Quick & Easy Tea Infused Dessert

I am back from the pu-erh class and was motivated by a conversation while at the class about the many ways to incorporate tea into our meals -for enhanced flavor and to add unique characteristics. At The Hill Tea Bar we regularly carry artisan pastries that have tea fusions such as jasmine green tea muffins or earl grey tea cakes but I wondered how easy it would be to add tea flavor to cakes or muffins made at home (I apologize in advance to the baking purists) from box mixes. The answer is that it is very easy- when making a cake or muffins from a box mix simply replace the water required for the recipe with a double-strong brewed tea of your choice (cooled of course). I tested this with a box carrot cake mix and added strongly brewed chai instead of the water called for in the recipe. I was shocked at how delicious the cake turned out- and I definitely tasted the spicy chai in every bite. I tested the cake out on my finicky family and they were shocked that it came from a box; the chai added a unique flavor that took it up a notch. Give it a try! I am going to try orange oolong tea in the cupcakes I will be making for my son this week.