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    Home » Recipe » Baking » Lavender Earl Grey Cake

    Lavender Earl Grey Cake

    Published: Aug 31, 2022 by Sabrina Currie · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This moist and easy lavender earl grey cake might just be the most flavorful and fun cake you've ever tried! Steeping the lavender and tea in milk creates a fragrant and herbal flavor that is delicate and decadent all at once. With just 20 minutes prep and 30 to bake, you'll have this cake ready in under 1 hour!

    A round, tan colored 2 layer cake with creamy white frosting in between layers and on top. There is a wedge cut out of the front side of the cake and you can see the slices on plates in the foreground.

    Lavender earl grey cake is a popular choice for weddings and showers. It's a beautiful and unique floral flavor that can be frosted and decorated in many different ways. This serves 24 when cut as a wedding cake so it is great for a crowd.

    Ice cake layers and outside with this easy Lavender Buttercream made just for this recipe!

    This was inspired by the summery flavors of Peach Cobbler Pound Cake, Strawberry, Rhubarb, Lavender Shortcake and pairs well with this Easy Homemade Strawberry Peach Lemonade. For more lavender goodness, you might also like the comforting Traditional Lavender Milk Tea or the luxe Lavender Lemon Drop Martini.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • How To Video
    • Instructions
    • Easy Decorating... Or Get Fancy
    • Substitutions
    • Variations
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • Top tip
    • 📖 Recipe
    • Get My Free Book
    • 10 Herbs 10 Ways
    • 💬 Community

    If you grow your own lavender, check out these ways to use and preserve your own lavender and 20 Recipes To Use Lavender.

    Ingredients

    Gorgeous floral flavors highlighted with vanilla extract and earl grey flavor make a perfect cake for any bridal or baby shower.

    Labelled ingredients for cake. Show are bowls of white flour, sugar, milk and baking powder, eggs, spices and butter.
    • Culinary Lavender - For the best flavor and purest lavender, be sure to buy culinary grade lavender or use your own if you grow it. My own dried lavender is what I've used here but fresh is delicious and if you have it, use it. (Note: Do NOT use lavender essential oils for this. It can leave a soapy flavor that is unpleasant.) Read more about lavender here.
    • Earl Grey Tea- Regular or decaffeinated are both fine. Use a nice quality tea that you like the taste of. Earl grew is black tea flavored with bergamot. Bergamot and lavender are a wonderful flavor combination.
    • Butter - I've used unsalted butter here. If you use salted, reduce or omit the added salt in the recipe.

    See recipe card for quantities.

    How To Video

    Instructions

    Don't be daunted by the amount of steps. This is a simple, moist cake that combines the wet ingredients together, then the dry. The dry then get added to the wet and voila! Steeping the lavender and tea is the only extra step from a regular, basic cake recipe.

    Lavender buds steeping in milk in a silver colored saucepan.

    1. Preheat oven to 325º
    Heat milk in a small saucepan to steaming, and remove from heat.
    Add earl grey tea and dried lavender to milk and steep while it cools back down to room temperature.

    Dry ingredients are different shades of white in a clear glass bowl on white marble countertop.

    2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt) and set aside.

    White sugar poured over a stick of butter in a large glass measuring cup.

    3. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy.

    Fluffy creamed butter and sugar is pale yellow with some oil added on one side in the large glass measuring cup.

    4. Add oil and beat well for another 1-2 minutes.

    The sugar butter mixture is smoother and creamier and an egg is in it.

    5. Add eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition. Mix until it's a creamy and fluffy consistency, then beat in vanilla extract. A stand mixer with a paddle attachment works great for this batter.

    A pinkish brown liquid is being poured through a strainer into glass measuring cup to remove lavender buds.

    6. Remove tea bags from milk, and strain into "wet" ingredients to remove lavender buds. Mix again until well incorporated.

    Dry white ingredients have been dumped on top of the creamy butter mixture but not yet mixed in.

    7a. Stir in half of flour mixture, mix in and add remaining half.

    Dry ingredients for lavender cake have been mixed to a glossy smooth batter that is a creamy yellow.

    7b. Beat for 1-2 minutes until smooth.

    Batter has been poured into 2 round cake pans that are the same size.

    8. Divide batter evenly between two greased + floured or parchment lined 8” round cake tins.
    Bake in center of oven for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove and let cool.

    Round wire cooling rack with white cake tray on top. The white cake base has icing smeared on it to glue the cake on.

    9. To ice cake, spread a thin layer of icing on it a cake plate. This will “glue” your cake to the plate, preventing sliding.

    Here is the Easy Lavender Buttercream Frosting for the recipe.

    Golden brown round cake is on the round wire rack.

    10. Level first cake layer if necessary, brush away crumbs, and place, top side up, on cake plate.

    Round cake has been iced with white colored icing. It is still on the rack.

