Earl Grey Cupcakes with Pomegranate Buttercream

Step 1

In a sauce pan, add the milk with earl grey tea leaves and let it simmer for 20 minutes to infuse the milk. Remove it from the pan and let it cool.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 175C/350F.

Step 3

In a bowl, combine the softened butter and caster sugar. Beat till fluffy and pale.

Step 4

Add in the eggs one by one, mixing well in between each.

Step 5

In another bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt (Skip salt is using salted butter).

Step 6

Add in the sifted dry ingredients to the batter in batches alternating with the infused milk.

Step 7

Now, add in the vanilla extract and a tablespoon tea leaves into the batter. Stir it in till incorporated well.

Step 8

Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners or brush the pan with some butter.

Step 9

Fill the paper cases two-thirds full with the mixture.

Step 10

Bake in the preheated oven for 22-25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool.

Step 11

Take 1/2 cup of pomegranate juice in a pan and heat it up till reduced to half and is thick. Let it cool.

Step 12

Beat the softened room temperature butter with an electric mixer for 3-4 minutes or until pale.

Step 13

Sift the icing Sugar into a bowl and add it to the butter in two batches, beating well in between each.

Step 14

Add in the reduced pomegranate juice to the buttercream gradually, beating continuously.

Step 15

Also, add 1-2 tbsp of heavy cream and beat well.

Step 16

Now pipe it over the cooled cakes.