After perfecting tea-infused desserts for over two decades, I'm excited to share my comprehensive guide to creating the perfect Earl Grey cake. This elegant dessert captures the distinctive bergamot aroma of Earl Grey tea in a moist, tender cake that's both sophisticated and comforting. Whether you're looking for an easy recipe or want to create a showstopping layer cake from scratch, this guide covers everything from proper tea infusion techniques to creative variations that highlight the unique flavor of Earl Grey.
What Is Earl Grey Cake?
Earl Grey cake is a tea-infused dessert that incorporates the distinctive flavor of Earl Grey tea; a black tea blend flavored with bergamot oil, which has citrusy, floral notes. The tea is typically infused into the milk or butter used in the cake batter, creating a sophisticated dessert with subtle aromatic qualities. Popular throughout the UK, Korea, and among tea enthusiasts worldwide, Earl Grey cake offers a refined alternative to more common cake flavors.
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Ingredients for Earl Grey Cake
For the Cake
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs, room temperature
- Vanilla extract
- Whole milk
- High-quality Earl Grey tea (loose leaf preferred)
For the Earl Grey Frosting (Optional)
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Powdered sugar
- Earl Grey tea-infused milk
- Vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Additional Flavor Enhancers (Optional)
- Lemon zest
- Dried culinary lavender
- Honey
- Bergamot extract (for stronger flavor)
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Earl Grey Cake
Infuse the Milk
- Heat milk until steaming but not boiling
- Add loose Earl Grey tea leaves (about 2 tablespoons per cup of milk)
- Remove from heat, cover, and steep for 15-20 minutes
- Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on tea leaves to extract flavor
- Let cool to room temperature before using in the batter
Prepare the Cake Batter
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare cake pans
- Whisk together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt
- In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition
- Mix in vanilla extract
- Alternately add dry ingredients and tea-infused milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients
- Optional: fold in 1-2 teaspoons of finely ground Earl Grey tea leaves for more pronounced flavor
Bake the Cake
- Pour batter into prepared pan(s)
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (about 25-30 minutes for layer cakes, 45-55 minutes for loaf cakes)
- Cool in pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack
- Allow to cool completely before frosting
Make the Earl Grey Frosting (Optional)
- Infuse milk with Earl Grey tea as described above, but make it more concentrated
- Beat butter until creamy
- Gradually add powdered sugar
- Add cooled tea-infused milk, vanilla, and salt
- Beat until light and fluffy, adding more powdered sugar if needed for proper consistency
Troubleshooting: Common Earl Grey Cake Problems
Why Is My Earl Grey Cake Bitter?
- Tea steeped too long: Limit steeping time to avoid extracting bitter tannins
- Low-quality tea: Use fresh, high-quality Earl Grey tea
- Too much tea: Reduce the amount of tea leaves used for infusion
- Grinding tea too finely: If adding ground tea to the batter, use a coarse grind
Variations
Giving the visitor ideas on how they can change this recipe to better suit their dinner guests, oVariations of Earl Grey Cake
Korean Earl Grey Cake
Korean-style Earl Grey cakes often incorporate elements of Korean bakery techniques, resulting in an exceptionally light, fluffy texture. They frequently feature whipped cream frosting rather than buttercream and may include a layer of sweet red bean paste for an East-meets-West flavor combination.
Earl Grey Lavender Cake
Add 1-2 teaspoons of dried culinary lavender to the milk when infusing the tea. The floral notes of lavender enhance the bergamot flavor beautifully. Pair with a honey buttercream or glaze for a sophisticated dessert.
Earl Grey Lemon Cake
Add 1-2 tablespoons of fresh lemon zest to the batter and consider a lemon curd filling between layers. The citrus notes complement the bergamot in Earl Grey perfectly.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Electric mixer or stand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Cake pans (8 or 9-inch round pans work well)
- Whisk
- Fine-mesh strainer or tea infuser
- Cooling rack
Storage Tips
Room Temperature Storage
Earl Grey cake stays fresh at room temperature for 2-3 days when stored in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap.
Refrigerator Storage
For longer storage, especially if using cream cheese frosting, refrigerate for up to 5 days. Let come to room temperature before serving for best flavor and texture.
Freezer Storage
Unfrosted cake layers freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting and serving.
Make-Ahead Options
You can infuse the milk a day ahead and store it in the refrigerator. The cake layers can also be baked in advance, wrapped well, and kept at room temperature for a day, refrigerated for up to 3 days, or frozen for longer storage.
Tips for Perfect Earl Grey Cake
- Use high-quality tea: The flavor of your cake depends significantly on the quality of your Earl Grey tea. Loose leaf tea generally provides better flavor than tea bags.
