Lavender Earl Grey Cake with Honey-Lemon Glaze

*This post contains affiliate links — please see my disclosure for details*.

*This post contains affiliate links — please see my disclosure for details*

I love this cake! This single-layer earl grey cake is full of rich earl grey flavor with hints of lavender, lemon, and buttermilk. It’s topped with a glossy honey lemon icing, and best of all, it’s so easy to make!

A recipe like this sounds complicated — you might think you have to use fresh lavender flowers or infuse whole leaf tea. But it actually couldn’t be simpler! It’s a simple vanilla cake recipe, with tea leaves right in the batter to give it that distinctive Earl Grey flavor without any extra time!

This cake would be perfect for a casual dessert, a springtime tea party with friends. Maybe even for a low-key baby shower! The flavors are perfect and just make you think spring!

What kind of tea should I use for this cake?

This cake is made with Earl Grey tea, which is a black tea flavored with bergamot, a type of citrus fruit. If you’re not a die-hard Earl Grey fan like me, it’s DELICIOUS. It’s a very distinctive flavor, and a delicious variation on a standard black tea. Plus, the citrus and tea flavors together work very well in baked goods, ranging from cakes and cookies to ice cream!

For this cake, I used the type of Earl Grey that I buy to drink, which is Twinings Lavender Earl Grey (affiliate link). It has the bright, citrusy flavor of bergamot, along with the soothing scent of lavender. I love the blend of a classic flavor with slight floral note! So I knew that it would be perfect in this easy Earl Grey cake. But if you have another type of tea you prefer, I’m sure it would complement these flavors well! If you do try a different tea, share that in the comments so we can try it out!

To give this cake its tea flavor, you’ll just need to open your tea bags and stir the leaves into the batter. The smaller the tea leaves are the better, so if need be you can chop them a little before adding them.

Lavender Earl Grey Cake, Step by Step

This cake is so easy! It’s a one bowl recipe that you can whisk together in just a few minutes!

1. First, you’ll mix together your wet ingredients: Eggs, sugar, and vanilla, followed by the oil and buttermilk.
2. Then just fold in your dry ingredients: Flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and tea leaves.
3. Then just pour it into your pan and bake!

It’s that simple! And it’s a single layer cake, which is my favorite type of easy cake to whip up for a casual occasion. So go ahead and get baking!

Lavender Earl Grey Cake

An easy vanilla cake with the fantastic flavors of black tea, bergamot, and lavender, topped with a quick honey lemon glaze. So simple and delicious!

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Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Course: Dessert, Tea

Cuisine :American, British

Servings: 8 slices

Recipe Source: Chenée Lewis

Ingredients

1x2x3x

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs – room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 6 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup buttermilk – (see note)
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour – (160g)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 2 bags Lavender Earl Grey Tea
• 1/4 teaspoon salt – optional

Honey-Lemon Glaze

• zest of one lemon
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 cups powdered sugar – (240g)
• 2-4 tbsp fresh lemon juice – or as needed

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
• In a stand mixer or using a handheld mixer, beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla on high until thickened and smooth.
• Mix in oil, followed by buttermilk until blended.
• In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, tea, and salt.
• Using a rubber spatula, fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just barely combined.
• Pour into prepared cake pan and drop from 2 inches onto counter to get rid of air bubbles.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick entered into the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Cool in pan for about 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Prepare Honey-Lemon Glaze:

• Whisk together honey, lemon zest, and 2 tbsp lemon juice in a bowl.
• Gradually whisk in powdered sugar until smooth.
• Add lemon juice as necessary to achieve desired consistency.
• Pour over cooled cake and smooth to even.

Notes

Buttermilk: I prefer using full-fat buttermilk in most cakes because it adds flavor and richness, and keeps the cake moist for longer.  But you can definitely substitute whole milk for buttermilk in this cake.  If you do, omit the baking soda. 

Nutrition Disclaimer

Tags: buttermilk, earl grey, earl grey cake, easy, honey, lemon, lemon zest, single-layer cake, tea, tea desserts, vanilla cake

Did you try this recipe? Rate it below!I can’t wait to see (and share) your results! Follow me on Instagram at @chenee_today and tag #cheneetoday!

If you like this Lavender Earl Grey Cake, I definitely recommend my Orange Rosemary Olive Oil Cake. It’s a soft, moist cake that has fantastic flavors and a subtle sweetness. Happy baking!

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