These cozy London Fog cupcakes are single serve versions of my beloved London Fog cake recipe! They are super soft and moist, infused with Earl Grey tea, and full of black tea vanilla flavor. You can make them with loose leaf Earl Grey tea or use tea bags to get the perfect flavor in both the cupcakes and the Earl Grey buttercream they’re topped with. And while the flavor is a bit sophisticated, even my five year old loves them and tried to sneak off with one during this photoshoot. I took it as a great sign!
What is a London Fog?
A traditional London Fog drink is a cozy tea latte made with Earl Grey tea, vanilla syrup, and steamed milk. Since the base is Earl Grey tea, the primary notes are black tea and bergamot. Sometimes lavender is added as a complimentary flavor, which is why I chose it as a garnish.
London Fog Cupcake Ingredients & Substitutions
These London Fog cupcakes are super soft and moist, such a delightful blend of black tea vanilla flavor, and a joy to eat. The ingredients list is similar to the layer cake version, but slightly altered to create the perfect cupcakes (mainly, I omitted the baking soda to create a better rise). Here are the key ingredients and substitutions you can make if needed:
- Earl Grey tea. This is the base flavor of these cupcakes, used to infuse the milk portions of the cupcakes and buttercream. You can use loose leaf Earl Grey tea or cut open an Earl Grey tea bag and measure the tea accordingly. Keep in mind that if you use loose leaf Earl Grey, you’ll need to grind or chop it finely for whisking into the dry ingredients.
- Whole milk. I almost exclusively use whole milk for my cake and cupcake recipes because it has the highest amount of fat (second only to buttermilk) which yields a rich texture in the cupcakes and smooth consistency in the buttercream. You can substitute this for any other kind of milk, but whole milk is my recommendation for best results.
- Cake flour. Since it has the lowest protein content and is much finer than all-purpose flour, cake flour makes these cupcakes extra soft and fluffy. If you don’t have access to cake flour, you can make a homemade version using all-purpose (or plain) flour. The instructions are in the notes section of the recipe below. Keep in mind that if you do make homemade cake flour, it will weigh more than cake flour since all-purpose flour is heavier. If you’re measuring by weight, go with 180g of homemade cake flour instead of the 140g of store bought cake flour.
- Baking powder. This is the only leavening agent used in this recipe. I originally had baking soda in the ingredients list because it’s important in the layer cake version of this recipe, but after lots of testing, I had better rise with baking powder alone.
- Unsalted butter. I use unsalted butter as a base for the cupcakes and the buttercream. If you only have salted butter on hand, simply omit the salt from the recipe. The cupcakes may end up a tad saltier than intended, but you’ll be fine.
- Granulated sugar. Not only does this sweeten the cupcakes, it also contributes to the soft crumb.
- Egg + egg white. The extra egg white gives this cupcake just the right amount of structure and lift.
- Sour cream. This is the key to creating a super moist crumb and rich flavor. If you don’t have sour cream locally, you can substitute it for an equal amount of plain yogurt or creme fraiche.
- Pure vanilla extract. For the perfect vanilla flavor to compliment the Earl Grey and make it taste like a London Fog in cupcake form!
How to Make London Fog Cupcakes
Here’s how to make these cupcakes from start to finish:
Step 1: Make the Earl Grey milk. Add the milk and Earl Grey tea into a saucepan and bring it to a boil, then remove it from the heat and let it steep for about 20 minutes. Then, strain out the tea and let the Earl Grey milk cool to room temperature.
Reserve 2 Tablespoons of the Earl Grey milk for the buttercream recipe and set it aside before making the cupcake batter.
Step 2: Combine the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted cake flour, baking powder, Earl Grey tea, and salt.
Step 3: Make the cupcake batter. Cream together the butter and sugar, mix in the egg and egg white, then beat in the sour cream and vanilla.
Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix them in on low speed. When they just begin to combine, start drizzling in the Earl Grey milk and continue mixing until combined.
Step 4: Bake the cupcakes. Scoop or spoon the London Fog cupcake batter into a lined cupcake pan and fill the liners no more than ⅔ full. Bake at 350ºF for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Step 5: Make the Earl Grey buttercream. Make the Earl Grey buttercream as instructed in the recipe card below, using the 2 Tablespoons of reserved Earl Grey milk to flavor the buttercream.
Step 6: Decorate the London Fog cupcakes. Frost the cooled cupcakes with the Earl Grey buttercream and enjoy! To create the look pictured, add the Earl Grey buttercream into a piping bag fitted with Wilton Tip 1M and pipe a swirl onto each cupcake before sprinkling on a little culinary lavender.
