Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp pure almond extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup ice cold water
- 2 large egg whites at room temperature
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
For the green tea frosting:
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1 tbsp plus 1 teas matcha powder
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter soft but still cool, cut into small cubes
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
For The Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Line two cupcake tins with paper liners.
- With your food processor, pulse the almond slices until they are nothing more then a fine powder. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and shortening together until creamy.
- Add the sugar, vanilla, and almond extract and beat until fluffy.
- Scrape down the sides and add the egg and mix.
- Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture alternating with the ice water.
- Scrape down the sides and bottom and mix for 20 seconds longer to make sure everything is combined.
- Pour batter into a large bowl and clean out mixing bowl well.
- With your whisk attachment and clean mixing bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gently fold into the batter.
- Divide batter evenly among the cupcake tins filling each 2/3 full.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through bake time. Cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool in pan for 20 minutes before turning out to cool completely.
Make the icing:
- In a medium saucepan, whisk the flour, sugar, and matcha powder together.
- Add the milk and cream and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture comes to a boil and has thickened. This takes about 20 minutes from start to finish - make sure to stir often in the last 5 minutes.
- Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into the bowl of your electric mixture.
- Beat on high until cool (This is the first time I have made this technique work for me. I let the flour cool a bit in the pan before adding it to the mixing bowl and then mixed for a good 30 minutes without touching it. Patience young grasshopper).
- Reduce speak to low and add the butter; mix until thoroughly combined. Increase the speed to high and beat until light and fluffy.
- Add in the vanilla and mix.
- Frost cupcakes as desired with either a spatula, spoon, or pastry bag and tip.
Notes
from Baked