moonshine sweet tea cupcakes
 
 
Serves: 12 cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons almond milk
  • 1 chai-tea tea bag
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1.5 cups unbleached cake flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder*
  • ¼ teaspoons baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅔ cup canola oil or melted coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ¾ cup sugar
Sweet Tea Syrup:
  • ½ cup Moonshine Sweet Tea
Sweet Tea Buttercream Frosting:
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temp (see vegan option below)
  • 3-3.5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons Moonshine Sweet Tea
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin tin with paper cups.
  2. Steep the tea in the almond milk. Let cool to room temp. Add the lemon juice and let it sit together while you prep the dry ingredients.
  3. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  4. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, mix the coconut oil, vanilla, sugar, and almond milk/tea mixture. Mix until well combined, then add the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl and mix on high speed for 1 more minute.
  5. Scoop batter, ¼ cup at a time, into muffin cups.
  6. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.
  7. Make the Sweet Tea Syrup. In a small saucepan, simmer Moonshine Sweet Tea until it reduces by (almost) half. Set aside and let it cool to room temp.
  8. Make the frosting: In an electric mixer, cream the butter. Add sifted powdered sugar and mix until incorporated and creamy. Add Moonshine Sweet Tea to thin the frosting to your desired consistency. Chill until ready to use.
  9. Assemble the cupcakes with a big dollop of frosting (or pipe it on with a piping bag). Make a little welt in the middle and drizzle in the Sweet Tea Syrup.
Notes
*Since there's no egg in this recipe, be sure your baking powder is pretty fresh so the cupcakes will rise.

For a vegan version of the frosting, use Earth Balance butter, but don't let it come all the way to room temp. Mix it while soft, but still slightly chilled so it doesn't become too runny.
Recipe by Love and Lemons at https://www.loveandlemons.com/moonshine-sweet-tea-cupcakes/