Ginger Cupcake with Matcha Buttercream

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Start to finish: 1 hour 30 minutes

Makes: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1½ cups brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1½ cups whole milk
3 cups flour
¼ cup crystallized ginger, minced

For the buttercream:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon matcha tea powder

Method
For the cupcakes:
Heat oven to 350 F and fill 2 cupcake pans with paper liners. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Beat in the eggs, yolks and vanilla before scraping down the bowl edges. Add in baking powder, baking soda, salt and ground ginger and beat to combine. Add in the milk and flour in 3 parts, ending with the flour, until fully combined. Stir in crystallized ginger.

Scoop ¼ cup batter into each liner in the prepared pan. Bake 22–24 minutes or until tops are slightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle.

Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before placing each cupcake on a rack to cool completely before frosting.

For the buttercream:
Add butter and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on high until fully combined, about 5 minutes.

Scrape down the bowl and add in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, cream and matcha powder. Beat until fully combined and fluffy — about 1 minute. 

Frost completely cooled cupcakes with a pastry bag or offset spatula.