Earl Grey Cream Cheese Cupcakes

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Step 2

Prepare mini cupcake pan with paper cupcake liners

Step 3

Bring milk to a simmer, pour into a medium sized bowl.

Step 4

Add tea bag and steep for 5-10 minutes until a strong earl grey flavour can be detected, then remove tea bag.

Step 5

Add egg whites to the milk mixture, stir together.

Step 6

In a large bowl, sift together cake flour, sugar, baking powder, salt. Whisk until combined.

Step 7

With the whisk attachment still on, add butter and whisk until the flour mixture looks sandy

Step 8

Pour 1/3 of the milk mixture into the flour and whisk on medium speed until light and fluffy

Step 9

Add the rest of the milk in two more additions, mixing gently until combined

Step 10

Pour batter into the mini cupcake pan, fill each cavity between 1/2 and 3/4 full

Step 11

Bake at 350 degrees F for ~8-10 mins or until slightly brown on top and cooked in the center

Step 12

In a medium bowl, beat room temp butter until creamy and lighter in colour

Step 13

Add in COLD cream cheese and gently beat together until cream cheese is spreadable but still firm

Step 14

Add icing sugar and vanilla extract, beat together until combined and smooth, do not over mix - it'll become runny!

Step 15

Divide frosting into 2 bowls. Add colour to one bowl. Leave the other one plain white.

Step 16

Alternate scooping the two different coloured frostings into a pastry bag fitted with an open star tip.

Step 17

Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.

Step 18

If using transfer gold sheets, carefully hold the sheet and dab onto the surface of the frosting. The gold will adhere to the "stickiness" of the frosting.

Step 19

If using loose leaf gold sheets, carefully use a small knife to remove gold from the sheet and transfer to the frosting. Move slowly - any amount of wind can blow your gold away!