Earl Grey Cake
For an Earl Grey-themed afternoon tea, pay full homage to the 18th-century aristocrat with Earl Grey cookies or an aromatic Earl Grey panna cotta that’s delicious with fresh summer berries.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 earl grey tea bags
- 3/4 cup 2% milk
- 3 earl grey tea bags, divided
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 tablespoon 2% milk
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of 2 greased 9-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease parchment.
- For simple syrup, in a small saucepan, bring sugar and water to a simmer until sugar is dissolved, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat; add tea bags. Steep 10 minutes; discard tea bags. Set aside to cool.
- In another small saucepan, bring milk to a low simmer. Add 2 tea bags; steep 10 minutes. Discard tea bags. Set tea-steeped milk aside to cool. Remove loose tea leaves from third sachet, finely mince.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, reserved minced tea leaves and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with tea-steeped milk, beating well after each addition. Pour into prepared pans, dividing batter evenly.
- Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove parchment. Cool completely.
- For frosting, in a small bowl, beat butter and vanilla until blended. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth.
- To assemble cake, brush each layer with earl grey simple syrup; top middle with 1/2 cup frosting. Stack layers on top of each other; spread top and sides with remaining frosting. Slice and serve.
