London Fog Cake with Earl Grey & Lavender (Printable)
Aromatic Earl Grey and lavender-infused layer cake with creamy vanilla bean frosting.
# What You Need:
→ Earl Grey Lavender Cake
01 - 1 cup whole milk
02 - 3 Earl Grey tea bags
03 - 1 tbsp dried culinary lavender
04 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
05 - 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
06 - 1/2 tsp salt
07 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
08 - 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
09 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
10 - 2 tsp vanilla extract
→ Vanilla Bean Frosting
11 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
12 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
13 - 2 tbsp whole milk
14 - 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
15 - Pinch of salt
→ Decoration
16 - Dried lavender buds
17 - Lemon zest
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - Heat milk in a small saucepan until steaming but not boiling. Remove from heat, add Earl Grey tea bags and lavender, cover, and steep for 15 minutes. Strain and cool to room temperature.
03 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
04 - Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
05 - Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla extract.
06 - With mixer on low, add flour mixture in three parts, alternating with cooled tea-infused milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
07 - Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Smooth tops with spatula. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
08 - Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
09 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, milk, vanilla bean paste, and salt. Beat until fluffy and smooth.
10 - Place one cake layer on serving plate, spread with frosting. Repeat with remaining layers. Frost top and sides of cake. Decorate with dried lavender buds and lemon zest if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The Earl Grey infusion creates these incredibly fragrant, tender crumbs that make people pause mid-bite
- Vanilla bean frosting cuts through all those floral notes with just the right creamy contrast
- Looks sophisticated but comes together faster than most layer cakes because the milk infusion does most of the heavy lifting
02 -
- Over-steeping the milk makes the cake taste bitter and medicinal, 15 minutes is the sweet spot
- Room temperature ingredients prevent curdling and ensure even baking throughout the layers
- Letting the cakes cool completely before frosting prevents the frosting from melting and sliding off
03 -
- Steep the milk the night before and keep it refrigerated for an even stronger tea infusion
- Use a kitchen scale to divide batter equally between pans for perfectly matched layers