Earl Grey Cake with Italian Meringue Buttercream

I have the perfect cake for that tea lover in your life. This 6-inch Earl Grey cake has just the right balance of tea-infused with bergamot essence. Delicious on its own, or frosted with Italian meringue buttercream.

---

As a professional cake decorator, I’ll never forget the first time a client requested an Earl Grey cake. I was excited but had no idea where to begin. While I’d tasted one before, I had never made it myself.

After a lot of research (and a few trial runs), I finally created a version I loved—thanks to my family, who are always my trusty taste testers. It turned out so delicious that I immediately added it to my cake flavors menu, and to my surprise, it quickly gained a lot of attention!

As an Earl Grey tea drinker myself, I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of making this cake sooner. It’s now one of my personal favorites and a beloved choice.

Why make this cake?

• Delicate Earl Grey Flavor: The batter is infused with finely ground Earl Grey tea and steeped milk, ensuring the perfect balance of citrusy bergamot and rich tea flavor in every bite.
• Moist and Tender Texture: A blend of butter for richness and oil for moisture creates a soft, fluffy cake that stays perfectly tender for days.
• Versatile Pairings: Pairs beautifully with a variety of frostings like lavender buttercream, honey cream cheese, vanilla Swiss, or Italian meringue, making it adaptable for any occasion.
• Elegant and Unique: Its subtle yet sophisticated flavor profile makes it a standout option for weddings, afternoon teas, or special celebrations.

Ingredients and substitutes

• Fat – I am using a combination of butter and oil to keep this cake stable, but also moist. I prefer to use unsalted butter so I can control the quantity of salt in my recipe. But if salted butter is all you have, go ahead and use it. Just omit salt in the recipe.
• All-purpose flour – I like to use all-purpose flour for this cake, as it adds stability to the cake.
• Sour cream – Gives the cake a soft crumb. You can also make sour cream at home for baking. And if you don’t have sour cream, Greek yogurt is a great alternative.
• Vanilla – I love the little specks of bean paste scattered around the cake. So I love using a vanilla bean. You can also use vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, or vanilla sugar.
• Bergamot Extract – This is the essence of the Earl Grey tea. And if you cannot find Bergamot extract, just double the quantity of tea bags used, and you will still have a nice, strong flavor.
• Earl Grey tea – This cake has milk infused with tea bags, and it also uses the tea leaves. While they do add some flavor, they are more for an aesthetic appeal. I love the black specks of the little tea leaves in the cake. You can omit these as well.

Step-by-step: Earl Grey cake

Cake

• Preheat the oven to 325°F / 165°C / Gas Mark 3. Grease and line 2× 6-inch round baking pans with parchment paper. You can also double this recipe to make 2 x 8-inch round cakes.
  Pro tip – I am baking in 2 pans, so I can torte in half to make four. But you can also use 3 x 6-inch round pans to make three layers, so you don’t have to torte.
• Dry ingredients – Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt – set aside.
• Earl Grey milk – Pour the milk into a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the tea bags. Alternatively, you can heat the milk in a microwave-safe bowl. Leave to steep until the milk is cooled. When cooled, squeeze lightly.
  Pro tip – While you want to get as much bergamot flavor as possible, do not squeeze too much, as the tannins from the tea leaves will add a bitter taste to the cake.

• In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, oil, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure each is well incorporated.
• Next, add the flour, sour cream, and Earl Grey milk in three batches, making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl often. Then, add the vanilla and bergamot extract and combine well.
• Pour the batter into the two prepared baking pans and bake for 20 to 25 minutes on the middle rack or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Once baked, leave in the pan for no more than 10 minutes. Invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Italian meringue buttercream

• Watch this video – How I make my Italian Meringue Buttercream.
• Place egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment on medium speed. Once the meringue is at the soft peak stage, turn the mixer on low to avoid overmixing and wait for the sugar to reach the right temperature.
• Meanwhile, heat sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Once all the sugar has melted, insert a candy thermometer. Continue to boil until the sugar syrup reaches about 238°F on the candy thermometer (softball stage).
• Next, turn the mixer on medium speed and start pouring the hot sugar syrup into the mixer bowl. The sugar should stream between the whisk and the edge of the bowl. Once all the syrup is in, turn the mixer on high and whisk for about 3 minutes. The outside of the bowl will be hot at first and then barely warm.
• When the meringue is cold, and the bowl is not warm at all, start adding the butter, one cube at a time.
• Continue to boil until the sugar syrup reaches about 238°F on the candy thermometer (softball stage). This takes about 5 to 7 minutes on medium heat.
• Once all the butter is in, whip for another minute or two until you have a smooth and satin-like buttercream that is light and fluffy. Then, add the vanilla and bergamot extract.

Earl Grey syrup

• To prepare the Earl Grey-infused simple syrup – In a saucepan over medium heat, add the water and sugar until all the sugar has dissolved and the syrup comes to a boil. Take it off the heat, add the tea bags, and leave it to steep. Let cool completely, then strain the tea and use the syrup for the cake.

Assemble

• Watch this video showing how I level, torte, and fill the cakes.
• Using a bread knife or cake leveler, cut the domes off the cake layers. Then, divide each layer in half horizontally so you have four layers (2 x 2 = 4 layers).
• Brush each layer with the cooled simple syrup. You can add a few drops of bergamot extract to enhance the flavor of Earl Grey.

• Next, place a cake layer on the cake board or cake stand. Top with a big dollop of buttercream – spread evenly using a straight-edge spatula.
• Then, place the cake in the fridge to chill for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Spread the remaining buttercream around and on top of the cake.
  Pro tip – A straight-edge spatula for the top, an offset spatula, and a bench scraper for the sides work better.
• Next, divide the remaining buttercream into three. Color each with gel food colors – I have used three different colors: pink, peach, and a golden yellow mixed with ivory.
• Place the remaining frosting in a piping bag with a star piping tip nozzle. Pipe straight lines vertically around and on top of the cake. For the sides, start from the bottom to the top and from the top, starting from the outside towards the center. Decorate as desired.

How to store Earl Grey cake?

• The unfrosted cake layers will stay fresh for up to four days at cool room temperature. And, longer if kept in the fridge. Without frosting, this cake can be frozen for up to a month or more.
• Italian meringue buttercream (IMBC) has egg whites, which are considered perishable.
• In good weather, a cake frosted with IMBC can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 days and in the fridge for up to 5 days.

• Vanilla Cafe Latte Cake with Coffee Buttercream
• Chai Latte Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
• Espresso Cake with Whipped Espresso Ganache
• Cardamom Cake with Mocha Buttercream
• See all layer cakes

---

Frequently asked questions

Did you LIKE this recipe? Save it for later on Pinterest.
Follow on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or TikTok
Subscribe to receive new recipes right to your inbox.

---

---