Matcha Mochi Cupcakes with White Chocolate Frosting

Ween's Birthday Cupcakes

If you like green tea and mochi these cupcakes are for you.  Many thanks to all my friends who suggested places to get the main ingredients: Mochiko and Matcha.  

If you have a Japanese grocery store close by, head there first! You can find Mochiko at some grocery stores and Matcha at Whole Foods, Health Food Stores or Tea Shops, but it's super expensive. I bought culinary grade Matcha.  

Matcha Green Tea Powder

Word of caution.  I always taste the batter before spooning it into the cupcake liners.  This batter will taste gritty.  It’s ok; the cupcakes will have a nice dense texture.  The original recipe called for baking the cupcakes for 30-40 minutes, I think you would have hockey pucks by then so start with 10 minutes and work your way up.  

Matcha Mochi Cupcakes

Makes 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

1 (1 lb) box mochiko
(sweet rice flour)

1 1/4 cups sugar


1 teaspoon baking powder


1 tablespoon matcha
 (green tea powder)

1/8 teaspoon pulverized salt

3 eggs


1 1/2 cups milk


3/4 cup oil

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Whisk all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, and oil.

Add dry ingredients and stir until incorporated.

Spoon batter in a muffin pan lined with baking cups and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Adapted from: http://www.humblebeanblog.com/2009/12/matcha-mochi-cupcakes/

White Chocolate Frosting

Makes about 2 ½ cups

1 cup unsalted butter, softened (premium – European style butter please!)

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/8 teaspoon pulverized salt

8 ounces good quality white chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

1.     Put the chopped white chocolate into a small bowl. Heat the chocolate in 10 or 15 second increments.  Stir after each increment, and continue to heat 10-15 seconds at a time, until the chocolate is melted and smooth.  Set aside and allow to completely cool.

2.     Once white chocolate has cooled, sift the salt and powdered sugar over the butter, in a large bowl. Cream the butter and sugar mixture together until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.

3.     Measure the whipping cream into a cup, and stir in the vanilla bean paste.

4.     With the mixer running on low speed, gradually pour the cream mixture the bowl.  Makes sure to scrape the vanilla bean seeds into the mixer.

5.     Once the cream mixture has been incorporated into the frosting, fold on the melted (but cooled) white chocolate until incorporated.

This makes a medium consistency frosting, which is very spreadable.  For a stiff frosting, add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time.  For thinner consistency, reduce powdered sugar by 1/2 cup. 

Note:

• Don’t use white chocolate chips or candy melts!
• You may want to melt the chocolate using a lower power level on your microwave.
• Use regular butter if you have to but the European style butter just tastes so much better. 
• Make pulverized salt by grinding sea salt in a spice grinder, blender or food processor. Or buy popcorn or pickling salt.

(yes, these are pretty much the same notes as the ones from the butter cream frosting) 

Adapted from : http://comfortablydomestic.com