Cooking and baking, holiday planning, decorating, shopping, catching up with friends and family, the year-end work rush – all crammed into days that get shorter and shorter. The holiday season is a stressful season.
But isn’t the holiday season supposed to be relaxing, where we can just sit down, feel at peace, enjoy life, and be thankful for everyday?
Looking out the window from my work desk, the view of the verdant hillside was serene, soothing my eyes and calming my nerves. I could use an afternoon tea break, the thought crossing my mind. Whatever happened to traditional English tea breaks? The British gift to the world during these hectic holiday seasons. A mid-day treat to refresh the mind and spirit.
Without a second thought, I was in the kitchen baking a simple vanilla cake with Earl Grey Tea.
Early Grey tea adds a wonderful flavor to cake – the richness of black tea enhanced by the light tint of the bergamot orange rind – and when paired with the gentle, but complex aroma of the vanilla bean, you find that moment of tranquility on a busy afternoon.
Baked in less than 30 minutes, you will have a lovely cake, crunchy on the top with a moist, but light texture, and with the flavors of vanilla and earl grey tea harmoniously balanced. Enjoy it with a hot cup of earl grey tea, or in my case, a cup of black coffee.
Still stressing out on what to do for your holiday meal? Let’s slow things down a bit, grab a cup of coffee or tea, and enjoy a piece of vanilla earl grey cake. Sheer delight.
Vanilla cake with Earl Grey tea recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour – sifted
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter – softened
- 3/4 cup white or raw sugar
- 3 eggs – room temperature
- 1/2 of a vanilla bean or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder
- 1 cup skim milk or whole milk for richer & dense texture
- 1 tbsp or three tea bags of good quality Eary Grey. If you use loose tea, chop them up in smaller pieces.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease and flour an 8-inch round cake pan.
- In a bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt.
- In a larger bowl, beat butter, sugar, vanilla and tea leaves until light and fluffy. You want the scent of the tea leaves to emerge.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
- Add the combined flour mixture into the wet mixture, and finally pour in the milk. Mix just until blended. Do not overmix.
- Immediately pour into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Around 35 minutes.
- Let cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy your much deserved afternoon tea break!
Notes
I always have music on during my relaxing, afternoon tea breaks. And it’s usually my favorite Malaysian singer, Zee Avi. Enjoy!