Green Tea and Lemon Cupcakes

Surprise your family with these fun treats after an Asian dinner. It'll be their good fortune to enjoy one!

Prep Time

1:00

Hr:Mins

Total Time

3:00

Hrs:Mins

Makes

cupcakes

Cupcakes

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

cup butter or margarine, softened

1 1/4

cups granulated sugar

eggs

tablespoons grated lemon peel

teaspoon vanilla

Green Tea-Lemon Frosting

package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/4

cup butter, softened

teaspoons grated lemon peel

teaspoon vanilla

cups (1 lb) powdered sugar

Reserved 1 to 2 teaspoons brewed strong green tea

Garnish

fortune cookies, unwrapped

Lemon peel, if desired

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.
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.
In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
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.)
Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each with about 3 tablespoons batter or until about two-thirds full.
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.
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.
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.

Makes 24 cupcakes

Make the Most of This Recipe With Tips From The Betty Crocker^® Kitchens

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® SuperMoist® 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 Information:

1 Serving (1 Cupcake)

Calories 320

(Calories from Fat 130),

Total Fat 14g

(Saturated Fat 8g,
Trans Fat 0g),

Cholesterol 60mg;
Sodium 250mg;
Total Carbohydrate 46g

(Dietary Fiber 0g,
Sugars 34g),

Protein 3g;

Percent Daily Value*:

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 Choices:

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Green Tea and Lemon Cupcakes

Make the Most of This Recipe With Tips From The Betty Crocker® Kitchens

Make the Most of This Recipe With Tips From The Betty Crocker^® Kitchens