Chocolate Earl Grey Cupcakes

January: National Tea Month

Host a happy new year’s day tea party with a platter of decadent desserts, such as Chocolate Earl Grey Cupcakes. These royal treats are rich, aromatic, fluffy and moist. The cupcakes are also crowned with a luxurious chocolate glaze with flecks of tea leaves for a unique texture and taste. Serve Chocolate Earl Grey Cupcakes for a sweet start to the new year and for a celebration of National Tea Month!

Recipe

(Adapted from Real Simple)

For the Chocolate Earl Grey Cupcakes

• 3 Earl Grey tea bags
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup (½ stick) butter
• 1 egg, large or jumbo
• 1 cup sugar, granulated white
• 2 ounces (2 squares) unsweetened chocolate (we used Baker’s brand)
• 1 cup flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• pinch salt
• ¼ cup plain yogurt

Directions

Steep the Earl Grey tea bags in water for five minutes. Discard the tea bags. In a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugar. Beat in the egg. Melt the chocolate and cool slightly.

Add the melted chocolate into the creamed butter mixture. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir into the batter until smooth. Pour in the tea.

Mix in the yogurt. Scoop the batter into a muffin tin lined with a dozen cupcake papers. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Chocolate Earl Grey Glaze

• 1 2.47-ounce Earl Grey chocolate bar (we used Dolfin brand) or 2 ½ squares (2 ½ ounces) semi-sweet chocolate
• 4 teaspoons butter
• 2 teaspoons corn syrup

Directions

In a glass bowl, place the chocolate, butter and corn syrup. Microwave for 1 – 1 ½ minutes. Stir until melted and smooth. Dip the tops of the cupcake into the frosting, swirling around for even coating. Let the frosting set on the cupcakes at room temperature.

We decorated our Chocolate Earl Grey Cupcakes with leftover fondant flowers. Arrange the flowers on top of the cupcakes. Dab a dot of white icing gel (we used Wilton brand) on the flower center. Drop a silver dragée (we used India Tree brand) on top of the gel, positioning it with a toothpick if necessary. For fondant flower photo tutorials, refer to our posts on Chocolate Cupcakes and Cherry Blossom Cake.

Notes

• The final food photo of the Chocolate Earl Grey Cupcake features our fine china from our wedding registry, albeit a discontinued pattern (Noritake Sterling Cove).
• Search our blog for other tea time treats.