This Earl Grey Lavender Cake recipe yields a soft, moist cake that is absolutely delicious. This cake is flavored with real earl grey tea and lavender flowers- no extracts or flavorings required!
This Earl Grey Lavender Cake recipe is the perfect cake for any celebration. It has floral notes from the lavender and citrusy notes from earl grey tea. Best of all, you don't need any extracts or flavorings. All the flavor in this cake recipe comes from steeped tea and lavender flowers.
Ingredients
This cake has super simple ingredients and a simple method. You will not believe how easy this recipe is to execute. Here is what you will need:
Flour: Regular old all purpose flour for this recipe. I always recommend King Arthur brand all purpose flour. The quality is unmatched.
Sugar: Sugar sweetens, add structure and keeps the cake moist. Don't reduce the sugar!
Dairy-Free Milk: I typically use So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk in my recipes. But any unsweetened dairy free milk you have on hand will work.
Earl Grey Tea: I use Twinnings Loose Leaf Earl Grey Tea in all of my Earl Grey recipes like my Earl Grey Cupcakes. It has a strong bergamot flavor and its easy to find. But, if you can't find loose leaf earl grey, you can always cut open a few tea bags to measure the correct amount of tea.
Dried Lavender Flowers: This is the one ingredient that may be harder to find. I ordered my dried lavender flowers from amazon. Be sure to use food grade lavender-- not the kind for potpourri.
Lemon Juice or Vinegar: Acid activates the baking soda, kickstarting the rise.
Vanilla: Because all baked goods need a dose of vanilla.
Steeping Earl Grey and Lavender Flowers
The most important part of this recipe is the steeping of the tea and lavender flowers. This is where all the cakes flavor comes from.
First, measure the non dairy milk into a small saucepan with a tight fitting lid.
Then, over medium high heat, bring the liquid to a boil.
Next, add the earl grey tea and lavender flowers. Then, cut the heat, give the mixture a quick stir and cover with the lid.
Now, set a timer for 5 minutes.
Finally, when the timer goes off, strain the liquid into the bowl where you plant to mix the cake. And, make sure the press down on the tea and flowers in the strainer to extract as much liquid as possible.
And thats that! You will be left with a super strong tea that will flavor this Earl Grey Lavender Cake.
Cake Size Options
I chose to make a 6 inch layer cake with this recipe. If making a layer cake is intimidating to you, this cake can be make into cupcakes!
It will make about 14 cupcakes. Simply line a cupcake tin with liners, fill them ⅔ of the way up and bake them for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
You can also bake this recipe in a 9x9 square pan, but it will take longer than 18 minutes. Just be sure that a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
And, if you don't have three 6 inch cake pans, but still want a layer cake, this recipe can be baked in two 8 inch cake pans.
Storage
The cake layers can be made ahead of time. Once they are cooled, wrap with plastic wrap and freeze for up to a month.
To store this cake once it is decorated, place in a cake box or on a plate with a large bowl on top and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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📖 Recipe
Earl Grey Lavender Cake
Equipment
- 1 Small Saucepan with a tight fitting lid
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- 3 6" Cake Pans
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Cake Stand
- 1 Offset Spatula
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk
- 4 teaspoon Earl Grey Tea
- 1 tablespoon Dried Culinary Lavender Flowers
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 6 tablespoon Non-Dairy Butter, Melted
- 1 ½ teaspoon Lemon Juice or White Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 ¾ Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt ¼ teaspoon if using table salt
For the Vegan Vanilla Frosting
- 1 Cup Vegan Butter
- 4 Cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 tablespoon Non-Dairy Milk
Instructions
- Combine non-dairy milk, earl grey tea and lavender flowers in a small saucepan with a tight fitting lid. Place over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Remove from heat, and cover with a tight fitting lid. Allow tea to steep for 5 minutes.1 Cup Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk
- After 5 minutes have elapsed, strain the tea mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a large mixing bowl. Press the tea and lavender flowers in the strainer with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Set the hot milk tea aside for 30 minutes. (see note)
- Meanwhile, prepare three 6-inch cake pans by greasing them with shortening or coconut oil and inserting parchment circles into the bottom.
- Preheat oven to 350*F.
- Into the milky tea add sugar, melted non-dairy butter, lemon juice or vinegar and vanilla. Whisk well to combine.1 Cup Granulated Sugar, 6 tablespoon Non-Dairy Butter, Melted, 1 ½ teaspoon Lemon Juice or White Vinegar, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Place a sifter over the top of the bowl with the liquids and measure the flour, baking powder and salt into it. Sift the dries into the wet ingredients and whisk until combined.1 ¾ Cups All-Purpose Flour, 2 teaspoon Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- Divide the batter evenly among your 3 prepared 6" round cake pans.
- Bake in a 350* oven for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
- Allow to cool for 1 hour in the pans. Then, if necessary, loosen the cakes from the perimeter of the pans with a paring knife and turn them out onto a parchment lined baking tray to cool completely before decorating.
To Make the Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, cream the vegan butter until its completely smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar and mix on low until combined. Then add the vanilla and non-dairy milk and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
To Decorate
- Place one cake layer on a cake board or cake stand. Top with about ½ cup of frosting and use an offset spatula to spread the frosting to the edge of the cake.1 Cup Vegan Butter
- Top with another cake layer and repeat.
- Frost the exterior of the cake with the offset spatula and decorate as desired.
Bridgette says
Curious what grout would go with this? Orange? Strawberry etc? And have you tried making it GF?
Megan Calipari says
Orange, strawberry and vanilla would all be delicious! I just used vanilla here so the earl grey and lavender flavor would shine through