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Home » Cakes » Earl Grey Cake With Vanilla Bean Buttercream

Earl Grey Cake With Vanilla Bean Buttercream

By Olivia, 294 Comments

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This Earl Grey Cake is perfect for the tea lover in your life! Earl Grey infused cake layers paired with a silky vanilla bean buttercream.

A cake sitting on top of a table

There is nothing quite like having to call the fire department while you’re in the middle of making a cake. And no, this was not due to another incident with the kitchen torch. It actually had nothing to do with my baking at all (hah!), but it certainly made for a more eventful Thursday than I had planned.

It all started with an odd smell in the kitchen. I went in there late morning to start making the buttercream for this Earl Grey Cake and smelled this weird mechanical/chemical kinda smell (not gas). I thought maybe it was the landscapers with their various electric tool things (lol, I have no idea what they are called), but the smell didn’t dissipate after they left, and actually got stronger.

Close up of the rosettes on top of the cake

In typical Olivia fashion, I started to freak out, half-finished cake still sitting on the counter. I have a pretty wild imagination so I started picturing faulty wiring in the walls, smoking and starting an electrical fire (for real). Our place is 30 years old (we’ve only been here for a year) and has had some work done to it. Some of the stuff here has been DIY’d, and I have no idea what’s inside the walls.

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Anyhow, due to fears of an electrical fire (lol, sigh), I went and turned off all of the breakers leading to anything in the kitchen. Sure enough, the smell faded away. This confirmed my fears that it was something electrical. So, naturally, I went to Google to see what to do. As always, Google is so helpful. No matter what you look up, you’re either dying or you’re going to die. Everything was like: “Get out of the house!”,”You’re gonna die!”, “Call the fire department”. So I did.

Close up of the side of the cake

I had to psych myself up to do it though. The thought of a fire truck outside my door, neighbors gawking and wondering wtf was going on, I just didn’t want to deal with it. But I also didn’t want out place to burn down, so… I literally had an internal pep talk before I dialled the number.

Anyhow, the fire department arrives. I could hear their sirens as I was pacing the floor, wondering if somehow they could be discreet (lol). They checked stuff out as much as they could, using their heat sensor things, but couldn’t find anything. I was hoping they’d be like — ok, turn on each of the breakers one by one and we’ll see. Unfortunately, they said they weren’t qualified to assess that and that I’d need to call an electrician, but to leave all the breakers off. SIGH. At least I was assured that nothing was currently on fire? I guess?

Angled shot of the naked style decorated cake.

So off I go to Google again to find an electrician who can come TODAY. ASAP. I was cringing at the amount I would be charged for this emergency visit. I get off the phone with the guy, who says he’ll be here in a couple hours, and turn the breaker for the fridge back on because, HELLO, I have a cake in there.

As soon as I get back upstairs I smell it again. It’s easy to get behind our fridge, so I pull it out and start smelling the outlet. LOL I am SUCH a freak/loser/whatever. I thought for sure it was coming from there, but then I hear a zap from the back of the fridge. Aha! My nose leads me to the bottom of the back of the fridge, where there is this grate, and that’s where the smell is coming from. Thank god. I was so relived it wasn’t something in the walls!!

I cancelled the electrician (yay!).

Overhead shot of the cake.

I didn’t realize at that point that the fridge had actually DIED. I thought it was just on its last legs and that we should probably look at buying one on the weekend. After the whole ordeal (and finishing this cake), I went into the freezer to get a popsicle (it was super hot that day). The popsicle was basically mush. Oh *&^%. The fridge is DEAD. Ooookay, so off I went to the appliance store (alone, Ryan was at work and the shop closes at 5:30pm, seriously)  to buy one that day.

Thankfully they had one they could deliver on Saturday, so it wouldn’t be too bad. We put what we could into our (already packed and very small) second fridge/freezer, but there was still a lot left in the fridge. It was keeping things cool-ish as it died, but by Saturday morning when we opened it up, the air that came out of there was warmer than the air outside. Gross.

So, a bit of an ordeal and some food loss, but it all worked out in the end. And we finally have a new fridge, which I’ve wanted since the day we moved in. Now, let’s talk about this Earl Grey Cake, shall we? Because it’s a winner.

Cake on a clear glass cake stand.

