Matcha Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line your cupcake pans with paper liners.
2. In a small bowl, sift your dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, and matcha powder. Set aside.
3. In a electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat your butter until smooth. Add in the sugar and beat again until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Add in the eggs one at a time until each one is fully incorporated. Add almond extract.
4. Add in the dry ingredients and milk in 3 batches, alternating between the two until all is incorporated.
5. Fill your cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake at 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream

1. Melt the white chocolate over a double broiler and stir constantly until it has completely melted. Do not allow the chocolate to get too hot and be sure no moisture gets into the melted chocolate or it could seize up (become grainy, very thick and unworkable).
2. Using an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Gradually add cooled white chocolate and beat until well incorporated and smooth.
3. Add butter and lemon juice; beat well until fully incorporated and fluffy.
4. Pipe each cupcake and drizzle with chocolate!