- Don't over-steep: Steeping the tea too long can extract bitter tannins. Aim for 15-20 minutes for milk infusions.
- Balance is key: Earl Grey has a distinctive flavor that should be present but not overwhelming. Start with less tea if you're unsure and adjust in future batches.
- Room temperature ingredients: Ensure butter, eggs, and milk (after infusion and cooling) are at room temperature for the best cake texture.
- Enhance with complementary flavors: Lemon, honey, and lavender all pair beautifully with Earl Grey's bergamot notes.
Final Thoughts on Earl Grey Cake
Earl Grey cake exemplifies how a simple infusion technique can transform ordinary ingredients into something extraordinary. The delicate balance of bergamot's citrusy-floral notes with vanilla creates a sophisticated dessert that's both unique and approachable. This same infusion method can inspire other elegant creations like Vanilla Almond Cake, where almond extract enhances the aromatic experience, or Coconut Cloud Cake, which pairs tropical notes with a similarly light texture. The absorption technique used for infusing tea flavors also prepares you for creating the perfect Tres Leches Cake, where the sponge similarly soaks up flavored milk mixtures.
What does Earl Grey cake taste like?
Earl Grey cake offers a sophisticated flavor profile that combines delicate vanilla notes with bergamot's distinctive citrusy, floral character. The tea provides a subtle aromatic quality that's both refined and comforting. When properly balanced, you taste hints of citrus and floral notes without bitterness, creating an elegant dessert that's uniquely different from standard vanilla yet approachable enough for most palates.
What is a tea cake called in England?
In England, a "tea cake" traditionally refers to a lightly spiced yeast bun containing dried fruits (typically currants or sultanas). It's split, toasted, and spread with butter as part of afternoon tea. This differs significantly from American "tea cakes" (which are more like pound cakes) and from Earl Grey cake (which is a conventional cake infused with tea flavoring).
What does Earl Grey chocolate taste like?
Earl Grey chocolate combines the rich depth of chocolate with bergamot's bright citrusy and floral notes. This sophisticated pairing creates an intriguing contrast where the chocolate provides a smooth, velvety foundation while the bergamot adds aromatic brightness that cuts through the richness. The result is an elegant, complex flavor that's reminiscent of dark chocolate with orange but with distinctive floral undertones.
What is a London Fog cake?
London Fog cake is inspired by the popular tea latte combining Earl Grey tea, vanilla, and milk. This elegant dessert features Earl Grey-infused cake layers paired with vanilla bean frosting or buttercream. Some versions incorporate a hint of lavender to complement the bergamot notes. The name refers to the London Fog drink (Earl Grey tea latte), and the cake captures its cozy yet sophisticated flavor profile.
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this Earl Grey cake:
Earl Grey Cake
Equipment
- 2 Mixing bowls For wet and dry ingredients
- 1 Electric mixer Or stand mixer
- 1 set Measuring cups/spoons For accurate baking
- 2 8-inch cake pans Or 9-inch pans
- 1 Whisk For blending dry ingredients
- 1 Fine-mesh strainer To strain tea-infused milk
- 1 Wire cooling rack To cool cakes after baking
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups All-purpose flour Sifted
- 2 teaspoon Baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon Baking soda
- 0.5 teaspoon Salt
- 0.75 cup Unsalted butter Softened
- 1.25 cups Granulated sugar
- 3 Eggs Room temperature
- 1.5 teaspoon Vanilla extract Pure vanilla preferred
- 0.75 cup Whole milk Infused with Earl Grey tea
- 2 tablespoon Earl Grey tea Loose leaf preferred
- 1–2 teaspoon Ground Earl Grey tea Optional, for stronger flavor
- 1 tablespoon Lemon zest Optional, for citrus lift
- 1 teaspoon Dried lavender Optional, culinary grade
- 1 tablespoon Honey Optional, for warmth and aroma
Frosting (Optional)
- 0.75 cup Unsalted butter Softened
- 2–3 cups Powdered sugar Adjust for consistency
- 2 tablespoon Tea-infused milk Strong infusion for rich flavor
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 pinch Salt
Instructions
- Preheat to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line cake pans.
- Heat milk, steep Earl Grey tea for 15–20 minutes, then strain and cool.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
- Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.
- Stir in vanilla extract.
- Alternate adding dry mix and tea-infused milk; start and end with dry.
- Fold in ground Earl Grey tea for extra flavor.
- Pour into pans, bake 25–30 mins. Toothpick should come out clean.
- Cool cakes in pan 10 mins, then transfer to wire rack.
- Beat butter, gradually add sugar, then tea milk, vanilla, and salt.
- Once cake is cool, frost as desired.
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