Earl Grey Tea Cake Recipe

Earl Grey tea cake is a quintessential treat that's bursting with flavour. It's the perfect accompaniment to a warm cuppa on a chilly afternoon or a refreshing iced tea on a sunny day.

Let’s set the mood for it now - picture this: a delicate slice of cake that's moist, fluffy and infused with the unmistakable aroma of earl grey tea. The tea leaves are finely ground and mixed into the batter, imparting a subtle yet distinct flavour that tantalizes the taste buds.

This is the kind of cake that you bring to a good ol' Aussie arvo tea, where you sit on the verandah with a few mates and enjoy a chat and a laugh. And if you’re in a mood, our Earl grey tea cake recipe is here for you.

What Is Earl Grey Tea Cake?

Earl Grey tea cake is a delicious and unique dessert that combines the delicate and distinct flavours of Earl Grey tea with a classic cake recipe. The Earl grey tea cake is typically soft and moist with the subtle bergamot citrus notes of Earl Grey tea.

To begin with, it’s made like a regular cake but sometime during the process, a good dose of earl Grey tea is added. This gives the earl grey tea cake that distinctive aroma and flavour. It’s then baked until golden brown and fragrant. What comes out is a soft and moist Earl grey tea cake. Let’s dive into the earl grey cake recipe for details.

How To Make Earl Grey Cake?

If that quick rundown makes you think that making this beauty is a piece of cake, you may be right! It's time to get stuck into the scrumptious Earl Grey tea cake recipe!

Ingredients:

For the Earl grey tea cake:

• 3 eggs
• 120 ml milk
• 200 gm sugar
• 1/4^th tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 Earl grey tea bags
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 200 g all-purpose flour
• 120 gm unsalted butter, softened

For the Earl grey tea cake icing:

• 200 gm icing sugar
• 70 gm unsalted butter, softened
• 1 Earl Grey tea bag
• 15ml or 1 tbsp milk

Instructions:

Step one: Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan-forced oven) or 160°C if it’s gas oven. Grease and line two 20cm round cake tins with baking paper.

Step two: Let’s get started with tea by heating the milk in a small saucepan. Turn off the heat once it’s simmering. Now steep two of the Earl Grey tea bags in it for about half an hour.

Step three: Chuck the butter and sugar in a bowl and give it a good mix using an electric mixer. Do this until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy. and then add one egg at a time. Beat it well and make sure all the ingredients combine well. Repeat this for the remaining two eggs also. Remember to scrape the sides of the bowl from time to time.

Step four: Next, get the dry mix ready by sifting the flour, baking powder and salt into a separate bowl. This’ll be used in a bit.

Step five: Chuck in the Earl grey tea leaves from two tea bags and 1/3^rd of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Now add half of the infused milk. Ensure they’re combined well. Add 1/3^rd of the dry mixture again followed by the remaining ½ of the milk along with vanilla extract. And gently fold in the remaining dry ingredients. Ensure they’re completely combined.

Step six: Time to use the cake tins that you prepare earlier. Pour the batter into them and bake for 35-40 minutes. You’ll notice that the batter turns golden brown, as it gets done.

Step seven: Use the baking time to prepare the icing. Beat the butter and icing sugar together until smooth and creamy. Set it aside. Then heat the milk in a small saucepan until simmering. Now steep 1 Earl Grey tea bag in the hot milk for about 5-10 minutes. You can squeeze out the tea bag and add the infused milk to the butter mixture. Beat until well combined.

Step eight: Go over to your oven and check if the Earl grey tea cakes are baked. If they’re done, remove them from the oven and let them cool down for 10-15 minutes. They may take longer to cool completely.

Step nine: It’s icing time - place a cake on a serving plate. Use a spatula to spread the icing on top of the cake. Then place the second cake over the icing and repeat the icing.

Step ten: That’s it. Now chuck a slice of the Earl grey tea cake onto a plate and dig in or store in the fridge for later. Such a treat goes fast but if you must store it, one or two days in the fridge is fine.

What Does Earl Grey Tea Cake Taste Like?

Earl grey tea cake is a delightfully fragrant and light cake with a subtle hint of bergamot citrus, thanks to the Earl grey tea infusion. It has a delicate sweetness and a fluffy texture that is perfect for a morning or afternoon tea treat. The floral notes of the tea provide a unique twist to the classic vanilla cake. This creates a harmonious blend of flavours that’s both comforting and invigorating.

The Earl grey tea cake is a visual delight as well. If you take a closer look, you can see the tiny speckles of black tea leaves scattered throughout the cake, a testament to the authenticity of the recipe.

Secret Tips to Make Perfect Earl Grey Tea Cake

Curdling: The butter and sugar mixture may start to curdle after the third egg is added. To prevent that from happening, you may add 1-2 tablespoons of flour along with the third egg.

Oven temperature: Preheating the oven to the correct temperature is very important or else the cake may not rise well.

Add air to mixture: Mixing the butter and sugar mixture well adds air and volume to your mixture, ultimately resulting in a lighter and fluffier Earl grey tea cake.

Prevent Overbrowning: If the top of the Earl grey tea cake is getting a bit too brown too fast, you can simply pop some alfoil over it during the second half of the baking period. 

FAQs on Earl Grey Cake Recipe

Q. can you use earl grey tea bags for baking?

A. Absolutely! Using Earl Grey tea bags to infuse milk is a fantastic way to get that distinct bergamot flavour into your Earl grey tea cake. As the strength of the infusion’s flavour depends on the number of tea bags used, just make sure you get that right in your Earl grey cake recipe.

Q. what flavours go with earl grey?

A. Earl Grey pairs well with a variety of other flavours – including lemon, lavender, vanilla and even chocolate. The citrus notes in the tea complement the tanginess of lemon, while lavender and vanilla enhance the tea's floral and sweet undertones. Chocolate is also a delicious pairing that adds a rich touch.

Q. how to make your earl grey cake spongy?

A. To make your Earl grey cake spongy, make sure to cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Also incorporate the dry ingredients and infused milk in stages. Not directly related to the sponginess of the Earl grey tea cake, but you’ll do well by avoiding over-mixing its batter as that may result in a chewy texture.

Q. what are the ingredients needed to make earl grey tea cake?

A. Earl grey tea cake is made using eggs, all-purpose flour milk, butter, sugar, baking powder, salt, Darjeeling earl grey tea bags and vanilla extract. For a variation of the base Earl grey cake recipe, try using other ingredients also like orange zest or chocolate. Speaking of variations, you may also want to try the cinnamon tea cake or the carrot cake recipe.