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Earl Grey Blueberry Lemon Cake…sweet lemony almond cake swirled with a mix of fresh blueberries and infused with the warming flavors of earl grey tea for a cozy winter twist. Finish this simple cake with a citrus lemon glaze that’s unique and delicious. Every last crumb is SO GOOD. Enjoy for brunch, as an afternoon snack with a latte, or for dessert with a dollop of whipped cream. Bonus? It’s simpler to make than you’d think, and so very pretty…with very little effort.
It’s Tuesday, but it feels a bit more like a Monday, right?
Well, actually to be honest I’m lost as to what day it is most days of the week. Lately they’ve been blurring together a bit. With the long weekend behind us, I hope you guys are feeling refreshed and excited for the short week ahead. I also hope you’re ready for some baking because we obviously have some cake to chat about. I figured we did tacos yesterday, so with snow set to fall all week long, Tuesday afternoon baking just felt so very right.
Plus, it’s been a while since I’ve done a Tuesday baking recipe. This week just felt like a nice week to bring a sweeter Tuesday recipe back!
So here we are…and with a cake you might not expect out of me (because we all know that I really love a good chocolate cake).
The background Story.
The funny thing about this recipe? I actually really dislike tea. I can do a hibiscus tea, but pretty much all warm teas make me gag. I know, I know, so weird. Trust me, I want to love a mug of green tea or that cup of chamomile tea, but I just can get it down. Maybe with some persistence I could learn to like it, but I’ve never given it too much of a shot. Tea just is not my favorite.
That said, I do love the flavors that are abundant throughout a lot of teas. Chai tea is cinnamon spice and everything nice. It’s probably my favorite flavor to incorporate into fall and winter desserts (do you remember my chai latte cupcakes?). And Chamomile pairs so wonderfully with honey. I often use it in spring and summer desserts (like this strawberry chamomile naked cake). And then there is earl grey, the warming tea that reminds me most of winter.
I haven’t done as much with earl grey as I have with chai and chamomile, but it’s still a flavor I love. It’s a British black tea, typically flavored with oil from the rind of a bergamot orange, a citrus fruit with the appearance and flavor somewhere between an orange and a lemon with a little grapefruit and lime thrown in. Way back in the day I shared an earl grey blueberry muffin in the original HBH cookbook. Last year I made earl grey citrusy pancakes. This winter I drew inspiration from those original blueberry muffins…and now we’re talking blueberry earl grey cake.
Here are the details.
The first step is to steep the tea in milk. I used whole goat milk, but you can also use coconut milk or any nut-based milk you enjoy. Ideally something creamy with a higher fat content like canned coconut milk or Malk organic nut milk (this is my favorite brand of nut milk).
While the tea is steeping, get together all the ingredients you need. Once the tea has steeped in the milk, the rest of the cake comes together quickly.
Cream some butter with lots of lemon and orange zest and a touch of sugar. Then add eggs and a splash of cream.
Once all the wet ingredients have been mixed. Simply beat in the flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Add the steeped milk and then stir in lots of blueberries. If you’re low on blueberries, pretty much any berry would be great.
Layer the batter into a loaf pan. Then add a small handful of berries and finish the cake up with a sprinkling of sugar on top. At this point, it’s time to bake. Like most pound cakes, this takes about an hour in the oven, which is a long time, but well worth the wait.
While the cake bakes, make the glaze.
While the cake is so good on its own (really, it is), the glaze seals the deal (literally) and makes this extra special.
The first step is the citrus. I used a Meyer lemon and a blood orange. You can use all lemons too, but I love the color the blood orange adds, so pretty.
I zested the fruits with a Y peeler, then thinly sliced the zest into very thin dainty strips. Set the strips aside for a minute and mix the lemon juice together with a little powdered sugar (only just a little) and all the citrus zest. Spoon this over the cake for a truly delicious topping.
And that’s it…simple, pretty, perfectly sweet, extra moist, and SO GOOD! Every bite is bursting with sweet blueberries and hinted with lemon and orange.
Happiest Tuesday night baking to you all! Hope you guys enjoy this Earl Grey Blueberry Lemon Cake as much as I do!
