• Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C.
• Butter the sides and bottom of the pan. Then line the bottom with parchment paper. There’s no need to line the sides. Set aside.

Make the sponge cake

• Using a hand mixer, beat the eggs in a large bowl for about 1 minute, until they get frothy.
  3 eggs, at room temperature
• 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.
  ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
• Sift the flour into the egg mixture.
  ¾ cup all purpose flour (90g)
• Add the vanilla, tea, and the lemon zest. Gently fold everything with a spatula until everything just combined. Don’t overmix, or it could become dense.
  1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 tablespoon finely ground Earl Grey tea (or the contents of 2 Earl Grey tea bags), zest from half a lemon
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake it for about 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
• When done, allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.
• Run a small knife around the edge of the pan to loosen it. Then tap the pan on the counter 2-3 times.
• Invert the cake onto your hand. Remove the pan by lifting it. It should come off easily.
• Remove the parchment paper and let the cake cool completely on a wire rack.
• Place the cake in the refrigerator for at least an hour or overnight.
• Before assembling the cake, slice it into 3 even pieces.

Make the Earl Grey lavender milk

• Pour the milk into a small saucepan and heat it over medium heat, until it begins to simmer.
  ½ cup milk (125ml)
• Take it off the heat and add the lavender and the Earl Grey tea bag. Let it steep for 20 minutes.
  1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender, ½ tablespoon finely ground Earl Grey tea (or the contents of 1 Earl Grey tea bag)
• Strain the lavender milk through a fine mesh strainer. Set it aside to cool.

Make the cream cheese frosting

• Beat the butter in a large bowl with a hand mixer until it’s fluffy. Start on medium speed and then increase to high.
  1 cup + 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter (250g)
• 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 .
  3 cups + 1 tablespoon sifted powdered sugar, plus more if needed (400g), 7oz full fat cream cheese (200g)
• 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. If it's too thin, add more powdered sugar. If it's too thick, add some milk, a teaspoon at a time, until it reaches the right consistency.
• Use a toothpick to swirl in a tiny amount of food coloring, if using.
  lavender or violet gel food coloring (optional)
• Beat for a few more seconds until the color is fully incorporated.
• Put the frosting in the fridge until you're ready to frost the cake. It will help to stiffen it a bit and make it perfect for piping!

Assemble the cake

• Place a plate on the turntable, if using. Place the bottom layer of cake on a plate and brush some Earl Grey lavender milk over the entire surface.
• 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.
• Repeat the process for the other 2 cake layers. Then 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.
• 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.
• Put the remaining frosting in a piping bag and pipe swirls around the cake. I used a 1M tip.
• Store the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
• Enjoy!