Serves 24
85 min
Thai Iced Tea Cupcakes
Recipe GLPR4b26177dcf63cb
Delicate cake cupcakes infused with the distinctive flavor of Thai iced tea, topped with a silky sweetened condensed milk frosting and garnished with aromatic tea mix. These elegant treats capture the essence of the classic Thai beverage in dessert form.
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Ingredients
2 cups whole milk
¼ cup sweetened condensed milk
¾ cup Thai iced tea mix
2¾ cups cake flour
2½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1¾ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, for frosting
⅓ cup sweetened condensed milk, for frosting
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, for frosting
Thai iced tea mix, for garnish
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners or grease and flour them generously.
In a medium saucepan, whisk together the whole milk and ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is steaming and scalding—tiny bubbles will form around the edges, but do not allow it to boil.
Remove the pan from heat and stir in the Thai iced tea mix. Cover the pan and let the tea steep for 10 minutes to develop its full flavor. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove any tea solids. Allow the infused milk to cool to room temperature; you can place it in the refrigerator to speed up cooling.
In a large bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together 16 tablespoons of softened butter and the granulated sugar, beating on medium-high speed for 2–3 minutes until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour in 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and beat until the batter is smooth and fully incorporated.
Add the dry ingredients and the cooled tea-infused milk to the butter mixture in alternating batches, starting with dry ingredients and ending with dry ingredients. Begin with one-third of the flour mixture, then one-half of the tea milk, then one-third of the flour, then the remaining tea milk, and finally the last one-third of the flour. Mix on low speed after each addition just until combined, being careful not to overmix.
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each liner approximately three-quarters full. Bake for 20–30 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The tops should spring back lightly when pressed. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
For the frosting, beat 8 tablespoons of softened butter in a mixing bowl on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add ⅓ cup sweetened condensed milk while continuing to beat. Slowly pour in the powdered sugar, one-quarter cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until the frosting is light, fluffy, and spreadable, about 2–3 minutes total.
Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into the frosting until the vanilla is evenly distributed throughout and the frosting is uniform in color.
Once the cupcakes are completely cool, pipe or spread the frosting generously onto each cupcake. Top each frosted cupcake with a small pinch of Thai iced tea mix or finely crushed dried tea leaves for an authentic finishing touch and visual appeal.
