My "Slightly Different" Earl Grey Tea Cake with Tea Pairings!

Earl Grey tea is possibly one of the most fragrant and aromatic cake flavours associated with British cake in all of history. Paired usually with something lemony like a lemon icing or some zest within the recipe, I have instead decided on a vanilla pairing since I’m trying out new things. The cake itself is quite simple and yet, it is important that you follow the recipe to your own tastes if you are going to double or even triple it in order to feed more people. Since I’m feeding three people an afternoon tea, I don’t need something large. This cake tin is quite small and is suitable for slicing into quarters for a family of four adults who would also like a cup of tea with their dessert. Teas that pair well with this cake include of course, lemon, then we have orange and the fragrant opposite to flavour: Twinings Lady Jane Grey. I will be pairing it with Fortnum and Mason’s Queen Anne though, it’s a Ceylon with some lovely light undertones and is, in fact, my favourite tea after mint. No sugar or milk required.

Ingredients

• 100g Margarine

• 50g Brown Sugar

• 2x Tbsp Apple Sauce

• 2x Tsp Baking Powder

• 120g Self Raising Flour

• 1x Tbsp Vanilla Essence

• 1x Earl Grey Teabag (or, 2x Tsp Loose Earl Grey Tea).

(Optional: 1x tsp of fresh bergamot if you enjoy an extra punch of the earl grey flavour. I’m not a big fan, so I leave it out. I prefer a light cake)

How To

1. Preheat your oven to 200/C and line a small baking tin with some greaseproof paper or, spread some margarine over the tin and set the tin in the fridge so the margarine doesn’t melt away whilst you’re making the cake batter

2. Cream together the sugar and margarine in a bowl, adding the apple sauce and vanilla as you go

3. Put your tea leaves into a small bowl and put 1/4 of a teaspoon of water atop of them, mixing them in and pouring the whole bowl into your cake mixture. Mix this in

4. Fold in your baking powder and self raising flour to create a batter

5. Pour the batter into your tin and place the tin in the oven for around 30-35 minutes

6. Once cooled, get the cake on a plate and decorate as you wish or just enjoy plain. This cake can be eaten cold or, put a slice in the microwave for 10-12 seconds and it is lovely and warm

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I have decorated my cake with some desiccated coconut, jam and various little bits of fruit. Peach and lemon top the cake giving people the option to squeeze the fruit on to their cake to add flavour. Make sure the peach is soft if you’re going to do this though so it can be squeezed. I’ve also put some dried cranberries atop the cake which also gives people the option to take them from the top and sprinkle them on to their cake piece.

Tea

Let’s have a look at our pairings for tea and which ones, plus their brands, I think are the best. Now, I am going to concentrate on Fortnum and Mason tea since it’s my favourite but I understand if it isn’t for you. These are just suggestions:

• Countess Grey - a light orange fragrant flavour to add to your cake, countess grey is a beautiful cup of tea

• Moroccan Mint Green Tea - a genuinely brilliant cup, mint tea is my favourite after all. This is excellent for any afternoon tea because it does wonders for digestion!

• Queen Anne - my favourite Fortnum and Mason blend is a wonderful afternoon tea. Ceylon and citrus makes you feel very fancy and of course, it is such a relaxing drink

Afternoon tea season is one of my favourites even though I have to admit I am an Autumn/Winter baking girl at heart. Tea has always been a passion of mine, I love the flavours and the relaxing notions of it and atop of that - I am British, so what else is supposed to be a passion of mine?

Have you even had an afternoon tea? If so, where was your favourite one and what did it contain? Do you have a favourite tea? What do you like to pair it with? Do you drink one cup or are you like me, someone who has to drink a whole teapot full whenever tea is available?