Looking for other wintery sweets? Here are a few to try:
5 Minute Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread Mug Cake
Dirty Horchata Tres Leches Cake
Coconut Banana Cake with Fudgy Chocolate Frosting
Lastly, if you make this Earl Grey Blueberry Lemon Cake be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Earl Grey Blueberry Lemon Cake
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 374 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup milk
- 3-4 bags earl grey tea
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) salted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup plus, 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup almond flour (or 1/2 cup all-purpose flour)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- 1 tablespoon blueberry jam (optional)
Lemon Glaze
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 blood orange (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Bring the milk to a low boil in a small saucepan until steaming. Remove from the heat. Add the tea bags, cover, and steep for 10 minutes. Remove the tea bags and discard.2. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Grease a (9×5 inch) loaf pan.3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, 1/2 cup sugar, lemon zest, and orange zest until combined. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined, then add the vanilla. Add 1 cup flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt, and beat to combine. Add the steeped milk, beating until just combined. 4. Toss the blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour, then fold in 3/4 cups blueberries.3. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Swirl in the blueberry jam, then Sprinkle on the remaining blueberries and 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until the center is just set. Let cool before glazing.4. Meanwhile, make the glaze. Remove the zest from the blood orange with a vegetable peeler in wide strips. Thinly slice the strips. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, and lemon juice until smooth and drizzly. Stir in the orange zests.5. Drizzle the glaze over the cake. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
To Freeze: Bake as directed, cool completely, then tightly wrap in plastic wrap. Freeze in a freezer bag or freezer safe container for up to 4 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, or on the counter for a few hours.
To Make Gluten Free: Use an equal amount of your favorite gluten free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour. I recommend Cup4Cup gluten free flour.
Storing: this cake keeps well for 3-4 days at room temperature.
This post was originally published on February 16, 2021
OMG! This was absolutely delicious! Beautiful flavours! I made it yesterday, it’s already gone, so I am making it tomorrow once again! We just could not get enough of it!
Hey Regina,
Thank you so much for making the recipe, I am thrilled it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
This cake is SO good. It comes together so easily and turns out absolutely delicious. I only had cashew milk but it still turned out great and tasted amazing. The earl grey is so subtle but just adds that extra dimension to the flavour that sets the cake apart. And don’t skip out on the blood orange zest in the icing! I almost didn’t buy one for it but I’m SO glad I did because it tastes soooo good. Husband and family loved bed this one.
Hey Brianna,
Thank you so much for making the recipe, I am thrilled it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
Love your recipes!
You mentioned that you had done other recipes with Chai tea. That is my absolute favorite! Do you think it would work with this recipe?
Hey Alisa,
Yes, I think chai tea would work well here. I hope you love the recipe, let me know how it turns out! xTieghan
Made it today, delicious!!!!
Hey Leslie,
Thank you so much for making the recipe, I am thrilled it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
I love this recipe but I am so curious about where your amazing teacups are from (you could see them more in the Insta story of this recipe). Xoxo
Thanks so much Irene! Here’s the link for the mugs:
https://shopstyle.it/l/bnBsd
xTieghan
Would you be able to recommend a dairy free option for the butter? Can I substitute the butter with oil?
Thanks!
Hey Lissette,
I haven’t tried oil, but I think a vegan butter would work well here. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I made this last night – and made double – So delicious!
My only problem was that I couldn’t get the glaze to harden – maybe I made it to liquidity or not enough powdered sugar?
Either way, it was DELICIOUS and EASY!
Hey Moll,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed! You could always add more powdered sugar to thicken it up. Happy Friday:) xTieghan
This was OUTTA this world Fabulous!!! Made using only All Purpose flour. STILL turned out eyes roll in the back of your head good!!!
Hey Chelle,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
Hi Tieghan,
I see recommend to add a splash of cream but don’t see it listed in the ingredients. Can I make the cake without the splash of cream?
Can’t wait to try!!
Hey Jessica,
You can skip that:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Oh my gosh!!!!!! The Earl Grey lemon blueberry cake is so wonderful! I will definitely make it again!
Hey Jenny,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
Recipe looks so good. I only have 1% milk. Would this be ok?
Hey Mary Kay,
Yes, that will work just fine. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi, if we’re using frozen blueberries, do we let them thaw first and then cover with flour?
Hey there,
No need to let them thaw:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Can I substitute the sugar for honey or maple syrup? I’d love to make this refined sugar free if possible.
Hey Marjani,
So sorry I haven’t tested this, I am not sure how well that would work for this recipe. I hope you love the cake, please let me know how it turns out! xTieghan
Earl Grey is one of my favorite flavors – I use Stash double bergamot. A few weeks ago, a local market had fresh bergamot – this recipe would have been perfect for that! I even enjoy earl grey perfume. Will post on insta once it’s cooked today!
I hope you love the recipe Jessica! xTieghan
This look delicious! Can you substitute coconut flour for almond flour in this recipe?
Hey Anastasia,
Yes, I think that would work well! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan