Green Tea and Lemon Cupcakes

  • Prep 60 min
  • Total 3 hr 0 min
  • Servings 24

Ingredients

Cupcakes

  • 2 green tea bags
  • 3/4 cup boiling water
  • 2 1/3 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Green Tea-Lemon Frosting

  • 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 4 cups (1 lb) powdered sugar
  • Reserved 1 to 2 teaspoons brewed strong green tea

Garnish

  • 24 fortune cookies, unwrapped
  • Lemon peel, if desired

Steps

  • 1
    In 1-cup glass measuring cup, measure boiling water; add tea bags. Let steep 5 minutes. Squeeze liquid from tea bags into measuring cup. If necessary, add additional water to make 3/4 cup. Let tea stand until room temperature, about 1 hour.
  • 2
    Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups, grease bottoms and sides of muffin cups with shortening and lightly flour, or spray with baking spray with flour.
  • 3
    In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
  • 4
    In large bowl, beat 1 cup butter with electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds. Gradually add granulated sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping bowl occasionally. Beat 2 minutes longer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 2 tablespoons lemon peel and 1 teaspoon vanilla. On low speed, alternately add flour mixture, about one-third at a time, and 2/3 cup brewed tea, about half at a time, beating just until blended. (Reserve remaining tea for frosting.)
  • 5
    Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each with about 3 tablespoons batter or until about two-thirds full.
  • 6
    Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans; place on cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
  • 7
    In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, 2 teaspoons lemon peel and 1 teaspoon vanilla with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until smooth. Beat in 1 to 2 teaspoons of the reserved tea, 1 teaspoon at a time, until smooth and spreadable.
  • 8
    Pipe or spread about 2 tablespoons frosting on top of each cupcake. Just before serving, place fortune cookie on edge of frosting on each cupcake to resemble tea cup handle. Garnish with lemon peel. Store covered in refrigerator.

  • Green tea is made from leaves that are steamed and dried but not fermented giving it a taste that is closer to the taste of a fresh leaf.
  • Save time by using a cake mix and purchased frosting instead of the from-scratch cupcakes and frosting. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make 1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ yellow cake mix as directed on box, using 1 1/4 cups brewed strong green tea, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 3 eggs and adding 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel. Bake and cool as directed. Stir 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel into 1 container (1 lb) Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting. Frost and garnish cupcakes as directed in recipe. 24 cupcakes.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Cupcake
Calories
320
Calories from Fat
130
Total Fat
14g
22%
Saturated Fat
8g
41%
Trans Fat
0g
Cholesterol
60mg
21%
Sodium
250mg
11%
Potassium
45mg
1%
Total Carbohydrate
46g
15%
Dietary Fiber
0g
0%
Sugars
34g
Protein
3g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
10%
10%
Vitamin C
0%
0%
Calcium
4%
4%
Iron
4%
4%
Exchanges:
1 Starch; 0 Fruit; 2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 2 1/2 Fat;
Carbohydrate Choice
3
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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