Matcha Tea Cupcakes with Jasmine Honey frosting

My friend Maryellen is a tea aficionado.  She can often be found writing at her favorite local tea shop - where everybody knows her name - sipping her favorite tea, Dong Ding. Yes - Dong Ding. And I did not get that backwards. Look it up here if you don't believe me. 

So when Maryellen planned her birthday gathering it was at her tea shop and she wanted birthday cupcakes that would accompany a pot of tea. After looking through a lot of recipes, we ended up combining a couple of recipes to make Matcha Tea Cupcakes with a Jasmine-Honey frosting.

The original cupcake recipe is from Cinnamon Scrolls, but I modified it a bit. The frosting was inspired by WeekendBakes. 

Beneath the creamy ivory-colored frosting,  these cupcakes are matcha-green!

Cupcakes:

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

2 ½ tbsp matcha tea powder

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

½ cup Greek honey yogurt

1-1/4 cups sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

1 cup whole milk

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C) and line 2 12-cup muffin trays with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and matcha powder. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, yogurt, and sugar until fluffy and pale. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition. With the mixer on medium-low, slowly pour in the milk into the mixture.
4. Add half the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Add the second half and mix, scraping the sides of the bowl if necessary. 
5. Spoon into the muffin tins about half full. (A small cookie scoop works well)
6. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the cupcakes to cool in the tray for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling completely before frosting.

Frosting:

Jasmine Tea-Infused Butter

2 sticks of butter

10 bags of Jasmine Tea

1. In a small sauce pan, slowly melt the butter over medium-low heat.
2. When the butter is fully melted place the tea bags into the butter.
3. Remove from heat and let steep for about 5-10 minutes, depending on how strong a tea flavor you want. (Note: the jasmine will impart a slightly bitter tannic taste to the butter)
4. Pour butter into a glass bowl and place in the fridge. Chill for 1/2 hour until it firms up a bit, but does not harden.

Jasmine Buttercream Recipe

1 lb Jasmine-infused butter, room temperature

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp salt

1 pound confectioners sugar, sifted

1/2 cup half and half

Optional: gold sugar for decoration

1. Mix the butter in your stand mixer until it's creamy and soft,
2. Add the vanilla and salt and beat for 30 seconds. 
3. Add the sugar 1/3 at a time until the frosting is thick and the sugar and butter are well mixed. 
4. With the mixer on medium-low, add the half and half a bit at a time until it's the consistency you want. It should be thick and creamy and easy to spread.
5. Fill a pastry bag and pipe onto cupcakes, or you can spread the frosting with a knife. 
6. Sprinkle with gold sugar if using.