Cupcake. Earl Grey. Hot.

Don't ask for a Riker beard cupcake. Don't.

Okay, maybe not a "hot" cupcake, but a cooled to the touch one. But youknowyouwantit.

Star Trek is brilliant. I'm an TOS one personally, but the series brought so many issues to the forefront without actually doing anything. They had one episode of two men hating each other. They each thought the other was an abomination. Kirk thought this strange. They looked so similar. Both had half a face of black, half a face of white. But, the reason they were so different? So hateful? One had black on his left side. The other on his white. Obviously, that meant they should judge the other.

During the sixties? Ohhhh man, that was a powerful message. Great stuff.

Anyway, these cupcakes are wonderful. Fluffy as can be, and since the Earl Grey flavor is just soooooo strong, the cream cheese in the icing smooths it out beautifully. Very balance. I'd suggest you'd eat it. Noms.

I like the one with the hole. It's like it's mouth is saying "Heybaby". 

Look how fluffy these fellas are! You can see the specks in them too. They're basically cakey muffins, but they're purrrrfect.

mmmm...icing

Did you know that Pint glasses are the perfect icing bag holder? When you're with a beer lover such as myself you have enough beer glasses to be sick of it. We don't have water glasses, we have pints. There are so many that we've replaced them. Crazy!

hah, it has mustache! 

I grabbed this recipe form ohsoverypretty. I haven't looked at that blog before, but it produced some good results!

Earl Grey Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Yields 16

For the cupcake

3/4 cup granulated sugar

4 Earl Grey tea bags

1 3/4 cups cake flour, not self-rising

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/3 cup low-fat sour cream

1/4 cup canola oil or vegetable oil

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

2/3 cup (160 ml) whole or 2% milk

For the frosting

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup cream cheese (1 package)

Confectionary sugar

Pink sprinkles (optional)

For the cupcake

1. Start off with heating the milk in your microwave. About 45s to 1 minute would work.

2. Place the 4 tea bags in the milk and let it steep for 30 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 F . In a bowl, mix the cake flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

4. Cream the butter and sugar in a separate bowl and then add it to the flour mixture.

5. Beat in eggs, vanilla extract, sour cream and vegetable oil until smooth.

6. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture until just combined. Add the tea-milk mixture slowly until just combined.

7. Line your cupcake pan.

8. Fill your cupcake liners until they are half-full – don’t follow the picture!

9. Bake for 15 minutes and do the toothpick test. If not, put them back in the oven for another 2 minutes.

10. Transfer them onto a cooling rack. Let them cool prior to adding frosting.

For the frosting

1. Cream butter and cream cheese.

2. Slowly add confectionary sugar until you are satisfied with the taste. ( I also added some heavy whipping cream) 

3. Fill a frosting bag with some frosting (remember not to fill it to the brim!), and pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.

4. Finish the cupcakes off by eating them!