The moonshine and sweet tea cupcakes have a strong tea flavor. The moonshine lends a light alcohol finish with slightly fruity notes from the strawberry.
1/2cup4 ounces tea butter from above, room temperature
1 1/2cupssugar
1 3/4cupsall-purpose flour
1 1/2teaspoonsbaking powder
1/2teaspoonbaking soda
1/2teaspoonsalt
2large eggs
1/2cupStrawberry Midnight Moonother brands/flavors of moonshine would also work
2/3cupwater
Strawberries from inside the jar of Midnight Moonchopped finely (If you aren't using Strawberry Midnight Moon, you could leave this step off or make your moonshine strawberries by soaking 9 strawberries in moonshine overnight.)
In a small saucepan, melt the butter on medium heat until just melted.
Add the tea leaves.
Continue heating the mixture for about 5 minutes on low heat.
Remove from the heat and allow to stand for another 5 minutes or until the butter is discernibly tinted by the tea leaves.
Pour the mixture through a fine sieve, pressing hard on the tea leaves and then discarding them. You will undoubtedly end up with some butter that you can't get off of the leaves. I encourage you to press as hard as you can, but not to obsess about lost butter - it's for a good cause and you don't need a full cup of butter for this recipe.
Let the butter cool to room temperature before using it in the cake and frosting.
Cupcake Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat tea butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Mix in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Mix in eggs, one at a time.
Mix in midnight moon, a little bit at a time.
Mix in water.
Fold in strawberries.
Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out dry.
Frosting Directions
Beat tea butter and butter in a medium-sized mixing bowl until light and fluffy (about three minutes on high speed).