I absolutely adore black tea. Iced with a lemon or hot with milk and sugar, black tea is and has always been one of my very favorite drinks. So I created something sweet inspired by those flavor and…well, it was literally a piece of cake! (Pun completely intended)
I’ve always imagined that tea infused cake would be delicious, but when frosted with heaping amounts of fluffy lemon buttercream, it turned out to be spectacular. It’s the little things that makes a cake delicious!
And since I just adore the look of a “naked” cake, I left the outside unfrosted and decorated with slices of fresh lemon and rose leaves. Served with a cup of hot black tea, this cake is pure heaven!
photos by Joanne Pio
Black Tea Cake with Lemon Buttercream
Yields 2, 9-inch round cakes
Black Tea Cake
2 cups whole milk
6 tablespoons black tea
½ cup butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ½ cups cake flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pan.
2. Warm the milk until near boiling on the stove. Add the tea directly into the milk. Remove from heat and allow tea to steep, covered. Strain milk through a fine mesh sieve when cool and discard tea.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vegetable oil and vanilla extract. 4. Gradually add in the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the milk tea, mixing until batter is smooth.
5. Transfer batter to prepared pans and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.
Lemon Buttercream Frosting
2-½ cups butter, softened
4 teaspoons grated lemon peel
6 tablespoons lemon juice
6 cups powdered sugar
Directions:
1. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, lemon peel and lemon juice on medium speed for 30 seconds. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Beat 2 to 3 minutes longer or until light and fluffy.
Assembly:
1. With a serrated knife, cut each cake in half lengthwise.
2. On a plate or cake stand add a small dollop of frosting. This will keep your cake from sliding.
3. Start with adding one cake half to the plate and a generous dollop of buttercream. Frost the layers loosely making sure to spread buttercream all the way to the edges.
4. Continue to stack layers and repeat finishing with frosting on top.
5. Garnish with thinly sliced lemons and washed rose leaves.
Thank you to Robin of Two Chums for allowing me to bake in her beautiful kitchen!
Warm Vanilla Sugark says
Mmm tea cakes are so delicious!! Love this!
Freutcake says
Thank you! This one is especially delicious with the lemon buttercream. It's completely unexpected.
kelsey says
yum! that cake is gorgeous
kw, ladies in navy
Freutcake says
Thank you Kelsey!
Chelsea says
I'm loving the look of naked cakes lately and this one is GORGEOUS Leah! Feel free to overnight me a slice. 😉
xoxo,
Chelsea & The City
Freutcake says
Thank you Chelsea! So am I. I wish I could send you an entire cake! 😉
COMODORE says
That Looks amazing!
Freutcake says
Thank you!
Amanda @ Once Upon a Recipe says
This cake is GORGEOUS, and I bet it tastes amazing too. Black tea with a healthy splash of milk is one of my absolute favorite and most comforting drinks. I don't know why, it just is.
Freutcake says
Thank you Amanda! I totally agree. Black tea with just a splash of milk is heavenly.
Gaby [The Vault Files] says
Leah, I bow to you...stunning!