An Earl Grey Tea Cake, as the name suggests the teacake is made of tea-infused milk. A subtle sweet flavor makes this cake a go-to accompaniment for your morning or evening cup of chai (tea) or coffee. As my mother puts it, it’s not a teacake, in fact it’s a tea- teacake. The subtle flavors of Earl Grey with Condensed Milk, combined together – gives you this amazing Simple & Sweet teacake.
What are Teacakes?
In the easiest language, teacakes are cakes but are rectangular in shape. They are made in smaller loaf like molds using a similar creaming and folding technique as done for cakes. They are easier to eat as the slices are way smaller than those of a typical round cake and is the go-to side to any beverage of your choice.
Here are some more teacakes from the blog for you:
What’s Earl Grey?
One of the more recognizable flavors in the world of tea’s (chai), Earl Grey is a tea blend flavored by the oil of bergamot. It is a black tea, and can be had with both Water & Milk. To use this tea as a flavor, you can either add tea bags directly into the milk or you can add loose tea for a stronger flavor, and then strain it. It is reputed to aid in Heart Health due to the fact that it’s made of Black Tea.
You get a range of Earl Grey Tea’s in India – from Twinings to TWG to Harrods! It’s available fairly easily.
Tips to Bake a Great Cake:
1. Temperature: Use room temperature ingredients, especially the ones you keep in the fridge, like milk, eggs, butter. Room temperature will guarantee better results.
2. Don’t Over mix: Avoid using a whisk attachment, use a paddle or spatula again. Over mixing your batter can lead to a less fluffy cake. Mix it only till when it’s required.
3. Avoid Opening the Oven too much: Every time you open the oven to check on your cake, you change the temperature of the oven, which can lead to cracks on the cake.
4. Sieve your Dry Ingredients: Try and sieve all your dry ingredients, from flour to coffee powder. It will lead to a cleaner batter and softer cake.
For more tips on how you can perfect your cakes, click here.
Cracks on a Teacake
It’s absolutely and perfectly normal to have cracks in your teacake. In fact, its good too, it show how your teacake has cooked properly. Unlike Bundt Cakes, teacakes don’t have that structure to support the cake fully. The cake expands which may lead to cracks on the surface.
Cracks may also appear if you are opening the oven too many times and altering the temperature too frequently. BUT if it bothers you too much, add a teaspoon worth of Baker’s Cornstarch for better binding of your teacake – which would give it an overall better structure.
Baker’s Cornstarch! What’s that?
While you be surprised to know, cornstarch being added to a cake is a thing! Now, please don’t add it to a normal cake, round, rectangular, loaf etc. However, since Bundt Pans, have so much depth, the cake can be compressed, not leaving a fluffy cake. Cornstarch, helps in making the cake spongier and softer, while ensuring better binding of your Pound Cake! However, it’s totally up to you, this cake can be made without it as well but I would recommend it.
Equipment
- oven
- Spatula
- Sauce pan
- Stand Mixer (Optional)
- 6 Inch Cake Tin
Ingredients
- ½ cup /100 gms soft unsalted butter at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
- 1½ cup refined flour
- 2 tbsp loose Earl Grey Tea (or can dip 3 tea bags instead, as well)
- 1 tbsp 15 gms castor sugar
- ½ cup /125ml whole milk at room temperature
- 200 gm condensed milk
Instructions
- Take a pan, mix the tea powder and the milk. Let the tea powder infuse in the milk for 10 straight minutes. Alternatively, you can dip the 3 Tea Bags in the milk as well, and provide it the same amount of time for it to infuse properly.
- Heat the pan, and bring the infused milk to a gentle simmer. After 10 minutes, strain the tea and keep the milk aside. Do not strain the milk if you have dipped tea bags, instead.
- Now add butter and castor sugar and whisk together till light and fluffy. Then add in the infused milk and condensed milk, continue to whisk to combine well and evenly. Always whisk in the same direction of flow.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Now, fold all this into the milk and sugar batter with a spatula. Put the dry ingredients a ladle’s worth a time.
- Pour the cake batter into a 6-inch cake tin (rectangular or round). Bake at 180 degrees for 15-25 minutes or till a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. If you think the top is browning too fast, feel free to cover it with an aluminium foil.
Closing Note
Someone once rightly said “a recipe has no soul, you must bring soul to the recipe”, so here I am, trying to bring my passion for food into easy to make recipes from around the world.
My name is Sohail Nath and I welcome you to my happy place, @boy.eatsworld.
This blog, my creativity’s nest covers travel inspirations, authentic yet homemade recipe and food blogs.