The hot sun is beating down, but you’re on the veranda with an overhead fan providing a soft breeze.  In your hand rests a sweet peach tea cupcake that you take in slowly as you make your way through a light summer novel.  In addition to the bits of juicy peaches and noticeable (yet not overbearing) tea flavor, the cupcake has a touch of ginger, lemon cream cheese frosting, and fresh mint leaves.  Suddenly, you are no longer alone on that veranda because everyone you know wants a cupcake, too.

Peach Tea Cupcakes
Yield: 18 cupcakes

Tea-Infused Butter Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter
32 grams (about 1/3 cup) whole leaf Earl Grey tea

Directions:
In a small saucepan, melt the butter on medium-high heat until just melted. 
Add the tea leaves.
Continue heating the mixture for about 5 minutes on low heat.
Remove from the heat and allow to stand for another 5 minutes.
Pour the mixture through a fine sieve, pressing hard on the tea leaves to squeeze out as much butter as possible.
Let the butter come to room temperature and refrigerate until it is no longer liquid or until ready to use.

Cupcake Ingredients:
1 ½ cup sugar
Zest of 1 medium-sized lemon
2/3 cup tea-infused butter
3 eggs
½ tsp ground ginger
1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup milk
1 cup finely chopped overripe peaches

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a small bowl, mix sugar and lemon zest.  Allow to sit for at least thirty minutes.
In a large bowl, cream tea-infused butter and lemon sugar.
Beat in eggs, one at a time.
Beat in ginger.
Beat in flour, one cup at a time, alternating with milk.
Fold in peaches.
Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full.
Bake for 20 minutes or until cupcakes bounce back when lightly touched.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
12 oz cream cheese, room temperature
¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
¾ tsp lemon extract
Fresh mint leaves for garnish

Directions:
In a large bowl, mix cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.
Mix in powdered sugar one cup at a time until well integrated.
Mix in lemon extract.
Spread or pipe onto cupcakes.
Top with mint leaves.

More cupcake recipes to try! Add these to your recipe box!
Caramel Apple Cupcakes
Banana Split Cupcakes
Old Fashioned Cupcakes
Rocky Road Cupcakes
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Wilbur’s Cupcakes
Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Icing
Stuffed Cupcakes
Bunny Cupcakes
Blueberry Chocolate Chunk Cupcakes