INGREDIENTS

• Matcha Cupcakes
• • 2 cup cake flour
• • ½ tsp baking powder
• • ¼ tsp baking soda
• • ½ tsp salt
• • 1 Tbsp Aiya Culinary Grade Matcha
• • 1 cup granulated sugar
• • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
• • ¼ cup full-fat plain yogurt, room temperature
• • ¾ cup whole milk
• • 2 egg whites
• • 1 tsp vanilla extract
• • 1 tsp almond extract
• Rose Cream Cheese Frosting
• • ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened and room temperature
• • 8 oz cream cheese, softened and room temperature
• • 24 oz powdered sugar, sifted
• • 1 tsp rose water
• • 1 – 2 Tbsp beet juice (optional, for color only)
• • 1 – 2 Tbsp whole milk ** (only necessary if icing is looking too thick)

DIRECTIONS

• Matcha Cupcakes
• 1. Place an oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with parchment cupcake liners.
• 2. In a medium bowl whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and Matcha. Set aside.
• 3. In another medium bowl, whisk together butter, sugar, yogurt, milk, and both extracts.
• 4. Whisk the dry mix into the wet ingredients and mix just until combined and no lumps remain.
• 5. Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or with a hand-held mixer), beat the egg whites until they form medium peaks. Fold the egg white mixture into the batter until fully incorporated.
• 6. Pour batter evenly into prepared cupcake pan, and bake for 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out crumb-free.
• 7. Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
• Rose Cream Cheese Frosting
• 1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and cream cheese on high speed until fluffy, scraping down the bowl as necessary, about 2 minutes.
• 2. Add powdered sugar ½ cup at a time, beating between each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl.
• 3. Add the rose water and beet juice, and beat to combine, about 30 seconds.
• 4. If frosting is not the desired consistency, add a tsp of whole milk at a time, beating between each addition, until consistency is reached. Beat an additional two minutes to add body to the frosting before transferring it to a piping bag. Decorate cupcakes as desired.