Description
Chamomile Honey Cupcakes: honey-sweetened cupcakes with chamomile-infused frosting.
Ingredients
Scale
- Main Ingredients
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour, unbleached
- 21/2 teaspoons (8g) baking powder
- 1/21/2 teaspoon (3g) kosher salt
- 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
- 1/4 cup (60g) sour cream or yogurt
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons (60ml) honey
- 2 large eggs
- Frosting Ingredients
- 4 chamomile tea bags
- 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) heavy cream
- Toppings
- Fresh nasturtium leaves
- Organic chamomile leaves
- Blackberries
Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat and Prep Liners: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line your cupcake tin with liners to get ready. This step is important because it ensures your cupcakes bake evenly and do not stick to the tin.
- Step 2: Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until there are no lumps left. This helps create a smooth texture for your cupcakes by distributing the leavening agent evenly throughout the batter.
- Step 3: Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate measuring cup, whisk the milk with sour cream or yogurt until smooth, then set it aside. This is helpful for creating a batter that blends nicely, leading to a tender crumb in the finished cupcakes.
- Step 4: Cream Butter and Sugar: In your mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and honey together until it is light and fluffy, which takes about two minutes. This step is key for incorporating air into the mixture, giving your cupcakes a good rise and light texture.
- Step 5: Add Eggs and Combine: Crack in the eggs and mix until everything is combined. This mixture should look uniform and thickened, signaling that it is time to move on to adding the dry ingredients for the best structure.
- Step 6: Alternate Dry and Wet Mixtures: Carefully add the flour mixture in batches, alternating with the milk mixture. This helps keep the batter from becoming too thick too quickly, while also preventing overmixing, which could lead to dense cupcakes.
- Step 7: Fill Cupcake Liners: Divide the batter among the lined cupcake cups, filling each about three-quarters full. This allows room for the cupcakes to rise without overflowing, ensuring they bake evenly.
- Step 8: Bake to Perfect Doneness: Bake for 18 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Keep an eye on them toward the end; overbaking can dry them out, so it is better to check earlier.
- Step 9: Prepare Frosting: For the frosting, steep chamomile tea bags in butter until cool before mixing it with sugar. This adds a lovely chamomile flavor; make sure the butter is not too warm, or it will melt the sugar instead of creating a smooth frosting.
- Step 10: Frost and Garnish Cupcakes: Once the cupcakes are cool and frosted, decorate with fresh nasturtium leaves or blackberries. This adds an appealing touch and fresh flavor, which complements the chamomile beautifully.
Notes
- Storage Tips: Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to a week.
- If cupcakes dome too high, reduce the baking time to 15 minutes and check with a toothpick to avoid overbaking.
- When frosting is too runny, add 1/2 cup more powdered sugar gradually, mixing until the desired consistency is achieved.
- If you notice the batter is lumpy, use a fine mesh sieve to sift the dry ingredients before incorporating them into the wet mixture.
- For flat cupcakes, ensure that butter is fully softened, mixing it with sugar for about 3 minutes for a light consistency.
- If your cupcakes sink in the center, try reducing the oven temperature to 325 degrees F for more even baking during the last 5 minutes.
- Reheating Instructions: To refresh cupcakes, microwave for 15 seconds until warm.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve with a pot of chamomile tea for a delightful pairing. Decorative garnishes like edible flowers or berries can elevate presentation.
- Recipe Variations: Substitute honey with agave nectar for a vegan approach.
- Use gluten-free flour mix as a 1:1 replacement for all-purpose flour for gluten-free cupcakes.
- Ingredient Notes: Select high-quality chamomile tea bags for steeping; the floral notes blend beautifully in the frosting. Loose leaf tea works too, just strain it well.
- Opt for raw or local honey for a richer flavor. It adds moisture and a natural sweetness to balance the cupcakes’ taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 30mg