Sweet Tea Cupcakes: Tender, juicy, and flavorful.:

A Sip of Summer in a Cupcake

I love sweet tea on a hot day. It reminds me of sitting on my porch with my family. I thought, why not put that happy taste into a cupcake?

These cupcakes are tender and juicy. They taste like a sweet, sunny afternoon. Doesn’t that sound like a lovely treat?

My Little Tea-Steeping Secret

The secret is in the tea. You warm the milk and water together. Then you let the tea bags swim in it.

My grandson once tried to rush this part. His cupcakes did not taste like tea at all. I still laugh at that. Letting the tea steep slowly makes all the flavor come out. This matters because good things take a little time.

Mixing Up the Magic

Cream the butter and sugar until it’s fluffy. It should look like pale clouds. Then mix in your eggs one by one.

Now, add your strong tea mixture. It will smell amazing. Finally, gently mix in your flour. Do not overmix. A few lumps are just fine. What is your favorite smell when you are baking?

The Zesty Lemon Frosting

This frosting is so bright and cheerful. The lemon zest makes it special. It cuts the sweetness of the cupcake perfectly.

Fun fact: The oil in lemon zest holds so much flavor. That is why we use it. This matters because balancing flavors makes a dessert truly great. Do you prefer sweet or tangy frostings?

Time to Make Them Pretty

Now for the fun part. You can pipe the frosting on. Or you can just spread it with a knife.

Then, make them sparkle. Add some clear sugar or a tiny lemon wedge. They will look as good as they taste. I love seeing all the different ways people decorate them. Will you share a picture of your finished cupcakes?

Ingredients:

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Whole milk	1/2 cup
Water	1/2 cup
Black tea bags	10
Unsalted butter	1 cup
Sugar	2 cups
Eggs	4 large	room temperature
Flour	2 3/4 cups
Baking powder	3/4 tablespoon
Fine sea salt	3/4 teaspoon
Salted butter	1/4 cup	room temperature
Butter flavored shortening	1/4 cup
Lemon extract	2 teaspoons
Lemon zest	Zest of one lemon
Powdered sugar	1 1/2 – 2 cups
Sparkling Sugar		white or clear, for garnish
Lemon candy sticks		for garnish
Sugared fruit wedges		for garnish

Sweet Tea Cupcakes: A Little Taste of Sunshine

Oh, these cupcakes bring back such happy memories. My grandson Leo thought I’d lost my marbles the first time we made them. “Grandma, you can’t put tea in a cake!” he said. His eyes got so wide when he took that first bite. Now he asks for them every summer. They are tender, juicy, and so full of flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 black tea bags
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

Lemon Frosting

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 tsp lemon extract
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2-3 tbsp milk

Instructions

Let’s start with the tea. It gives the cake its special taste. Step 1: Warm the milk and water together. You want it nice and hot. Drop in those tea bags and let them have a good, long soak. Squeeze every last drop of flavor out of them. (My hard-learned tip: wrap the bags around a spoon. It keeps your fingers from getting hot!).

Step 2: Get your oven ready. It needs to be at 350°F. Line your muffin tins with pretty cupcake liners. I love using the bright yellow ones for this recipe. It just feels right, like a sunny day.

Step 3: Now for the fun part. Cream the butter and sugar until it’s light and fluffy. It should look like a soft, pale cloud. Add your eggs, one at a time. Then pour in that lovely tea mixture. Doesn’t that smell amazing already? It reminds me of sitting on the porch.

Step 4: In another bowl, whisk your dry ingredients together. Gently mix them into the wet batter. Please, don’t overmix! A few little lumps are just fine. Step 5: Spoon the batter evenly into your liners. Bake for about 22 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the tops spring back at your touch.

Let them cool completely. I know, the waiting is the hardest part! While you wait, make the frosting. Step 6: Cream the butter and shortening. Add the lemon extract and zest. The lemon zest makes all the difference. Then, slowly add the powdered sugar until it’s just right. What’s your favorite frosting flavor? Share below!

Step 7: Now, decorate! Pipe on that sunny frosting. Sprinkle with sparkling sugar. Add a sugared lemon wedge or a cute candy stick. There you have it. A little piece of Southern sunshine in a cupcake.

Cook Time: 22 minutes
Total Time: About 1 hour
Yield: 24 cupcakes
Category: Dessert, Baking

Three Fun Twists to Try

Once you master the basic recipe, you can play around! Here are a few ideas my family loves. They are all so simple and fun.

• Peachy Tea Time: Add tiny, finely chopped peaches to the cupcake batter. It tastes like a perfect summer afternoon.
• Lemonade Stand: Make a glaze instead of frosting. Just mix lemon juice and powdered sugar. Drizzle it over the warm cupcakes.
• Berry Sweet: Stir a handful of fresh raspberries into the batter. They make little juicy surprises in every bite.

Which one would you try first? Comment below! I love hearing your ideas.

Serving Your Sweet Creations

These cupcakes are a treat all on their own. But you can make them extra special. For a party, I like to serve them on a big platter. I arrange them with some real lemon slices and mint leaves. It looks so pretty.

What to drink with them? For the grown-ups, a glass of chilled rosé is just lovely. For everyone, a tall glass of homemade lemonade or, of course, more iced tea! The sweet and tart flavors dance together so well.

Which would you choose tonight? A cool glass of lemonade or a fancy little cupcake all by itself? I think I’d have both.

Keeping Your Cupcakes Fresh

These sweet tea cupcakes stay soft for days. Just keep them in a sealed container on the counter. They are best eaten within three days.

You can freeze them too. Wrap each cooled cupcake tightly in plastic wrap. Then place them all in a freezer bag. They will keep for up to three months.

I once forgot I had a batch in the freezer. Finding them a month later felt like a sweet surprise. Thaw them on the counter for a few hours.

This matters because a good treat should never go to waste. Batch cooking lets you enjoy a little sweetness anytime. Have you ever tried storing cupcakes this way? Share below!

Simple Fixes for Common Problems

Sometimes cupcakes don’t rise nicely. This often happens if your baking powder is old. Check the date on your container before you start.

Your frosting might be too runny. Just add a bit more powdered sugar. If it is too thick, a teaspoon of water will fix it.

I remember when my first cupcakes were dense. I learned not to overmix the batter. Gentle folding keeps them light and tender.

Fixing small problems builds your cooking confidence. It also makes your food taste so much better. Which of these problems have you run into before?

Your Cupcake Questions Answered

Q: Can I make these gluten-free? A: Yes! Use your favorite gluten-free flour blend. The results are just as tender.

Q: Can I make them ahead? A: Absolutely. Bake the cupcakes a day before. Frost them the day you serve.

Q: What can I use instead of shortening? A: Just use all butter. The frosting will be a little softer but still delicious.

Q: Can I halve the recipe? A: You can. Just cut all the ingredients in half. You will get one dozen cupcakes.

Q: Are the garnishes needed? A: No, they are just for fun. A simple sprinkle of sugar looks lovely too. Which tip will you try first?

A Little Note From My Kitchen

I hope you love baking these sweet tea cupcakes. They always remind me of summer afternoons on the porch. Sharing food is a way to share love.

Fun fact: The sugar on top makes them sparkle like sunshine. I would be so happy to see your creations. Have you tried this recipe? Tag us on Pinterest!

Happy cooking!

—Lena Morales.