Green Tea Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream

These naturally green cupcakes are full of green tea flavor balanced with soft, milk chocolate buttercream and dark chocolate drizzle!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword green tea cupcakes, green tea desserts, matcha desserts

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 15

Total Time 1

Servings cupcakes

Calories 198kcal

Author Lauren

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mix together cake flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and matcha powder.
In a separate bowl mix milk and vegetable oil. Set mixer on low speed while adding wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Bring to medium speed and beat for two minutes.
Add vanilla and eggs, beat on medium for an additional 2 minutes, stopping halfway to scrape down the bowl if needed.
Fill cupcake liners halfway with batter. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.

In a heat proof bowl, melt milk chocolate chips over a pan of just simmering water. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together cocoa powder and water.
Beat together butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add cocoa and water mixture and beat for 1 minute until incorporated, scraping down the side of the mixing bowl.
Add the
cooled
melted chocolate to the mixing bowl and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until fully incorporated. Frosting will be light and slightly soft.
Transfer frosting to a piping bag or large plastic storage bag with tip removed. Frost the cupcakes and set inside refrigerator for 10 minutes.
While frosting hardens slightly, use the same procedure as for the milk chocolate chips and melt the dark chocolate in a clean bowl. Set aside to cool then transfer to a small plastic storage bag or small piping bag. Cut just a tiny portion of the tip off. Remove the cupcakes from the refrigerator and drizzle with the melted dark chocolate.

You can melt the chocolate using the stovetop or microwave, just follow these directions. Though it requires more effort, I find the stovetop is much more forgiving.
This frosting is light, fluffy, and relies more on chocolate than sugar for sweetness, therefore frosting is a touch softer than traditional buttercream. If traveling, refrigerate the cupcakes just enough to slightly harden so the frosting is set.