While I’m passionate about healthy eating, every now and then it’s necessary to indulge! A birthday party is the perfect occasion for a treat, so when celebrating Jamisen’s birthday, I decided to make a “grown up cake” in additional to the store-bought, sugar-filled tractor cake. The moment I saw this Earl Grey Tea, Blueberry and Lemon Cake, I knew I found the perfect recipe. It was so good, I had to make it a second time but with my own twist for the frosting.
This cake is incredibly moist and not overly sweet. Infusing the milk with Earl Grey Tea gives it a faint but complex tea flavor. This cake is a crowd pleaser, whether your guests are tea lovers or not. My mom even said it was the best cake she ever had! If that doesn’t scream ‘winning recipe,’ I don’t know what does.
Earl Grey Tea Cake (Recipe adapted from Top with Cinnamon)
1 1/2 cups 1% Milk
6 Earl Grey Tea Bags
2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 cup Sugar
2 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Salt
6 tbs. Butter, Melted
1/2 cup Non-Fat Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup Honey
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat the milk in a pan over low-medium heat, until bubbles form around the edges. Be careful to not let the milk boil. Once heated, add the tea bags to the milk and stir to cover the tea bags. Remove from heat, and let the tea steep for 30 minutes. Remove the tea bags once finished.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until combined. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the melted butter with the yogurt, honey and sugar. Slowly add the milk mixture and stir well until combined.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the butter and milk mixture, stir until smooth.
5. Divide the batter between two 8-inch round baking pans, and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the cake is cooked all the way through. Remove from oven and allow cakes to cool. Time to make frosting!
Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup Butter, softened
8 oz. Cream Cheese, at room temperature
2-3 cups Confectioner’s Sugar
1/2 cup Orange Juice
1 tsp. Lemon Juice
1 tbs. Orange zest
1 tsp. Lemon zest
1. Using a stand mixer or hand held mixer, cream together the butter and cream cheese. Slowly add confectioner’s sugar.
2. Once fully mixed, add orange juice, lemon juice, lemon zest and orange zest. If you prefer a thicker consistency, you can slowly add more confectioner’s sugar. Place in the fridge until ready to frost!
Frosting your cake: Place a hefty dollop of frosting on top of one cake layer. Slowly spread frosting to the edges. Once you are happy with the amount of frosting in the center, place the top layer of cake on top.Place a small amount of frosting on the top layer, spreading to the edges. Place some frosting on the knife, and start spreading the frosting on the sides, turning your cake platter as you go. Once the cake is smooth, you can place some oranges on top for garnish (optional). If you are not going to eat right away, place the cake in the fridge. Enjoy!
Hi Amanda,
I am wondering if there should be lemon zest in the cake? In one of the photos (not the frosting one) there is a pile of lemon zest – and it was in the original cake from Top with Cinnamon.
I am going to make it for my friends at Book Club this week
thanks
elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth!
The lemon zest is for the frosting. It was just zested beforehand and was sitting on the cutting board. 🙂
Have fun making this recipe!
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Oh this sounds heavenly! Must try! Thank you for the recipe!
Hi Tammi!
I’m glad you enjoyed this post, let me know how you like this recipe! 🙂
-Amanda with Bramble Berry
When I saw this post I immediately though of my friend, who is something of a tea connoisseur. And, wouldn’t you know, her birthday is tomorrow, so I’m going to make this for her tonight!! Thanks for the awesome recipe =)
Hi Allie!
Oh that’s awesome, good timing! I’d love to know how this recipe turns out for you! 🙂
-Amanda with Bramble Berry
It came out awesome! I made cupcakes, and the birthday girl loved them =)
Hi Allie!
Yay, I’m so glad to hear it! I would love to make cupcakes using this recipe 🙂 I will have to give that a try very soon.
-Amanda with Bramble Berry
Great minds think alike! My husband just made this exact cake (with the original blueberry cream cheese frosting) for my birthday on May 5. It was spectacular!! We are going to have to try it again with your frosting. Thank you so much!
Hi Janelle!
Oh that’s awesome! Isn’t it yummy? I have been wanting to make it with the blueberry frosting as well. That is so nice that your husband made that cake for your birthday 🙂
-Amanda with Bramble Berry
Wow! that looks simply scrumptious! and very inspiring for a a new soap 🙂
Hi Pam!
I hope you try it, this cake was amazing! And I totally agree, food is a great source of inspiration for soap 🙂
-Amanda with Bramble Berry
Oh.My.Goodness! This sounds…and looks…Devine!
Can’t believe I never have seen your cuisine section before now!
Even though I’m allergic to hard soap I make most of all my skin care products and absolutely love your site! 🙂
Hi LuTina!
I’m so glad you have been enjoying the blog! I hope you have a chance to give this recipe a try, it’s so yummy 🙂
-Amanda with Bramble Berry
Looks delicious – but no eggs at all were used? Just making sure on this one ingredient. Thanks
Hi Cecelia!
Yep you’re right, no eggs! Kinda neat 🙂 I think the additional yogurt keeps in nice and moist.
-Amanda with Bramble Berry
Yumm! This sounds delightful! I’ll have to try this very soon. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Margaret!
I hope you give it a try, it’s such a yummy recipe 🙂
-Amanda with Bramble Berry
I am going to be making this over the weekend, only I will make it as cupcakes. My daughter and I have an obsession with cupcakes and I adore Earl Gray tea, so this will be perfect!
Hi Merryn!
Oh these would make awesome cupcakes :). I’d love to hear how they turn out!
-Amanda with Bramble Berry
OMG – this looks amazing. I have saved the recipe already and will definitely make it!
Hi Odette!
I really hope you do, I had a slice and it was so good! Very moist, and not overly sweet 🙂
-Amanda with Bramble Berry
Yum! How funny, we just made an earl grey soap, colored with indigo, titanium dioxide, and a mix of tangerine wow/apricot mica. We fragranced it with bergamot and black tea.
Hi Brenda!
Oh awesome, it sounds like the soap version of this cake! If you get photos, I would love to see it on our Fcaebook page 🙂
-Amanda with Bramble Berry