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lavender cupcakes on a platter sprinkled with glitter sugar
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Lavender Earl Grey Tea Cupcakes

Lavender earl grey tea is the shining star of this easy homemade lavender cupcake recipe! Recipe adapted from Georgetown Cupcakes.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 48 minutes
Servings 18
Calories 399kcal
Author Amee

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ cups flour sifted
  • 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 8 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 ¾ cups sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ cups whole milk
  • ½ cup extra-strong lavender earl grey tea cooled to room temp
  • 2 teaspoon lavender sugar (optional)
  • For the frosting:
  • 16 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 4 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup extra-strong lavender earl grey tea cooled to room temp
  • ¼ teaspoon purple food color (I use the Wilton gel Violet color-you can also leave out the dye)

Instructions

  • For the cupcakes: 
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  
  • Line 2 cupcake pans with 18 baking cups
  • Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
  • Place the unsalted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer.
  • Add the sugar; beat on medium speed until well incorporated.
  • Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly after each addition.
  • Combine the vanilla extract and milk in a large liquid measuring cup.
  • Reduce the speed to low and add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, then gradually add one-third of the milk mixture, beating until well incorporated.
  • Add another one-third of the flour mixture, followed by one-third of the milk mixture.  Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed.
  • Add the remaining flour mixture, followed by the remaining milk mixture, and beat just until combined.
  • Mix in the cooled lavender earl grey tea (and lavender sugar) until fully incorporated.
  • Scoop batter into baking cups and bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
  • For the frosting:
  • Place the unsalted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer.
  • Add the confectioner's sugar; beat on medium speed until well incorporated. 
  • Add the vanilla extract, milk, salt, tea, and purple food color, and beat on high speed until light and airy.
  • Transfer to a piping bag with a large round piping tip and frost each cupcake with Georgetown Cupcake's "signature swirl"(I used a different favorite decorating tip)

Notes

  • For extra strong tea, brew at least 2 teabags per cup of water. The tea must be cooled completely to room temperature before adding to the batter and the frosting.
  • The batter yields 18 lavender cupcakes, so you'll need two pans.
  • While warm, drizzle simple syrup over the top of each cupcake before frosting for optimal moisture. Lavender syrup would be great here.
  • Use a heaping ice cream scoop (or 3 tablespoons) of batter per cupcake.
  • To achieve Georgetown Cupcakes's signature cloud-like swirl, pipe the frosting through a large, round piping top, ideally an Ateco #808.

Nutrition

Calories: 399kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 135mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 47g | Vitamin A: 531IU | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 1mg