Green Tea Buttercream

I made Erin’s baby shower cake last week from a cake mix. I had so much going on that there was no way I was comfortable having to think. I did doctor the mix up quite a bit for flavor but I was more concerned about the look of it than the flavor. If you missed the pictures from the shower here is the cake:

The cake. It wasn't so difficult.

I didn’t want just “a cake” beneath all of that cool decor, though.

I decided to do alternating layers of cake, green tea butter cream, and cherry buttercream. Since it was 100 degrees I chose to use Crisco and confectioner’s sugar to be sure the cake held. Then I forgot to get pictures of the inside. Kelly at Evil Shenanigans took pictures of the pitiful leftover cake I brought to her house after the shower.

I used Numi Mate` Lemon for the green tea flavor. It is an organic blend of Yerba Mate, Chun Mee green tea, and Lemon Myrtle. The flavor was bright and complex and added the perfect touch to the cake. It was a big hit, everyone loved it. Imagine if I had made it with real, European style buttercream?

Anyway, this is great with almond, would be incredible on a citrus cake, or even a carrot cake.

Green Tea Buttercream

• Three teabags of Numi Mate Lemon Green tea
• 1/4 cup water-brought just to the boil
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon rind, grated
• 1 cup white Crisco
• 4 cups confectioners
• 1 tsp clear vanilla
• Pinch of salt
• Green food coloring if desired

1. Steep tea in the water for three minutes. Remove bags.
2. Allow tea to cool completely.
3. Mix Crisco with salt and confectioner’s at low speed. Add vanilla.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of the tea and beat well. Add another tablespoon or two if necessary for the correct consistency.
5. Add green food coloring as desired.
6. That’s it! It isn’t difficult at all and it is delicious, with faint lemon flavor and bright green tea top notes.

About 2 cups

image:marye audet

image:numi tea