This is my new favorite cupcake! It’s a fluffy vanilla cupcake with a twist! And it’s celebrating Irish produce, and I’m all about supporting and promoting local. These would be a perfect recipe for ‘high tea’ (just make them mini cupcakes, and they’d be so cute!), Mother’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, or an awesome birthday gift for a tea-lover (which living here, it’s hard to find someone who doesn’t like tea!).

The frosting is only two ingredients and makes for a nice alternative to the usual buttercream or cream cheese frosting I make.

Barry’s tea cupcakes: (This makes about 8-10 cupcakes, depending on the size you want)

4 tea bags

1/2 cup milk (whole or low-fat)

1/2 cup of butter

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 175C. In a small saucepan, bring milk to a boil, add the teabags and let seep for about 10-12 minutes or more. The longer, the better and stronger flavor. While you’re letting the tea seep, in a mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs the eggs ONE AT A TIME. Then add your vanilla, followed by the milk (minus the tea bags!). Add in the flour, but by bit (as you do, be sure to scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl as you go!). Divide the batter into the paper cups, and bake for approximately 12 minutes or until golden brown. While cooling, make your frosting!

For the frosting: (This is a small batch, but can easily be doubled)

1/2 cup of butter

1/2 cup white chocolate (chips, chopped, whatever you have!)

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and white chocolate over a low to medium heat. Give a good stir, it will look like the butter and the chocolate are separating-that is okay! When melted and smooth, take off heat and bring to room temperature. Then stick the saucepan in the fridge until it solidifies (Have to play the waiting game, but so worth it!). Then beat until a smooth frosting!