EARL GREY LAVENDER CAKE

This Earl Grey lavender cake is light, moist and aromatic! It's filled and topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting!

This Earl Grey and lavender cake is heavenly! A simple Earl Grey layer cake that will wow your friends and family!

After experimenting with unusual flavors in cake recipes, like my ouzo-spiked chocolate orange cake, I wanted to try something with lavender!

My coworkers were the brave taste testers for this cake, and from all the rave reviews I got, I'm pretty sure this cake will become a favorite!
If you like lavender and tea, you will love this Earl Grey tea cake recipe!

Why this recipe works

• It’s easy. It might look complicated, but trust me, it really isn't. The step-by-step picture tutorial will guide you all the way!
• Only 1 baking pan needed. This recipe is simplified in that you don't need more than ONE 6-inch pan.
• It has a unique flavor combination. This cake is unlike any other flavor I've tried. Earl Grey tea and lavender are a perfect combination!

About this Earl Grey Lavender Cake

The one-pan sponge cake

This cake is amazing! First of all, it's a simple sponge cake that doesn’t have any butter, oil, or leavening agents, like baking powder or baking soda. Instead, the eggs are beaten really well until they increase in volume and then a little bit of flour is added. As a result, the cake is incredibly light, airy, soft, and tall!
That’s why I only use 1 pan! The sponge cake comes out really tall, which I then cut into 3 layers.

Earl Grey tea

For this recipe, I use regular Earl Grey tea. This black tea blend has a distinctive flavor made with bergamot. However, for a more prominent lavender flavor, you can use lavender Earl Grey tea. You could also finely ground Earl Grey tea if it's loose leaf, in which case you'll need about 3 teaspoons total.

The lavender

Lavender can be quite strong, so while testing this recipe, I didn’t want it to end up tasting too “flowery”. Instead of adding lavender to the batter, I decided to make lavender milk to soak the top of each cake layer. Lavender milk has a very delicate flavor. It certainly gives the cake that "something", that you're not really sure what it is, with a nice aftertaste!

The frosting

My family isn’t too crazy about buttercream frosting because it’s really sweet. Therefore, I didn't want to make lavender buttercream for this cake. Instead, I went for cream cheese frosting which is so delicious!

This frosting is a bit tangy, which helps cut a lot of the sweetness. In addition, I think it is perfect with all the other flavors. I added a bit of food coloring to make it pretty, which is optional, of course.

What does this Earl Grey lavender cake taste like?

This cake is very light and moist. The Earl Grey in the sponge cake is citrusy since there is bergamot in the tea, but the flavor is not too strong. The lavender gives the cake a light floral flavor without being overwhelming. Moreover, the cream cheese frosting is sweet and slightly tangy and it pairs well with the overall flavors.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

Ingredients for Earl Grey cake with lavender

Eggs: I use 3 whole eggs.
Sugar: I use regular, granulated sugar.
Flour: I use all purpose flour.
Earl Grey tea bags: I use 2 tea bags for the cake. I cut the top off and use the ground tea inside. Before starting, I suggest making sure the tea is finely ground. If it's not, you can grind it in a mortar and pestle or a food processor.
Lemon zest: I use the zest from half a lemon. It really compliments the tea.
Vanilla: I use pure vanilla extract.

Ingredients for Earl Grey lavender milk

Milk: I use low fat milk, but you can use whatever you have at home. Keep in mind that plant-based milk might have a slightly different flavor.
Lavender: You need dried culinary lavender for this recipe. You can find culinary lavender at most spice shops and online.
Earl Grey tea bag: I use 1 tea bag for the lavender milk.

Ingredients for the Cream Cheese Frosting

Sugar: For the frosting you'll need about 3 cups powdered sugar. It gives the frosting a smoother texture without being gritty.
Butter: I use unsalted butter at room temperature.
Vanilla: I use pure vanilla extract.
Cream Cheese: You need full fat cream cheese to make the frosting thick.
Salt: I use a tiny bit of salt to enhance the flavors.

EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED

• One 6-inch cake pan that’s 3 inches deep (15 X 7.6cm)
• A hand mixer or a stand mixer
• An offset spatula
• Cake turntable (optional)
• A cake leveler (optional)
• A piping bag & 1M tip (optional)

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

There are 4 parts to this recipe:

1. The sponge cake
2. The Earl Grey lavender milk
3. The cream cheese frosting
4. Assembling the cake

Step-by-step instructions

First, make the sponge cake!

STEP 1
First, butter the sides and bottom of a 6 inch pan. Then line the bottom with parchment paper. There’s no need to line the sides.

STEP 2
Using a hand mixer, beat the eggs for about 1 minute, just until they get frothy.

STEP 3
Then gradually add the sugar in 2 or 3 batches. Beat for 10 minutes, starting on medium speed and then slowly increasing to high. The cake batter will look very thick and will almost triple in volume (see picture 3).

