Earl Grey Cake with Italian Meringue Buttercream
Calories: 28
Adjust Servings Here: 12 servings
Description
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.
Ingredients
Makes one 6-inch cake - 4 inches tall
Cake batter
- 2 ½ cup (310 g) All-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp Baking powder
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 1 cup (240 ml) Milk
- 4 Earl Grey Teabags (or 2 tbsp tea)
- ⅔ cup (150 g) Unsalted Butter room temperature
- ½ cup (120 ml) Vegetable Oil flavorless
- 1 ½ cup (300 g) White sugar
- 3 large Eggs large
- ¼ cup (60 ml) Sour cream
- 1 tsp Vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1 tsp Bergamot extract (optional)
- ½ tsp Earl grey tea leaves finely ground (optional)
Italian meringue buttercream
- 3 Egg whites
- ½ cup (100 g) White sugar
- 2 tbsp Water
- ⅛ tsp Cream of tartar
- ⅛ tsp Salt
- 8 oz (226 g) Butter unsalted, room temperature
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp Bergamot extract optional
Earl Grey syrup
- ½ cup (100 g) Sugar
- ½ cup (120 ml) Water
- 2 Earl Grey tea bags (1 tbsp EG tea)
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325°F / 165°C / Gas Mark 3. Grease and line 2× 6-inch baking pans with parchment paper. You can also double this recipe to make 2 x 8-inch round cakes.
- Dry ingredients - Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt – set aside.2 ½ cup All-purpose flour, 1½ tsp Baking powder, ½ tsp Baking Soda, ¼ tsp Salt
- Earl Grey milk – Pour the milk in 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.1 cup Milk, 4 Earl Grey Teabags
- 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.⅔ cup Unsalted Butter, ½ cup Vegetable Oil , 1 ½ cup White sugar, 3 large Eggs
- Next, add the flour, sour cream, and Earl Grey milk in three batches, making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl. Then, add the vanilla and bergamot extract and combine well. Add the Earl Grey tea leaves if using as well.¼ cup Sour cream, 1 tsp Vanilla bean paste, 1 tsp Bergamot extract, ½ tsp Earl grey tea leaves
- 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. Then, 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.3 Egg whites, 1/8 tsp Cream of tartar, 1/8 tsp Salt
- Meanwhile, heat sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Once all the sugar is melted, place a candy thermometer inside. Continue to boil until the sugar syrup reaches about 238°F on the candy thermometer (softball stage).2 tbsp Water, ½ cup White sugar
- Turn the mixer on medium speed and pour 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.8 oz Butter
- 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.2 tsp Vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp 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.½ cup Sugar, ½ cup Water, 2 Earl Grey tea bags
Assemble
- 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).Watch this video showing how I level, torte, and fill the cakes.
- 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. Place the cake in the fridge to chill for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Spread the remaining buttercream around and on top of the cake. A straight-edge spatula for the top, an offset spatula, and a bench scraper for the sides work better.
- 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 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.
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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