This delightful Earl Grey cake features subtle citrus flavors with a tender crumb and whipped cream cheese frosting. This moist, flavorful cake infused with tea is perfect for any occasion, offering a unique twist on classic flavors!
If you’re at all familiar with hot teas, you will have heard of Earl Grey. It’s a popular choice, often served with milk and sugar or black with a squeeze of fresh lemon.
Being a black tea, Earl Grey has a trademark zesty citrus flavor that comes from bergamot oil, an essential oil derived from the bergamot orange. It’s a tart and floral citrus, closer to lemon or lime, giving the tea — and this cake — a unique flavor.
This great recipe makes a round, two-layer cake with a fluffy cream cheese frosting. The cakes receive a thin, brushed-on coat of homemade Earl Grey simple syrup, sealing in and adding further moisture, as well as boosting the tea flavor in the cake.
It’s the perfect cake for tea lovers, but it also easily pairs with dark, creamy coffee (you have to try this lavender honey latte).
I like to use loose-leaf tea when making the simple syrup in this recipe, ensuring the most flavor and quality. Earl Grey tea bags will work, but being made up of the dusty, finer bits of tea leaves, it’s possible to notice significantly reduced flavor.
The tea notes and aroma are certainly mild in this cake, but it is overall a light, refreshing, and moist cake.
And while this isn’t a sourdough recipe, I think you’ll quickly fall in love with the delicate texture and unique flavors this beautiful cake offers.
Give it a try, then you can head on over to my 25+ sourdough dessert ideas roundup to get back to sourdough discard and other long-fermented desserts.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Unique, lovely dessert – You’re guaranteed to have the only Earl Grey tea cake at the potluck because this isn’t your typical sourdough chocolate cake or vanilla cake. And you can frost the simple round cakes as you like.
Delicious flavor – Mild notes of sweetened black tea and citrus fruit pair so nicely with a tangy cream cheese frosting, making this a cake that anyone will enjoy. Serve with afternoon tea or after dinner with coffee.
Moist and tender texture – Rich ingredients contribute to a light crumb without being dry or dense. The cake holds together nicely, supporting the frosting and holding up during slicing.
Ingredients
All-purpose flour – I like to use all-purpose flour for its structure and tenderness.
Earl Grey tea leaves – Find this popular tea at most grocery stores and look for the loose-leaf variety.
Heavy cream – Opt for full-fat cream for a richer cake.
Neutral oil – Avocado oil is a good choice. Refined coconut oil or melted butter may work, as well.
Vanilla extract – A quality vanilla enhances the zesty flavors of this tea. You can even make your own with just 2 simple ingredients!
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Tools You May Need
How to Make Earl Grey Cake
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 8-inch round cake pans by cutting out a round piece of parchment paper and adding it to the bottom of each cake tin. Grease the insides of the tins to prevent sticking. Whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder together in a large mixing bowl and set aside. (Image 1)
Step 2: In a saucepan or heat-safe bowl, pour boiling water over 4 tablespoons of Earl Grey tea leaves and set a timer for five minutes. After steeping, add heavy cream and stir, letting the mixture sit for an additional five minutes. (Image 2)
Step 3: In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla, then pour the steeped tea through a strainer into this sugar mixture and stir again. (Image 3)
Step 4: Add the wet ingredients to the large bowl of dry ingredients and stir thoroughly until the batter is smooth and not lumpy. (Image 4)
Step 5: Pour half of the cake batter into each prepared cake pan and bake for 40 minutes. A cake tester or toothpick should come out clean. (Image 5)
Step 6: Remove the cakes from the oven and set them, pans and all, onto a wire rack to cool. Once they have cooled enough to handle, gently work the cakes free from the pans, wrap them in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to assemble and frost. (Image 6)
Step 7: To make the Earl Grey simple syrup, add the sugar, water, and Earl Grey tea leaves to a saucepan and simmer until all the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to steep for 10 minutes, then strain into a bowl or jar and set aside. (Image 7)
Step 8: For the frosting, add room-temperature cream cheese and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer and whip for several minutes until creamy. On low speed, add icing sugar, one tablespoon of your homemade Earl Grey syrup, and vanilla. Once the powdered sugar is mixed in, increase to medium-high speed, whipping until light and fluffy. (Image 8)
Step 9: Working with a fully-cooled cake (chilled works even better), trim the tops of the cakes with a serrated knife so that they are flat. (Image 9)
Step 10: Using a pastry brush, brush the top of the first cake layer with Earl Grey syrup (use about 1-2 tbsp). (Image 10)
Step 11: Add a dollop of icing and spread it out evenly, then position the second cake layer on top. Brush the second cake with Earl Grey syrup as well (you will have syrup left over). Using the rest of the icing, frost the top of the cake, as well as the sides. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to make pretty swirls and serve. (Image 11 and 12)
Tips
- For the flour, I recommend using the spoon and level method so that the cake doesn’t end up dry. Lightly measure the flour into your measuring cup, then level off the cup with a straight edge, keeping the flour from becoming packed down.
