Thai Tea Cupcakes?!

I’ve seriously outdone myself. My parents had this brilliant idea of Thai Tea Cake, but it turns out that it has (obviously) already been thought of. None of the recipes online looked inviting so I decided to test myself. I kept track of all the measurements while I whipped up these beauties because I knew that I was definitely going to want to share my version with my fellow thai tea lovers.

Thai Tea Cupcakes with Condensed Milk Frosting

Notes…

You will need a cloth strainer or coffee filter in order to make the thai tea. I prefer a cloth strainer.

Ground thai tea leaves can be found at any Thai Supermarket.

This recipe yields 18 standard sized cupcakes.

You Will Need…

2 cups of all purpose flour

1/2 cup (1 STICK) plus 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter

1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder

1 cup of sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon of salt

2 large eggs

1/2 cup of ground thai tea leaves (Brand used: CHA THAI)

3 cups of water

And For The Frosting You’ll Need…

1/2 cup of condensed milk

1 stick of unsalted butter

2 cups of confectioners (powdered) sugar

2 tablespoons of milk or heavy whipping cream

Pinch of salt

Make Your Thai Tea First…

1) Bring water to a boil and add the tea leaves to the water. Leave to boil on low to medium heat for 15-20 minutes.

2) Strain tea with cloth strainer into a separate bowl and let it cool.

3) Pour 2/3 cup of tea into measuring cup then add evaporated milk to fill up to 1 cup. Mix thoroughly.

Prepare…

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Line cupcake pan with liners

Let’s Get Started On The Cake Batter…

1) Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl.

2) Beat sugar and butter in electric mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy.

3) Add eggs and vanilla to the butter until fully incorporated.

4) Add flour mixture and thai tea alternately 5 times into the mixer (on low) making sure it is fully mixed after each addition. (flour, tea, flour, tea, flour)

5) Scoop batter into cupcake cups about 2/3′s full.

6) Bake for 12-15 minutes.

7) Let the cakes cool completely.

To test if your cakes are done, stick a toothpick in one! If it comes out clean (or with a few dry crumbs), you’re good to go!

Now For The Frosting..you’re almost done!

1) Beat butter and condensed milk in mixer on high until fully incorporated.

2) Add powdered sugar (1 cup at a time) and milk (or heavy whipping cream) mixing thoroughly

3) Sprinkle in your pinch of salt and mix thoroughly.

4) Top your cupcakes with the frosting.

Frosting note: I wanted my frosting to have a more ganache consistency so I only used half a stick of butter. Remember, you can make your frosting however you like! If you prefer soft frosting add more milk. If you prefer a more firm texture frosting add more powdered sugar.

House Warming

Hello, my non-existent readers!

This past weekend my boyfriend’s cousins decided to have somewhat of a housewarming party at the new apartment. I’m so glad Franco decided to move out of his studio and get a 2-bedroom unit. Moving into a new place always calls for a celebration or more like an excuse for drinks! A gathering with his cousins always means three things: games, drinks, and my favorite, FOOD. I had a blast watching them play King’s Cup, or at least their version of it. I’m definitely getting in on the game at the next gathering. My favorite subjects were (obviously) the kiddos. Here are some snapshots from my new Sony NEX-7. That’s right, my new baby.

Pudge

My 8 year old puppy. I'm pretty sure he drank from the fountain of youth while I slept.

Dylan’s 3rd Birthday

Today was Dylan’s 3rd rocket-themed birthday party, so that means time has flown by extra fast and another year has gone by. Just a few months ago, we were at the same park celebrating Aubrey’s (his baby sister) 1st birthday. Every time I see these kids, it makes me feel as if I need one of my own. It was a little challenging getting Dylan to stay still for more than a second, but he was willing to pose for two minutes. Two whole minutes and he was off kicking balls and running amok with his friends. He’s got so much spunk. I love it.

I had a blast, as I always do with the kids and their parents. The cake was awesome! So awesome, that I only gave Franco my leftover frosting. So so awesome, that I took a huge piece home in a cup. Apparently, I don’t have to be a pregnant woman to eat like one.

Note: Sadly, there was a nasty smudge on the left top side of my lens that I was unaware of until I was ready to tuck my camera back into my bag. So, you’ll be able to see a noticeable blur in every. single. picture. Not cool…

 

 

 

See you next time!

Sea World

Hey readers! It’s been a while since I’ve logged on to this thing. Terribly sorry. I’ll keep this one short and simple, just some snapshots I took at Sea World. Franco has never been to Sea World, so we decided (kind of) last minute to take a trip there. The park was not crowded at all, but for some reason the shows were packed. We finished our rounds at the park in exactly 4 hours. Yes, we watched all, but one, show and also visited every single exhibit. I don’t think we’re going back for another few years.

Say Yes

Yesterday, I had the honor of accompanying my family friend (I call her cousin too), Tucky, to try on her wedding dress for the second time to get her final measurements. The place we went to is called Bella Wedding, a local Korean-owned bridal shop. I was tempted to try on every dress in the store, but that probably would have given my boyfriend a heart attack…of LOVE. On a serious note, I’m really bummed that I won’t get to go to Tuck’s and Ike’s wedding since it will take place in Thailand. I’m hoping they’ll have a mini reception celebration here after they come back! Best wishes to the beautiful couple. Love you both!

Under The Sea!

Hey friends! This weekend was an awesome weekend for me, Saturday was Aubrey’s 1st Birthday party! The theme was Little Mermaid so it brought back a lot of childhood memories. I had tons of fun taking pictures of her and her big brother, Dylan. He just wouldn’t sit still for even 2 seconds, I wish he had a pause button so I could take more pictures of that little monkey. I can’t believe how fast Aubrey has grown! I feel like Calee just gave birth to her a few months ago. Babies grow way too fast. I lobb you Aubeeeee!

Hope you guys like! You can check out the rest of the pictures on my Flickr.