    11. Spread a layer of icing ¼ to ⅓ inch thick on cake layer.

    Layers of golden lavender earl grey cake with white frosting sandwiched between the layers all on a black wire rack.

    12. Level the second layer if necessary, and place on top of iced layer, top side down
    Ice with a thin layer of crumb coat, let crust (dry until dry to a light touch).

    Cake is finished and served on a round wooden board. Cake is sprinkled with lavender buds.

    13. Repeat with a thicker layer of frosting for a top coat, smoothing with an offset spatula.

    Note: This is the traditional method of icing a layer cake. If you want a “naked” or more rustic look, a second coat may be unnecessary if you brush away loose crumbs adequately.

    The iced lavender earl grey cake has lavender flowers garnishing the top.

    Easy Decorating... Or Get Fancy

    Finish by decorating or garnishing. Sprinkling a few lavender flower, candied lemon peel, sugared violets or lemon sugar are all nice, easy ways to add simple decoration to your cake.

    Or get fancy with your star tipped icing bag and pipe stars or flowers around the bottom and top edge before adding a custom decoration on the top.

    Wedge of golden cake with white icing, a white plate and a gold fork.

    Substitutions

    Baking cakes is a science so be careful when making substitutions. Here are a few that will work.

    • Tea - If you're out of earl grey tea, you can sub regular black tea or even chai (without any extra sweetener). If you want to omit it altogether, see lavender vanilla cake variation below.
    • Pan Size - For larger or smaller pans, see the 6" pan and cupcake options below. To make a 9 x 13 recipe, add approximately 10 minutes to the baking time and check with a cake tester. Once it comes out clean or with a few crumbs, it is done.
    • Dairy-Free - If you can't tolerate dairy, swap dairy milk for regular, unsweetened almond or soy milk and use hard baking margarine instead of butter.

    Variations

    Want a tall triple layer cake or a tower of cupcakes? What about a vanilla cake with floral notes? Check out these simple variations.

    1. Triple Layer Cake - You can bake this tea cake in three, 6” round cake pans for a triple layer cake. It uses the same amount of batter. For 6” layers, you’ll reduce the baking time by 5 minutes.
    2. Lavender Earl Grey Cupcakes - Line a muffin pan with paper liners or grease and flour them. Fill muffin tins ¾ full and bake 18-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs on it.
    3. Lavender Vanilla Cake - Simply omit the tea (steep just the lavender buds in the milk), add 1 teaspoon of lemon zest to the wet ingredients and otherwise make as directed for a tasty lavender vanilla cake.

    Equipment

    Regular bowls and a hand mixer work fine. If you have a stand mixer with whisk or paddle attachment, that is great too, and easier on the arms.

    A medium or large saucepan is great for making the milk tea but you could also scald your milk in the microwave, then add the tea leaves and lavender to steep.

    Storage

    This cake will keep well, covered in the refrigerator. 3 days is maximum for peak freshness but this will keep safely for up to 7 days if unfrosted. After 3 days, the cake will start to lose moisture and dry out.

    If frosted, place an upside down bowl or other cover over and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

    Lavender earl grey cake freezes really well. To freeze, first make sure cake is completely cooled. To freeze unfrosted cake, wrap snugly with plastic wrap, ideally with 2 layers of wrap or placed in a airtight container after wrapping once. Frozen unfrosted, this cake will last up to 6 months in the freezer.

    To freeze frosted cake, first freeze uncovered until icing is frozen, then gently but securely wrap the cake well in plastic wrap and/or an airtight container. Frozen frosted cake will last up to 3 months in the freezer.

    When ready to use, thaw loosely covered at room temperature for 3 hours, then frost or decorate if required.

    Top tip

    A day old cake is much easier and firmer to frost than one freshy baked. If you are decorating this for a shower or other event, it's best to make it the day before decorating to help prevent crumbs in the icing.

    Also, take your time and enjoy the baking. Taste the creamed butter and sugar to make sure it's ok 😉

    Thanks so much for reading along, I hope you loved my lavender earl grey cake. If you did, I'd love if you could give it a star rating on the recipe card.

    For more on what I'm cooking up, follow me on Instagram or Facebook. You might also like my FREE printable weekly meal planner.

    Cheers friends! Sabrina

    Cheers and sweet dreams, Friends!

    Sabrina

    📖 Recipe

    Wedge of golden cake with white icing, a white plate and a gold fork.

