This Lady is Baking (with tea!)

By Shannon Scales

One of my favourite parts of my job is getting to develop recipes that can be infused with Lady Baker’s Tea. I have always loved baking and getting to combine that with my passion for tea is a real treat. Over the past few weeks I have been experimenting with adding tea to scones, glazes, cookies, cupcakes and biscotti as well as some specialty drinks that really elevate your standard cup of tea.

Today, while I sip a cup of Lady's Slipper Blend, I am testing out a recipe I have been developing for Cream Earl Grey and Lavender Cupcakes with a Cream Earl Grey Swiss Buttercream frosting. It is a beautiful, sunshiny morning, perfect for baking these decadent, fluffy and divine confections. Did I mention that I love my job?

When they’re ready, I will hopefully find a moment to take one of these mini cupcakes to my favourite chair with a hot mug of tea (I’ll pair it with Vanilla Almond Rooibos, a caffeine free tea with a natural sweetness to enhance the dessert experience), and my current book on the go, Alice in Wonderland. The beloved children’s fairy tale takes you down the rabbit hole to a world of talking cats and, most fitting, mad tea parties. I have taken to reading this classic fairytale from interest sparked by a piece I am currently singing with my beloved Sirens Women’s Ensemble, called Alice by Sarah Quartel. When I am not working for Lady Baker’s Tea, I am usually singing! You would be hard pressed to find me singing without a mug of Lady Baker’s Tea to soothe my voice and keep me hydrated. My go-to teas that keep my voice happy and warmed, are the smooth and delicately floral, Jasmine and Flower green tea and Abegweit Lullaby with it’s soothing valerian root and refreshing peppermint. There is no doubt that tea and singing go hand in hand. Come to think of it, I am struggling to think of any aspect of my life that doesn’t go well with tea! Did I mention that I love tea?

When I complete a recipe and am happy with it, it has a special place inside our monthly subscription boxes. Each month you will find one of these recipe cards tucked away ready to be paired up with one of the 3 teas you receive. Here at Lady Baker’s, we get very excited when we can find even more ways to incorporate tea into our lives!

So here is a little glimpse into the wonderful world of our subscription recipes: 

Preheat oven to 350° F. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, lavender, and salt. Set aside. Steep Cream Earl Grey Tea in milk heated to a soft boil on stove for 3-4 minutes. Strain the tea and set milk aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium until fluffy. Add sugar, honey, and vanilla; beat until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to bowl, beating on low speed. Spoon batter into lined muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and let cool completely on wire racks. Pipe or spread with buttercream frosting. If desired, sprinkle with additional lavender.

Makes 24-30 mini cupcakes or 12 regular cupcakes.

Cream Earl Grey Swiss Buttercream Frosting:

• 3 egg whites, room temp
• 3 cups icing sugar
• 1 & 1/2 cups butter, room temp
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp cream earl grey tea
• 1/4 cup boiling water

Steep tea in boiling water for 3-5 mins and remove tea. Combine egg whites, tea, and icing sugar in a stand mixer until just combined on low. Stop mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl. Mix on medium speed for 5 minutes. Turn mixer down to low speed and add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Add vanilla. Stop mixer and scrape down bottom and sides before returning to medium speed for 10 minutes. Frosting will be light and fluffy when you're done! Leave as is, or add a little food colouring as desired.

It’s the beginning of March and while my head should know better, my heart is crying out for spring. You can kind of smell it in the air (if you really try) and when the sun pops out from behind the clouds, you are filled with hope that spring is just around the corner. Why, this Sunday we get to spring our clocks ahead! Spring is coming! And with a spring in our step, the Lady Baker’s team bounces forward into the coming months with many exciting projects.

March brings with it a holiday that we couldn’t resist with it’s celebration of a vivid, rich culture and all things green. I am talking about St. Patrick’s day! Lift up your mug in celebration of the colourful, rich Irish culture with these 4 full bodied, smooth green teas in our new featured product, the Luck o’ the Irish. You will also find tea tips, filters and our new energizing Matcha Green Tea Smoothie recipe inside. Along with Matcha, you will receive Gunpowder Green Explosion, Organic Island Strawberry, and Organic Sencha Cherry. Fill your mug and help us give a toast to our Irish tea drinkers out there! Sláinte!