A favourite cake flavour of mine, and can be often found in Asian bakeries, is Earl Grey Lavender! The combination of the bitterness of black tea, mixed with floral infusions of the Lavender is match made in heaven. Drawing upon this favourite flavour of mine, I decided to make these Earl Grey Lavender Cake Squares.

The best part? This is a simple traybake of a single layered cake and you can have your cake without committing to an entire two or three-tier cake!

There are a few important elements to these Earl Grey Lavender Cake Squares that made them as delicious as they are. Firstly, is to be generous with the earl grey tea bags that will be used for that flavour infusion into the cake. I did so by steeping the earl grey tea bags, 4 of them, in milk for this flavour infusion. Thereafter, this earl grey milk tea will be used for both the cake and the batter!

Secondly, not forgetting other flavour profiles, is the use of vanilla for that base flavour for the earl grey to build on. While used in minute amounts, this dash of vanilla is so ever important. Finally, it’s the use of lavender! I would recommend crushing up the lavender either through a pestle and mortar or by crushing it. This allows the lavender flavour to be released and to be incorporated to the cream cheese frosting.

In the event you are thinking of making multiple layers, simply multiply this recipe accordingly. For a reference, this current recipe can comfortably make a two-layer 6 inch cakes. If you need help to do the math, let me know!

Without further ado, the recipe!

Earl Grey Lavender Cake Squares
by Javier Tan Jun-16-2024

A flavour combo that’s a match made in heaven, these Earl Grey Lavender Cake Squares have a good mix of earthiness, floral and sweetness!

Ingredients

Earl Grey Cake

  • 1/2 Cup or 115g of Butter, Softened at Room Temp
  • 2/3 Cup or 150g of White Sugar
  • Large Eggs, 2 Room Temperature, 55g each
  • 2 Tbspns or 30ml of Vegetable Oil
  • 2 Tsps or 10ml Vanilla Essence
  • 2/3 Cup + 1 Tbspn or 195ml of Earl Grey Milk (4 bags of Earl Grey tea steep in Milk, low-heat for 10-15 mins). Set aside 15ml for Frosting
  • 2 Cups or 240g of All-Purpose / Plain Flour, Sifted
  • 2 Tspns or 8g Baking Powder, Sifted

Lavender Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 2/3 Cup or 160g of Cream Cheese, Softened at Room Temp
  • 1 and 1/3 Cup or 150g of Powdered Sugar, Sifted
  • 1 Tbspn or 15ml of Earl Grey Milk
  • 1/2 Tsp or 2.5ml Vanilla Essence
  • Culinary Lavender Buds, Crushed either using a small knife or Pestle and Mortar

Instructions

  1. Firstly, cream together the butter and sugar for 2 – 3 minutes until well-incorporated. Then, whisk in the two eggs.
  2. Once incorporated, whisk in the earl grey milk tea, vegetable oil and vanilla. You can use a mixer on low speed too! For earl grey milk tea, steep / boil at low heat the 4 bags of earl grey with milk, it should take 10 – 15 minutes and do keep a close watch to avoid it being burnt!
  3. Then, mix in the sifted flour and baking powder.
  4. Transfer the cake batter to an 8 inch cake square and hit against the counter to dislodge excess air. Bake at 160C for 28 – 36 minutes until golden brown, mine took 32 minutes.
  5. Once the cake is done, set aside to cool for 5 minutes. In the meanwhile, make the lavender cream cheese frosting by mixing all the ingredients at low speed, before mixing in the crushed lavender buds.
  6. Finally, frost the cake as you would like it!
  7. Serve and enjoy.

Details

  • Prep time: 40 mins
  • Cook time: 30 mins
  • Total time: 1 hour 10 mins
  • Yield: 1 Fragrant and Lightly Earthy Batch of Earl Grey Lavender Cake Squares

Notes:

  1. If you would like to be updated for more recipes which I strive to create to perfection for sharing and for free, do check out my InstagramFacebook Page, or YouTube 🙂 Thank you so much for all of your support! Feel free to tag me or link back here!
  2. Best stored in refrigerator for up to 5 days. Do bring it out to bring to room temp (30 mins) to soften before serving.
  3. Please do not copy and paste the recipe without my permission, but feel free to link back here!

Enjoy!
– Bakeomaniac, Javier Tan