The Best Earl Grey Tea Cake with Chocolate and Orange Zest
I love how the flavor of tea and orange zest develops into something delicate and floral. It brings out the chocolate flavor just like a coffee powder would. This earl grey chocolate cake is an ideal afternoon snack or any other occasion.
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
- 1 tbsp loose Earl Grey tea
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 tsp freshly grated orange zest
- ¼ cup dark chocolate (chopped in to varying sizes)
- ½ cup whole milk at room temperature
For Glazing
- 2 tsp Earl grey Tea
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup cream cheese (softened)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch round cake pan and line with parchment paper.
- Combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, tea, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Keep it aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
- Add orange zest and beat to combine.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, scraping sides of the bowl as necessary.
- At low speed, beat in the flour mixture ( all purpose flour, baking powder, tea, salt) until just mixed. (Be careful not to overmix.)
- Add the milk in to batter and beat until just combined.
- Add chopped chocolate and fold it into the batter using a spatula.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top of the batter in the pan.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out moist.
To make the glaze (Optional)
- Add 1/2 cup of heavy cream to the pan and simmer over medium-high heat. Add 2 tsp earl grey loose tea and let it simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and let it stand for at least 30 minutes. Strain the tea leaves and chill the cream until it is cold (about 1 hr in the fridge)
- Add the remaining 1/4 cup cream, sugar to the chilled tea cream. Beat the cream mixture until medium peaks, about 2-3 minutes. Now add the softened cream cheese and beat until stiff peaks form.
- Top the cake with glazing as needed.
Video
Notes
You may want to wait until at least 25 minutes before opening the oven door to check the cake. otherwise, it might cause the cake to collapse.
Take the time to prepare the cake pans before baking, by buttering the pans, lining the bottom with parchment. This way your cakes will slide right out of the pan, without sticking.