and the result was fabulous. Who would’ve thought you could make sweet tea cupcakes with lemon frosting? I like that this turned into an Arnold Palmer cupcake because it combines the best of both worlds, lemonade and sweet tea! This collaboration could not have gone better and it gave us the perfect excuse to spend the weekend baking with each other!

The Recipe

*We cut the recipe in half to make six cupcakes instead of twelve. I am giving you the full recipe as it is.

Directions:

1. For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with 12 liners.

2. Heat the milk in the microwave for 1 minute, stir and then add 30 more seconds. Place the tea bags in the milk and allow steeping for 5 minutes.

3. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the granulated sugar, oil, vanilla and the eggs, 1 at a time. Alternate adding the flour and only 1/2 cup of the tea until incorporated. Reserve 1/2 cup of the tea for the frosting.

4. Fill the cupcake liners and bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the pan and continue until the cupcake tops spring back and a tester comes out clean, about 5 more minutes. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

5. For the frosting: Cream the butter in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the lemon zest. Slowly alternate adding the confectioners’ sugar and 1/2 cup reserved tea until you reach the desired frosting consistency.

6. Frost the cooled cupcakes and serve.

(Thank you Heather McDonnell for giving us this recipe idea)

Link: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sweet-tea-cupcakes-with-lemon-sweet-tea-frosting-recipe-1925601

Taste Test

I thought the flavor was unique. The sweet tea flavor did not come out as heavily as I would have liked, but they were still great! The cupcakes tasted like a brown sugar, butter cake. The frosting was like a smooth, buttercream with the essence of lemon sprinkled in it. I definitely would have liked more of a sweet tea flavor, but they were great cupcakes overall!

I’m thankful that I have a friend who loves to bake as much as Courtney because without her, I doubt I would have ever made this recipe! Courtney has her own blog where she experiments with baking and provides baking tips for new bakers (or experienced bakers who want to learn something new). Check her blog out: http://thecupcakelab.com/

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If you have another recipe that I should try out, let me know at the Stories form. Thanks friends!