Milk Tart Cupcakes: A Sweet Treat to Unwind in an Instant

As the year draws to a close, life tends to pick up its pace. Between holiday preparations, year-end deadlines and the general hustle and bustle, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. However, there’s a simple joy in taking a moment for yourself in the form of a good home bake. Whether you’re a masterchef in the kitchen, a bake-off pro or in that creative foodie mood, we’ve got a lekker sweet treat that encapsulates the spirit of unwinding in an instant – Milk tart cupcakes. With hints of cinnamon aromas and flavours of peak South African nostalgia, these delectable, melt-in-your-mouth treats are simply bliss.

So, pour yourself a glass of Tant Sannie se Melktert liqueur and get ready to unwind with our milk tart cupcakes – this recipe is without a doubt a keeper!

Milk Tart Cupcakes Recipe

Ingredients

For the cinnamon sugar swirl:

  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

For the Milk Tart Cupcakes:

  • 1 ½ cups (195g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons (84g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil
  • 1 cup (207g) sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla essence
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¾ cup (180ml) Tant Sannie se Melktert

For the cinnamon sugar icing:

  • 1 ¼ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 5 cups (575g) icing sugar
  • 2 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
  • 2 – 3 tablespoons Tant Sannie se Melktert
  • Pinch of salt

How to Make the Cupcakes:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and prepare a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
  2. Combine the sugar and cinnamon for the cinnamon sugar swirl in a small bowl and set aside.
  3. For the milk tart cupcakes, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
  4. Add the butter, oil, sugar and vanilla essence to a large mixer bowl and beat together until light in colour and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes).
  5. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until mostly combined after each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
  6. Add half of the dry ingredients to the milk tart cupcakes mixture and mix until mostly combined.
  7. Slowly add the Tant Sannie se Melktert and mix until well combined (The mixture may look a little curdled, but that’s okay!)
  8. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined and smooth.
  9. Fill the cupcake liners with the mixture (about 1 tablespoon) and add the sweet treat cinnamon swirl (about ¼ a teaspoon).
  10. Add two more layers of milk tart cupcakes mixture and cinnamon swirl, for a total of three layers of mixture and three layers of cinnamon swirl.
  11. Top the milk tart cupcakes with about half a tablespoon of mixture.
  12. Bake for 15-18 minutes, and then allow the cupcakes to cool on a cooling rack.

How to Make the Icing For the Cupcakes:

  1. Add the butter to a large bowl and beat until smooth.
  2. Add about half of the icing sugar and mix until smooth and well combined.
  3. Add the cinnamon, vanilla essence, 1-2 tablespoons of Tant Sannie se Melktert and the salt. Mix until well combined.
  4. Add the remaining icing sugar and mix until smooth.
  5. Ass additional milk or water as needed to get the right consistency.
  6. Pipe the icing onto the milk tart cupcakes and sprinkle with any remaining cinnamon swirl.

Whether you enjoy them in solitude, with loved ones at home, or share them at a braai, these milk tart cupcakes are the perfect reminder that sometimes, the best way to unwind is through the simple pleasure of a homemade sweet treat. So, get your ingredients together, turn on your oven, pour yourself a glass of Tant Sannie se Melktert liqueur and let the baking begin – because you deserve it!