Thai Iced Tea Cupcakes

Thai tea is steeped in a mixture of milk and sweet condensed milk to make a cupcake that tastes shockingly like its inspiration.

These cupcakes easy to make, and a little confusing to eat (in a very, very, very good way). See, they exactly like Thai iced tea – you know, the delicious kind you order at Thai restaurants to calm down fiery curries and noodles packed with chili (the one you inevitably end up drinking most of before your food even arrives …). You’d swear you were drinking a big glass of creamy, sweet, orange-colored Thai iced tea – but it’s a cupcake. That feels like a win win situation if I ever saw one!

A tasty, easy condensed milk buttercream pulls together the flavor ruse even further and helps to mimic that layer of milk that often comes on top of the tea.

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One of my favorite parts about making these cupcakes is handing one to someone without telling them what the flavor is and seeing their excitement as they recognize the flavor.

How to Make Thai Iced Tea Cupcakes

For the Cupcakes:

• Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 350°F. Prepare 24 muffin cups with liners or grease and flour them.
• Scald the Milk: In a medium pot, whisk together whole milk and condensed milk. Heat over medium heat until scalding, not boiling.

• Steep the Tea: Remove from heat, add Thai iced tea mix, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes. Strain and let cool to room temperature. Use the fridge to speed up cooling if necessary.
• Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Cream Butter and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla, mixing until well combined.
• Combine Ingredients: Alternately add dry ingredients and the tea-infused milk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with dry ingredients.
• Bake: Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full. Bake for 20-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

For the Buttercream:

• Mix Butter and Condensed Milk: In a large bowl, beat butter until smooth. Gradually add condensed milk, then powdered sugar, and beat until light and fluffy.
• Add Vanilla: Stir in vanilla extract until evenly distributed.

Serving and Garnishing

• Garnish the frosted cupcakes with a sprinkle of Thai tea mix or crushed dried tea leaves for an authentic touch.

Thai Iced Tea Cupcakes

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5 from 9 reviews

• Author: Bowen Close
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 24 1x

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Description

Thai iced tea cake with condensed milk buttercream – tastes exactly like the beverage!

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Ingredients

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Cupcake Batter:

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup condensed milk
• 3/4 cup Thai iced tea mix
• 2 3/4 cups cake flour, unsifted
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Condensed Milk Buttercream:

• 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups condensed milk
• 1 2/3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

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Instructions

For the Cupcakes:

1. Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 350°F. Prepare 24 muffin cups with liners or grease and flour them.
2. Scald the Milk: In a medium pot, whisk together whole milk and condensed milk. Heat over medium heat until scalding, not boiling.
3. Steep the Tea: Remove from heat, add Thai iced tea mix, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes. Strain and let cool to room temperature. Use the fridge to speed up cooling if necessary.
4. Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla, mixing until well combined.
6. Combine Ingredients: Alternately add dry ingredients and the tea-infused milk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with dry ingredients.
7. Bake: Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full. Bake for 20-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

For the Buttercream:

1. Mix Butter and Condensed Milk: In a large bowl, beat butter until smooth. Gradually add condensed milk, then powdered sugar, and beat until light and fluffy.
2. Add Vanilla: Stir in vanilla extract until evenly distributed.

Serving and Garnishing

• Garnish the frosted cupcakes with a sprinkle of Thai tea mix or crushed dried tea leaves for an authentic touch.

Notes

– I purchased Thai iced tea mix from a Thai grocery store in Los Angeles. This recipe will work with any dry Thai iced tea mix that instructs you to steep in hot water and then drain (i.e. not an instant tea powder), whether you purchase it or make it from dry ingredients. Most mixes I’ve seen seem to contain food coloring, which I like to avoid – but I haven’t yet tried making my own mix at home, but I found some good options doing an internet search for thai iced tea recipes.
– The tea flavor develops as the cupcakes sit, so they’re best if you make them 24 hours or so before eating. Finished and frosted cupcakes can be refrigerated for 48 hours before eating (bring to room temperature before serving), and unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to three months (you can even frost them without thawing, if you want).

• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins
• Category: Baking
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Thai American