Matcha Cupcake

I've always been a great fan of Matcha. Matcha Latte is one of my favourite drinks. Having tried several types of flavour of tea in my cupcakes, it was natural to try Matcha cupcakes.
The recipe is the same as the one for Earl Grey Cupcakes, except I replaced the earl grey tea with matcha powder. Here it is again for your reference. This recipe made 15 tiny cupcakes.

Ingredients:

100g butter

95g caster sugar

1.5 small eggs 

82g self-raising flour

Pinch of fine salt

1/4 cup fresh milk

2 drops of vanilla extract (optional)

8-10 teaspoons of matcha powder (best to just eye-ball it. You want a pale but obviously green batter)

Equipment:

Stiff cupcake liners (important that they are the stiff ones if you use the air fryer).

Air fryer / oven

Electronic Beater (unless you are an expert with the whisk)

Method:

1. Leave butter and eggs to thaw to room temperature. The butter should be a little soft to touch (like the fleshy part below your thumb). Cut it up into loose chunks. 

2. Stir the dry ingredients (including the matcha powder) together and set aside.
3. With a beater, cream butter for a while to make it creamy. Cream butter and sugar into a nice pale, yellow, creamy consistency. Add eggs a bit at a time, beating after each addition. Add vanilla essence if using.

4. Mix in dry ingredients alternately with milk, starting with the flour mixture and ending with the flour. I used the mixer on the lowest speed to do this. But if you want to ensure it is very fluffy, fold in with a spatula instead. The mixture should be a nice pouring consistency (but not too watery). 

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes in the Airfryer at 160 degrees Celsius. Use a tooth pick to poke the cupcake in the middle after 10 - 15 minutes to allow the air to "escape" a little as the Airfryer cooks it pretty fast. It should still be wet in the middle at this point. 

6. Cupcakes should be about done when it shrinks from the side a little after 20 minutes. Test with toothpick again. It should come out either clean and dry or with nice crumbs. If the top hasn't brown at this moment, turn up temperature to 180 and bake for another 3-5 minutes. Check regularly to prevent charring it. Note: If you use an oven, the proposed setting and timing is 175 degrees Celsius for 40 minutes.