Earl Grey Tea Cake with Orange Glaze Recipe
This Earl Grey Tea Cake is a fragrant and moist loaf infused with the distinctive aroma of Earl Grey tea leaves. Enhanced with Greek yogurt and a bright orange glaze, this cake combines delicate citrus and bergamot flavors for a sophisticated treat perfect for afternoon tea or dessert.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50-55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 2 large eggs
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 240 g Greek yogurt (or plain natural yogurt)
- 120 ml vegetable oil (or canola oil)
- 250 g plain flour (all-purpose)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 6 g Earl Grey Tea leaves (ground)
Orange Glaze (optional)
- 180 g powdered icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
- 30 ml fresh orange juice (blood orange or navel orange)
- 15 g Greek yogurt
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a 2 lb loaf pan (23 x 14 cm or 9 x 5.5 inches) with butter and line the base and sides with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Whisk eggs and sugar: In a large bowl, combine the eggs, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk vigorously for approximately one minute until the mixture becomes pale and light, indicating aeration.
- Add yogurt and oil: Add the Greek yogurt and vegetable oil to the egg mixture. Whisk until fully combined and smooth, creating a moist batter base.
- Sift in dry ingredients: Sift the plain flour, baking powder, baking soda, and fine salt into the wet ingredients. Add the ground Earl Grey tea leaves. Using a spatula, gently fold the mixture together until just combined and a few streaks of flour remain; do not overmix to maintain a tender texture.
- Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Place the pan on the centre shelf of the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes until the cake is golden brown, springs back when lightly pressed, or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the cake browns too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil and continue baking.
- Cool the cake: Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then, carefully remove it from the pan and let it cool completely before glazing.
- Prepare the orange glaze (optional): In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered icing sugar and fresh orange juice until smooth. Add the Greek yogurt and whisk again until fully combined. If the glaze is too thin, add additional powdered sugar in 30 g (¼ cup) increments until the desired consistency is achieved.
- Glaze the cake: Pour the orange glaze evenly over the cooled cake. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the glaze to harden slightly, then slice and serve.
Notes
- Grinding the Earl Grey tea leaves allows their flavor to infuse the cake fully without leaving gritty bits.
- If you don’t have Greek yogurt, plain natural yogurt can be used as a substitute.
- Cover the cake loosely with foil if it browns too fast during baking to prevent burning.
- The orange glaze is optional but adds a lovely citrus brightness to complement the bergamot in the tea.
- Ensure the cake is completely cooled before glazing to help the glaze set properly.
