This lovely Earl Grey Cake is infused with fragrant tea in both the frosting and the cake batter. With two thick layers of soft, buttery cake sandwiched in a rich, shiny dark chocolate frosting, it’s delicate, elegant, and perfect for earl grey tea lovers.
For me, the flavor and texture of this dessert is reminiscent of a classic yellow cake with chocolate frosting, which was always my birthday request as a kid. However, this earl grey cake recipe is more grown-up, more sophisticated. If you’re looking for a standout earl grey dessert for a celebration or dinner party, this cake hits that balance of comforting yet fancy-feeling.
Recipe highlights
- Tea-forward flavor. Earl grey tea is infused into the cake batter and the frosting, carrying its lovely bergamot aroma throughout.
- Soft, delicate cake layers. Light and tender layers of buttery cake make this recipe texturally delightful.
- Silky chocolate frosting. The dark chocolate frosting cuts the sweetness and brings richness, the perfect pairing for floral earl grey.
- Beautiful to present. This cake is stunning to behold, with two thick layers and a gorgeously shiny frosting.
- Quick to assemble. With about 45 minutes prep & bake time, it’s a manageable cake to put together, even on a busy day.
Recipe Overview
⏱️ Prep: ~15 min • Bake: 25–30 min • Total: ~1 ½ hours with cooling time
🍴 Yield: 2-layer 6-inch cake (serves 6-8)
💪 Skill level: Beginner
How to make this earl grey tea cake
Here’s a streamlined walkthrough (see recipe card below for exact measurements):
- Infuse milk with tea. Scald milk, steep earl grey tea for ~5 minutes, then strain.
- Prep cake ingredients. In a mixer, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk egg whites, vanilla, and infused milk.
- Mix cake batter. Add softened butter to dry ingredients and blend into fine crumbs. Add most of the wet mix (reserving a bit), beating until light and fluffy. Add remaining wet ingredients and mix gently until just combined.
- Bake. Divide cake batter into two greased 6-inch pans, and bake ~25–30 minutes until golden and pulling away from edges. Let fully cool.
- Make frosting. Cream cocoa powder and butter, then add honey, vanilla, and salt. Gradually pour in hot earl grey tea, then finish by mixing in powdered sugar until smooth and creamy.
- Assemble cake. Level cake tops if needed, frost between layers, and apply a thin crumb coat. Then chill the cake for 30 minutes, finishing with the final frosting layer.
Ingredients notes & substitutions
Whole milk. Substitute almond milk or full-fat oat milk for a plant-based version. I don’t recommend coconut milk as the flavor will be too strong here.
Earl grey tea. Use good-quality tea, either 2 tablespoons of loose leaf or 3-4 tea bags. If using loose leaf tea, be sure to strain it through a fine mesh strainer to avoid any particles making it into the cake. For the frosting, you’ll need to prepare a cup of tea and have it hot and ready.
Cocoa powder. You can use any cocoa powder you like here – Dutch process, natural, or cacao powder are all fine for this recipe. I prefer cocoa with a rich, dark flavor for this cake.
Honey. You could swap this for maple syrup, but the final flavor will be a bit darker and less sweet. The honey also contributes to the shininess of the frosting, so the look may be slightly different as well.
Pro baking tips for making earl grey cake
Use good-quality tea. Since the tea flavor is key in this recipe, a high-quality earl grey gives the best results. You can use tea bags or loose leaf for this.
Don’t over-steep. 5 minutes is enough. Too long and your tea infusion might become bitter.
Cool fully before frosting. Warm cake can melt the frosting – you don’t want that!
Sift the cocoa powder and powdered sugar. This helps ensure a smooth, lump-free frosting.
Apply a crumb coat. Letting the first thin layer of frosting chill and set helps you finish with a clean, crumb-free outer layer of chocolate frosting.
Storage & serving
Store at room temperature: You can store this chocolate earl grey cake at room temp in a covered cake dome or loosely covered in plastic for 2-3 days.
Store in the refrigerator: This cake could also be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days. I recommend bringing the cake to room temperature before serving (30–60 min) for the best flavor experience.
Make ahead option: You can bake the earl grey cake layers a day or two ahead of time. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature. Frost just before serving.
More chocolate layer cakes:
If you make this Earl Grey Cake with Chocolate Frosting, please let me know what you think! Leave a star rating and comment below the recipe card. Thank you!
Earl Grey Cake with Dark Chocolate Frosting
Equipment
- Stand mixer
Ingredients
Earl Grey Cake
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons earl grey tea (3-4 teabags)
- 3 egg whites, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
Dark Chocolate Frosting
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted
- 2 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup hot earl grey tea
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
For the earl grey cake:
- Grease two 6-inch pans and line with parchment. Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Scald the milk, add the tea, and let steep, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the soft butter and mix on low until the butter breaks down into pea-sized crumbs.
- In a separate bowl, combine strained milk, egg whites, and vanilla. Add all but 1/4 cup of liquid ingredients to the stand mixer and blend on medium until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Pour in remaining milk mixture and blend until combined, 1 minute.
- Divide batter evenly between the two pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan. Allow to cool completely.
- Invert and remove from pans, removing parchment from the bottom of the cake.
For the chocolate frosting:
- Cream together the cocoa powder and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low until well blended, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add the honey, vanilla, and salt; mix until smooth. Add the hot tea gradually, mixing on low and scraping the bowl part way through. Blend well.
- Add the powdered sugar, mixing on low until blended. Turn the speed up to medium and whip until smooth and creamy, 2-3 minutes.
To assemble cake:
- Slice the rounded tops of cake layers to make cakes flat, if necessary. Spread chocolate frosting in between layers.
- Coat the filled cake with a thin layer of chocolate frosting and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Apply final frosting as desired.
Did you try this recipe?
Be sure to leave a comment below!
