Soft and Fluffy Cupcakes (Two Flavors: Chocolate and Black tea)

Ingredients

12 pieces

• 4 Eggs
• 53g All purpose Flour
• 13g Corn starch
• 40g Vegetable oil
• 60g Milk / Soy milk
• 66g Sugar

Chocolate flavor

• 16g Cocoa powder

Black tea flavor

• 16g Corn starch (in addition to 13g above)
• 1 Tea bag + 1 tsp Loose leaf tea (Or 2 tea bags)
• For the loose leaf tea, I used Assam tea from the brand Ahmad tea, but you can substitute with your favorite tea
• For the tea bag, you'd want one with super fine leaves ("tea dust"). Typical breakfast tea bags from ordinary brands will do. Avoid ones that have large whole leaves.

Steps

1. Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks into separate mixing bowls
2. Add sugar to the egg whites, 1/3 at a time. Beat until soft peaks form.
3. In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients with the vegetable oil and mix well
4. Add egg yolks to the dry ingredients and mix well
5. If making black tea flavor:
1. Add the loose leaf tea or one tea tag to the milk, and heat it up to a simmer. Stir the tea to extract the flavors, and steep for 5 minutes. Strain the milk tea mixture.
2. Cut open the remaining tea bag and add the small tea leaves to the batter
6. Add the milk / milk tea to the egg yolk mixture and mix well.
7. Fold the beaten egg whites into the egg yolk mixture, 1/3 at a time.
8. Pour the batter into 2-inch sized muffin pan or cupcake tins.
9. Preheat the oven to 320ºF and bake for 20 mins with a hot water bath.
10. After 20 mins, increase the temperature to 355ºF and bake for another 15 mins.
11. After 15 mins, test the cupcake with a toothpick to see if it is fully cooked.
12. Once cooked, remove the water bath and bake another 5 minutes at 355ºF to remove the excess moisture.
13. Let the cupcake sit on the counter for 5 minutes before serving.