STEP 4
After that, sift the flour into the egg mixture.

STEP 5
Then add the vanilla, the tea, and the lemon zest. Gently fold everything with a rubber spatula about 4-5 times.

STEP 6
Then beat the mixture until everything is just combined, about 5-10 seconds. Don’t overmix it because it will make the cake dense.

STEPS 7-8
Finally, pour the batter into the prepared pan. Then bake the cake. When it's done, allow it to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.

Now it’s time to remove the cake from the pan!

STEP 1
First, run a small knife around the edge of the pan. This will help to loosen it. Then tap the pan on the counter 2-3 times.

STEP 2
Invert the cake onto your hand.

STEP 3
Then remove the pan. It will come off easily!

STEP 4
Remove the parchment paper and let the cake cool completely on a wire rack.

TOP TIP FOR PREPARING THE CAKE LAYERS

• I like to refrigerate the cake once it cools for a couple of hours (or overnight) because it's a lot easier to slice.
• This sponge cake is 3 inches high, so I sliced it into 3 even pieces using a cake leveler. If you want, you can just slice it in half, instead. You can also level the top of the cake, if you prefer.
• I always use the bottom of the baked cake for the top layer when I assemble it because it's the flattest part of the cake.

Now it’s time to make the Earl Grey lavender milk!

STEP 1
Pour the milk into a small saucepan and heat it over medium heat, unti it begins to simmer.

STEP 2
Then take it off the heat and add the lavender and the Earl Grey tea bag. Let it seep for 20 minutes.

STEPS 3-4
Strain the lavender milk through a fine mesh strainer. Then set it aside to cool.

TOP TIP
Using lavender milk instead of simple syrup will make the cake moist without adding more sweetness!

Now it’s time to make the cream cheese frosting!

STEP 1
First, beat the butter in a large bowl with a hand mixer until it’s fluffy. I start off on medium speed and then increase to high.

STEPS 2-3
Then gradually add the sifted powdered sugar in three batches, beating continuously until it’s creamy. Scrape the side of the bowl as needed so that everything is well combined. It should be thick and stiff (see picture 3).

STEP 4
Then add the vanilla, salt, and the cream cheese and continue beating on high, but just until everything is combined. Don’t beat longer than a few seconds as it could get runny.

STEP 5
Swirl in the food coloring using a toothpick, if using.

STEP 6
Then beat for a few more seconds until the color is fully incorporated.

The frosting should be the perfect consistency as shown in the pictures above. However, if it's too thin, add a little more powdered sugar. If it's too thick, add some milk, a teaspoon at a time, until it's the right consistency.

TOP TIP
It is hot in Athens during the summer, so I put the frosting in the fridge until I'm ready to frost the cake. This also helps to stiffen the frosting a bit and make it perfect for piping!

ASSEMBLING THE CAKE

STEP 1
First, place a plate on the turntable, if using. If you're going to transport the cake, you could use a cake circle or a cake board instead of a plate.

Place one layer of cake on the plate and brush some Earl Grey lavender milk over the entire surface.

STEP 2
Then add about ¾ cup of frosting (about 100g). I often measure it out before I frost the cake to ensure that I have the same amount of frosting between each cake layer. Use an offset spatula to spread it out evenly to the edge.

STEP 3
Then repeat the process for the other 2 cake layers. After that, add a very thin layer of frosting on the top and sides. Try to smooth the top and sides as much as possible. It’s OK if you see the cake through the frosting because this is just the crumb coat. Put the cake in the refrigerator for half an hour. You can leave it in the fridge longer, if you want.

STEP 4
Using the offset spatula, add a big dollop of frosting on the sides of the cake. Use the offset spatula to smooth the sides. Then add some frosting on the top and either smooth it out or make a big swirl like I did (see picture 4).

Finally, use the remaining frosting to pipe swirls around the cake. I used a 1M tip for all the swirls!

TOP TIP
The frosting is enough to frost the cake with lots of swirls all over. If you don’t want to decorate the cake with swirls, you can make half of the frosting, instead.

Recipe notes

Serving Tips

It goes without saying that this Earl Gray lavender cake is great with a cup of Earl Grey tea or coffee!

Storage Tips

Cover the cake and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.

Freezing

I have successfully frozen this sponge cake without the frosting. Just wrap it well in plastic wrap and then wrap it in aluminum foil. You can keep it in the freezer for up to about 2-3 months, although I don’t freeze it longer than 2 months. I've never frozen it frosted, so I don't know how it would be.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

• For a stronger lavender flavor, you can add more lavender to the milk and steep it for longer. If you'd prefer a subtler lavender flavor, just steep it for less time.
• If you want more of a lavender flavor, you could also use lavender tea in the sponge cake and some Earl Grey lavender milk in the frosting!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS EARL GREY LAVENDER CAKE

Happy Baking! 😀

~Voula

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Let me know how this Earl Grey lavender cake turns out for you in the comments below! I’d love to hear from you!