Similar Recipes You’ll Love
Here are some similar tea-infused cake recipes that can easily be made as cupcakes if you want! Simply fill the cupcake tins no more than ⅔ full and bake at 350ºF (177ºC) for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. I also included my favorite vanilla cupcakes on this list because everyone needs a good recipe for those in their back pocket:
- Spiced Vanilla Chai Cake
- London Fog Cake
- Vanilla Cupcakes
- Golden Milk Latte Cake
- Spiced Chai Pumpkin Cake
I hope you love these London Fog cupcakes as much as I do! Let me know if you make them in the comments below and feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram to show me if you post a photo. I love to see what you create with my recipes!
London Fog Cupcakes
Ingredients
Earl Grey Milk
- 3/4 Cups (180ml) whole milk
- 2 tsp Earl Grey tea loose leaf or one tea bag
London Fog Cupcakes
- 1 1/3 Cups (140g) sifted cake flour* DIY recipe in notes
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Earl Grey tea, finely ground or cut open a tea bag
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 Cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 Cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg white, room temperature
- 2 Tbsp (30g) sour cream, room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 Cup (120ml) Earl Grey milk, room temperature (recipe above)
Earl Grey Buttercream
- 1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 1/2 Cups (420g) powdered sugar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp (30ml) Earl Grey Milk, room temperature (recipe above)
- pinch of salt, or to taste
Garnish (optional)
- 3 Tbsp dried culinary lavender
Instructions
Make the Earl Grey Milk
- Add the milk and Earl Grey tea into a small saucepan set over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn the heat off and steep for 10 minutes. Use a fine mesh sieve to strain the tea leaves from the milk and be sure to press all the liquid out from the leaves.
- After straining, reserve 2 Tbsp (30ml) of the Earl Grey milk for the buttercream recipe. After this, you should be left with 1/2 Cup (120ml) of Earl Grey milk for the cupcake recipe. If you end up with less, top it up with more whole milk to measure out 1/2 Cup (120ml) exactly. If you end up with more, discard the extra Earl Grey milk and measure out exactly 1/2 Cup. Let the Earl Grey milk cool to room temperature before using it in the recipes.
Make the London Fog Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177ºF). Line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
- Add the cake flour, baking powder, finely ground Earl Grey tea (you can also measure out the contents of a tea bag for this), and salt into a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at high speed for about 2 minutes, until it is creamy. Add the sugar and mix the ingredients at medium-high speed for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl and paddle at the halfway point. Decrease the mixer’s speed to low and add the egg and egg white, mixing until they are just combined and scraping the bowl and paddle as needed. Add the sour cream and vanilla, increase the mixer’s speed to high and beat the ingredients for 1 minute.
- With the mixer in the off position, add in the dry ingredients all at once. Turn the mixer to low speed and mix until just combined, then add the (room temperature!) Earl Grey milk mixture in a slow steady steam and mix until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and give it a few stirs to make sure there are no lumps. The batter will be slightly thick.
- Use a cookie scoop or spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake pan and fill the liners no more than 2/3 full. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until they spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and let them cool on a wire rack until they're room temperature.
Make the Earl Grey Buttercream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (a hand mixer works fine too!), cream the butter on medium-high until it’s creamy and light in color, about 5 minutes.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar a few cups at a time, scraping down after each addition and making sure each cup is fully incorporated before adding the next one. Add the Earl Grey milk, vanilla, and salt. Continue mixing on low speed until fully combined and smooth, scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed.
Assembly
- Once the London Fog cupcakes are completely cool, frost them with the Earl Grey buttercream. To create the look pictured, add the Earl Grey buttercream into a piping bag fitted with Wilton Tip 1M and pipe a swirl onto each cupcake before sprinkling on a little culinary lavender.
Notes
- The Earl Grey milk can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days ahead. Bring it back to room temperature when you’re ready to use it in the cake and buttercream recipes.
- The London Fog cupcakes can be baked ahead and stored at room temperature, covered, for up to two days. I like to cool the cupcakes on a wire rack, then store them back in the cupcake pan and cover it with plastic wrap. Alternatively you can store the cupcakes in the freezer for up to two months.
- The Earl Grey buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-mix in your stand mixer to bring it back to smooth buttercream consistency.
I made 40 of these cupcakes in preparation for a bridal shower, and they are incredible!! Soft, fluffy, and a delicate vanilla/early grey flavour. Truly amazing, I had to stop myself from eating all of them.
Yay, Carla!! That makes me so happy to hear these were such a hit.