- Choose a neutral oil, such as avocado, refined coconut, or melted butter, to avoid overpowering the flavor of the tea.
- Unsalted butter in the frosting is important. It will be too salty with salted butter.
- Cakes should be completely cooled before frosting.
- Keep leftover Earl Grey syrup in an airtight jar in the refrigerator. Use it to flavor and sweeten fermented lemonade, drizzle over sourdough buttermilk pancakes or a sourdough lemon pound cake, or add to a fresh fruit salad.
Recipe FAQs
This cake is best stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Keep it covered so that it doesn’t dry out.
To freeze, wrap the cake whole or individually sliced in plastic wrap or parchment, then place it in a freezer-safe, airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw at room temperature.
To prevent a dry cake, be careful not to overbake and opt for full-fat ingredients where possible. This recipe also calls for brushing each cooled cake layer with a simple syrup before frosting, an extra step that adds flavor and helps retain moisture.
Earl Grey has the rich flavor of black tea leaves and the bright, citrusy notes of bergamot oil.
The name comes from the second Earl of England, Charles Grey, who served as Prime Minister in the early 1800s. There are many assumptions as to how the tea came about, ranging from a solution for masking the flavor of the hard water in that area to the possibility that the tea was given as a gift from a grateful friend. (source)
While Earl Grey does have anti-inflammatory properties and this cake is made without artificial ingredients or preservatives, this is still very much a dessert to be enjoyed in moderation. Made with unfermented all-purpose flour and sugar, this should be considered a treat rather than a health food.
More Cake Recipes from the Farmhouse
- Easy Sourdough Lemon Cake
- The Best Sourdough Chocolate Cake
- Gingerbread Cake with Einkorn Flour
- Gluten-Free Lemon Cake
- Sourdough Vanilla Cake
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
Earl Grey Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Earl Grey Cake
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/4 cup hot water
- 4 tablespoons loose-leaf Earl Grey tea
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups white sugar
- 2/3 cup neutral oil, like avocado oil
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Earl Grey Syrup
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon loose-leaf Earl Grey tea
Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups icing sugar, powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon Earl Grey syrup
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Prepare two 8-inch round cake pans by cutting out a round piece of parchment paper and adding it to the bottom of each cake tin. Grease the insides of the tins, as well.
- Whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder together in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- In a saucepan or heat-safe bowl, pour boiling water over 4 tablespoons of Earl Grey tea leaves and set a timer for five minutes. After steeping, add heavy cream and stir, letting the mixture sit for another five minutes.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla, then pour the steeped tea through a strainer into the bowl and stir again.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir thoroughly until the batter is smooth and not lumpy.
- Pour half of the cake batter into each prepared cake pan and bake for 40 minutes. A cake tester or toothpick should come out clean.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool completely. For best results, wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to assemble and frost.
- To make the syrup, add the sugar, water, and Earl Grey tea leaves to a saucepan and simmer until all the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to steep for 10 minutes, then strain into a bowl or jar and set aside.
- For the frosting, add room-temperature cream cheese and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer and whip for several minutes until creamy. On low speed, add icing sugar, one tablespoon of your homemade Earl Grey syrup, and vanilla. After the powdered sugar is combined, increase to medium-high speed, whipping until light and fluffy.
- Working with a fully-cooled cake (chilled works even better), trim the tops of the cakes with a serrated knife so that they are flat. Using a pastry brush, brush the top of the first cake layer with Earl Grey syrup (about 1-2 tbsp). Add a dollop of icing and spread it out evenly, then top with the second cake layer. Brush this layer with Earl Grey syrup as well. Using the rest of the icing, frost the top and the sides of the cake and serve.
Notes
- For the flour, I recommend using the spoon and level method so that the cake doesn’t end up dry. Lightly measure the flour into your measuring cup, then level off the cup with a straight edge, keeping the flour from becoming packed down.
- Choose a neutral oil, such as avocado, refined coconut, or melted butter, to avoid overpowering the flavor of the tea.
- Unsalted butter in the frosting is important. It will be too salty with salted butter.
- Cakes should be completely cooled before frosting.
- Keep leftover Earl Grey syrup in an airtight jar in the refrigerator. Use it to flavor and sweeten fermented lemonade, drizzle over sourdough buttermilk pancakes or a sourdough lemon pound cake, or add to a fresh fruit salad.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
