London Fog Cake

The London Fog Cake is a delightful fusion of flavors inspired by the classic tea latte. This cake combines the aromatic notes of Earl Grey tea and lavender, resulting in a moist and flavorful dessert. It's soaked with a sweetened Earl Grey lavender milk and topped with a creamy lavender vanilla bean cream cheese frosting, offering a unique twist on traditional cake recipes.

Ingredients

For the Earl Grey Cake

• 3 tbsp (12 g) Earl Grey tea

• 1 tbsp (2 g) culinary lavender

• 2 1/4 cups (282 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled

• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 10 tbsp (140 g) unsalted butter, softened

• 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated white sugar

• 3 eggs, at room temperature

• 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste

• 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk

For the Earl Grey Milk Soak

• 1/2 cup whole milk

• 2 tbsp (8 g) Earl Grey tea

• 1/2 tbsp (1 g) culinary lavender

• 1/2 cup (150 g) sweetened condensed milk

• 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

For the Lavender Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 tbsp (2 g) culinary lavender

• 1 cup (224 g) unsalted butter, softened

• 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, cold

• 2 cups (260 g) powdered sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

• Purple food coloring (optional)

Directions

For the Earl Grey Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×9 inch light metal baking pan and line it with parchment paper.

2. Add the Earl Grey tea and lavender to a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Pass through a sieve to separate any large bits.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, Earl Grey tea, lavender, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

4. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar for 2 minutes with an electric mixer on high speed.

5. Add in the eggs and vanilla bean paste, mixing on medium speed until pale in color and smooth, about 1 minute.

6. Add in the buttermilk and dry ingredients alternately, mixing on low speed until all is combined and the batter is smooth.

7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 38-44 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.

8. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then remove from the pan and let it continue cooling until completely cooled.

For the Earl Grey Milk Soak

1. While the cake cools, heat the milk over low heat until steaming, then add in the Earl Grey tea and lavender. Allow it to steep for 15 minutes, then remove from the heat.

2. Pass the mixture through a sieve and allow the milk to cool.

3. Transfer the Earl Grey milk to a liquid measuring cup or something you can easily pour from. Mix in the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla bean paste. Set aside until ready to use.

For the Lavender Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Add the lavender to a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Pass through a sieve to separate any large bits.

2. In a large mixing bowl, mix the softened butter on high speed with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

3. Add in the cold cream cheese and mix on high speed until fluffy, about 1 minute.

4. Sift in the powdered sugar, and add in the lavender and vanilla bean paste. Mix on low speed until combined, then on high speed for 1 minute until fluffy again. Add in purple food coloring if desired and mix until combined.

Assembling the Cake

1. Once the cake is completely cooled, cut a very thin layer off the top of the cake. This will make it easier for the Earl Grey milk to absorb into the cake.

2. Poke holes liberally in the cake using a wooden stick or the handle of a wooden spoon.

3. Slowly pour the Earl Grey milk mixture over the top of the cake. Allow it to absorb into the cake.

4. Frost the top of the cake with a thick layer of lavender cream cheese frosting using an offset spatula.

5. Slice into 16 servings and serve.

Nutrients

Each serving of this London Fog Cake contains approximately:

• Calories: 320

• Fat: 12g

• Carbohydrates: 45g

• Protein: 5g