The crumb on this Earl Grey tea cake is tender, moist and perfectly flavoured with notes of bergamot. Topped with a zingy lemon icing, the resulting taste experience is positively heavenly.
If you’ve landed on this recipe, then you probably already know what Earl Grey tea is but for the sake of those not in the know, it's a black tea that has been flavoured with oil of from the peel of a bergamot an orange-like citrus fruit, and sometimes a touch of lemon too.
This addition of the citrus oils adds fragrant, floral notes to the tea, making its aroma and taste unmistakable.
To make my Earl Grey tea cake, you'll first steep the Earl Grey tea leaves in a jug of hot milk. You don’t need to splash out for expensive looseleaf tea for this, just tear open a couple of teabags.
You’ll then beat butter and sugar together before adding eggs, followed by the milk, tea leaves and all.
Next, you'll fold in flour and baking powder, stirring together to give a lovely smooth, pale batter, speckled with tea leaves.
Finally, you’ll spoon the batter into a line loaf tin and bake.
I adore how golden and rich this cake turns out, with unmistakable flecks of tea leaves in the golden crumb within.
Below, I've detailed how to ice this beautiful Earl Grey tea cake with a simple icing made from lemon juice and icing sugar (powdered sugar), which beautifully complements the floral notes of the crumb.
Serve this cake to an Earl Grey tea lover and they will be in heaven.
It’s perfect to take to coffee mornings, make for a colleague’s birthday cake, or serve as part of a classic afternoon tea. Honestly, even my friends who aren't Earl Grey fans think this cake is a winner.
Read on for the full recipe with detailed instructions and a helpful photograph for every step. And if you have any questions, just leave me a comment. Enjoy!
Ingredients
For the sponge
- 175 g (6.2 oz) salted butter softened
- 200 g (7.1 oz) white caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 200 g (7.1 oz) self-raising white flour (self rising flour)
- 3 medium free range eggs
- 125 ml (4.2 floz) whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 Earl Grey teabags (use 1 if you prefer a milder flavour)
For the icing
- 100 g (3.5 oz) icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- 2-3 tbsp (2 tbsp) lemon juice
Instructions
Make the Earl Grey loaf
Grease a 2lb loaf tin and line with baking paper.
Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan assisted, 350F)
Heat the milk in a mug in the microwave until it's hand hot. Open the tea bags and tip into the milk, stir and set aside.
Put the butter and sugar In a large bowl.
Beat until fluffy.
Add in the eggs.
Whisk again until fluffy.
When the milky tea is room temp, tip it into the batter, along with all the tea leaves and the vanilla.
Add the flour and baking powder.
Stir everything together.
Spoon the batter into the lined loaf tin.
Bake for approximately 60 minutes. (If the loaf tin is tall and narrow, the cake may take longer than one that is wide and shallow). The cake should be golden on the outside and the skewer pushed into the very centre should come out clean - keep an eye on it as you don't want it to over-bake.
Stand the tin on a cooling rack for 15 minutes, then lift the cake out of the tin and back onto the rack to cool completely.
Make the lemon icing
Sieve the icing sugar and stir in the lemon juice.
Drizzle over the cooled loaf.
Allow to set before slicing and serving.
Once you've given my recipe a go, I'd love you to come back and leave a comment letting me know how yours turned out.
I'd love to see your videos and pics, too! Just tag me on social media. I'm @emilylearycooks on Twitter and TikTok or @amummytoo on Instagram.
Print this Earl Grey Tea Loaf recipe
Earl Grey Tea Loaf Recipe
Ingredients
For the sponge
- 175 g (6.2 oz) salted butter softened
- 200 g (7.1 oz) white caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 200 g (7.1 oz) self-raising white flour (self rising flour)
- 3 medium free range eggs
- 125 ml (4.2 floz) whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 Earl Grey teabags (use 1 if you prefer a milder flavour)
For the icing
- 100 g (3.5 oz) icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- 2-3 tbsp (2 tbsp) lemon juice
Instructions
Make the Earl Grey loaf
- Grease a 2lb loaf tin and line with baking paper.
- Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan assisted, 350F)
- Heat the milk in a jug in the microwave until it's hand hot. Open the tea bags and tip into the milk, stir and set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy.
- Add in the eggs. Whisk again until fluffy.
- When the milky tea is room temp, tip it into the batter, along with all the tea leaves and vanilla.
- Add the flour and baking powder. Stir everything together.
- Spoon the batter into the lined loaf tin.
- Bake for approximately 60 minutes. (If the loaf tin is tall and narrow, the cake may take longer than one that is wide and shallow). The cake should be golden on the outside and the skewer pushed into the very centre should come out clean - keep an eye on it as you don't want it to over-bake.
- Stand the tin on a cooling rack for 15 minutes, then lift the cake out of the tin and back onto the rack to cool completely.
Make the lemon icing
- Sieve the icing sugar and stir in the lemon juice.
- Drizzle over the cooled loaf and allow to set before slicing and serving.
Nutrition
More loaf cake recipes to try
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