London Fog Cake Earl Grey (Printer-friendly)
Delicate aromatic layers infused with Earl Grey tea and lavender, topped with creamy vanilla bean frosting for an elegant British-inspired dessert.
# What You’ll Need:
→ For the Earl Grey Lavender Cake
01 - 1 cup whole milk
02 - 3 Earl Grey tea bags
03 - 1 tbsp dried culinary lavender
04 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
05 - 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
06 - 1/2 tsp salt
07 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
08 - 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
09 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
10 - 2 tsp vanilla extract
→ For the Vanilla Bean Frosting
11 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
12 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
13 - 2 tbsp whole milk
14 - 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
15 - Pinch of salt
→ For Decoration (Optional)
16 - Dried lavender buds
17 - Lemon zest
# How-To Guide:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a small saucepan, heat the milk until steaming but not boiling. Remove from heat. Add Earl Grey tea bags and lavender; cover and steep for 15 minutes. Strain and cool to room temperature.
03 - In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
04 - In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes).
05 - Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla extract.
06 - With the mixer on low, add flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the cooled tea-infused milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
07 - Divide batter evenly among the prepared pans. Smooth the tops with a spatula. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
09 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, milk, vanilla bean paste, and salt; beat until fluffy and smooth.
10 - Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with frosting. Repeat with remaining layers. Frost the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with dried lavender buds and lemon zest if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The floral Earl Grey and lavender infusion creates the most fragrant kitchen while baking
- Vanilla bean frosting balances the tea flavors with creamy sweetness
02 -
- The infused milk must cool completely before adding to the batter or it will melt the butter and ruin the cakes texture
- Overbaking even by a few minutes dries out this delicate cake, so check at 23 minutes
03 -
- Use room temperature ingredients throughout for proper emulsification and even baking
- Wrap cake layers tightly in plastic wrap once cooled and freeze for up to a month before frosting