    Lavender Earl Grey Cake

    A delicate floral vanilla cake scented with earl grey tea is delicious and easy too! The perfect bridal or baby shower cake and works perfectly as a summer or fall wedding cake too. Here is the link to the frosting. https://sabrinacurrie.com/easy-lavender-buttercream-frosting-icing/
    5 from 42 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Baking, Cake
    Cuisine: American, canadian
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 24 servings
    Calories: 182kcal
    Author: Sabrina Currie

    Ingredients

    • 4 Bags Earl Grey Tea or 3 tablespoons of earl grey loose leaf tea
    • 2 tablespoon Lavender Buds
    • 1 cup Milk I've used whole milk but any will work
    • 2 ¼ cup All-Purpose Flour
    • 2 teaspoon Baking Powder
    • 1 teaspoon Salt
    • ½ cup Unsalted Butter (at room temperature)
    • ½ cup Oil
    • 1 ½ cup Sugar White granulated
    • 3 Eggs (at room temperature) Size large eggs
    • 2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

    Instructions

    Make Cake

    • Preheat oven to 325º and make sure eggs and butter are out of the fridge to come to room temperature.
    • Heat milk to steaming, add tea and lavender and remove from heat. Let steep and cool to room temperature. Once cool, remove tea bags from milk, and strain to remove lavender buds and reserve.
    • In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
    • In a larger bowl, beat sugar and butter together until combined well, add oil, and beat for another 1-2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition adding vanilla with the last egg.
    • Add lavender tea steeped milk mixture to wet ingredients and beat well until fully combined.
    • Stir in half of dry (flour) mixture until partially combined, add second half and beat until smooth and glossy.
    • Divide batter evenly between two greased and floured or parchment lined 8” round cake pans. Bake in center of oven for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
    • Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes. Loosen edges of cakes with a butter knife, then turn onto a wire rack and let cool completely.

    How to frost cake

    • Select a cake plate, or other surface, and spread a thin layer of icing on it. This will “glue” your cake to the plate, preventing sliding.
    • Level first cake layer by slicing any high parts off horizontally if necessary. Brush away crumbs, and place top side up on cake plate.
    • Spread a thin layer of icing (¼ to ⅓ inch thick) on first cake layer.
    • Level the second layer if necessary, and place on top of iced layer, top side down.
    • Ice with a thin layer of crumb coat, let crust (dry slightly), and repeat with a thicker layer of top coat, smoothing as desired.

    Notes

    Decaf tea is an excellent substitute for regular earl grey tea if children or pregnant women will be enjoying the cake. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 182kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 175mg | Potassium: 38mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 168IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @wckitchengarden or tag #wckitchengarden!
    book cover titles 10 herbs 10 ways by Sabrina Currie West Coast Kitchen Garden over top of a white table full of various herbs.

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    About Sabrina Currie

    Classically French trained cook, photographer and food stylist living on beautiful Vancouver Island, BC.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Mel

      April 12, 2023 at 7:38 pm

      Can I make this without the lavender?

      Reply
      • Sabrina Currie

        April 12, 2023 at 7:39 pm

        Absolutely! The lavender gets steeped in so it doesn’t add any extra liquid or dry ingredients. Just add all the ingredients as posted, omitting the lavender.

        Reply
    2. Evyn

      April 28, 2023 at 9:20 am

      can this cake be baked in a 9x13 pan instead? would measurements change, and how long would it bake for if so? thank you!!

      Reply
      • Sabrina Currie

        April 28, 2023 at 9:26 am

        HI Evyn,
        Yes! You can bake this in a 9x13 inch pan. You will need to watch closely and may need to bake the cake slightly longer or shorter. Keep a toothpick or cake tester handy and test for doneness at 25 minutes. I suspect the baking time will be quite similar to the 2 round pans because though the batter may be less deep, it is in a larger mass. Make sense? I'd love to see it when you're done!

        Reply
    3. Gordon Littlejohn

      May 30, 2023 at 12:39 am

      How do you make the icing? It's not here or on the video!

      Reply
      • Sabrina Currie

        May 30, 2023 at 7:38 am

        Hi Gordon, the icing is in this post here: https://sabrinacurrie.com/easy-lavender-buttercream-frosting-icing/

        Reply
    4. Mollie

      August 09, 2023 at 6:30 am

      When I steeped the milk- it cut it down to 1/2 cup. I think my tea bags absorbed too much of it! Would you recommend making a new batch or could I add new milk to make it a full cup?

      Reply
      • Sabrina Currie

        August 09, 2023 at 7:22 am

        You can add more milk to make 1 cup.

        Reply
    5. Kellee Lasyone

      September 02, 2023 at 5:14 am

      What size pans did you use? I’m assuming it was two layers 9in round pans? If so, do you think this would be enough batter for three layers 8in pans? Or would 6in pans be safer? Hoping to make this recipe today without having to make a trip to the store and I have enough now without doubling the recipe but was really wanting a 3 layer cake or taller cake.

      Thanks!

      Reply
    6. Kellee Lasyone

      September 02, 2023 at 5:17 am

      Oops sorry I see now you used two 8in pans! Will be using my 6in pans for the extra layer. Thanks anyway for this recipe!

      Reply
      • Sabrina Currie

        September 02, 2023 at 8:26 am

        Hi Kellee, glad you saw that and good luck with the 6” pans. Remember to adjust the cooking time accordingly. Cheers!

        Reply

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