I’d had an Earl Grey Cake on my radar for a while now, but it seemed like more of a “Fall” type cake (cozy sweaters, warm tea, etc.), so I waited until it was closer to Fall season. The days are getting shorter and cooler (I’m actually wearing a sweater as I type this – insert happy face).

Earl Grey is traditionally a black tea that is flavoured with bergamot (citrus). I say traditionally because you can now get rooibos and even green tea versions of Earl Grey. I prefer the traditional one, although mine has a bit of a twist too. My favourite is a Cream of Earl Grey which adds a hint of vanilla to the classic beverage. It really takes it to a whole ‘nother level of deliciousness. I used Cream of Earl Grey tea in the cake, but you can use any kind you like.

You don’t have to love tea to love this cake! Ryan is not a tea drinker at all, and he loved the unique flavour it has — though I will say that if you are not a fan of Earl Grey, it might not be up your alley. The Earl Grey tea is infused into the cake layers in many levels, so it is very prominent. I paired it with a simple vanilla bean buttercream to compliment the creamy Earl Grey flavours.

A piece of cake on a plate with a fork

Tips for this Earl Grey Cake:

  • If you don’t like Earl Grey tea, you can experiment with other tea flavours. I used Cream of Earl Grey for this cake.
  • The Earl Grey syrup is optional (I forgot to add it even though I had it made), but it will enhance the flavour of the cake even more, and will add moisture.
  • I used the tea leaves as garnish on the cake for the pictures, but do not recommend doing this as they are rather unpleasant to chew on!
  • Be sure to check my Swiss Meringue Buttercream post for tips and troubleshooting.
  • To help ensure your cake layers bake up nice and flat, see my Flat Top Cakes post.
 

Naked cake on a cake stand.
Print Pin Rate
4.75 from 48 votes

Earl Grey Cake With Vanilla Bean Buttercream

This Earl Grey Cake is perfect for the tea lover in your life! Earl Grey infused cake layers paired with a silky vanilla bean buttercream.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Cake
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 628kcal
Author Olivia

Ingredients

Earl Grey Milk:

  • 1 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 Tbsp Earl Grey tea heaping, loose leaf

Cake:

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp Earl Grey tea finely ground
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup Earl Grey milk room temperature

Earl Grey Syrup (optional):

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 Tbsp Earl Grey tea

Vanilla Bean Buttercream:

  • 3 large egg whites
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Earl Grey Milk:

  • Bring milk and tea to a boil in a small pot over med-high heat. Turn heat off and steep for 10mins. Strain and measure out 1 cup. Top up with milk if needed.

Cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour three 6" cake rounds and line with parchment.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, tea,and salt until well combined. Set aside.
  • Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on med-high until pale and fluffy (approx 3mins). Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time fully incorporating after each addition. Add vanilla.
  • Alternate adding flour mixture and Earl Grey milk, beginning and ending with flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of milk). Fully incorporating after each addition.
  • Bake for approx. 35mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
  • Place cakes on wire rack to cool for 10mins then turn out onto wire rack. Allow cakes to cool completely.

Earl Grey Syrup:

  • Place sugar, water, and tea into a small pot. Bring to a boil and simmer 2 mins. Remove from heat, steep for 5 mins. Strain and cool completely.

Vanilla Bean Buttercream:

  • Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk until combined.*
  • Place bowl over a double boiler on the stove and whisk constantly until the mixture is hot (160F) and no longer grainy to the touch (approx. 3mins).
  • Place bowl on your stand mixer and whisk on med-high until the meringue is stiff and cooled (the bowl is no longer warm to the touch (approx. 5-10mins)).
  • Switch to paddle attachment. Slowly add cubed butter and mix until smooth.** Add vanilla bean paste and mix until incorporated.

Assembly:

  • Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Brush with 2-3 Tbsp of the Earl Grey syrup. 
  • Top with approximately 2/3 cup of buttercream and spread evenly. Repeat with remaining layers. Frost and smooth the outside with a thin crumb coat. Chill for 20mins.
  • Pipe rosettes on top of desired using a 1M tip.***

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Notes

* Ensure there is NO trace of egg yolks in your whites and that your mixer bowl and whisk is completely grease free or your meringue won't stiffen.
** The buttercream may look like it's curdled at some point. Keep mixing until it is completely smooth.
*** I used tea leaves as garnish on the cake for the pictures, but do not recommend doing this as they are rather unpleasant to chew on!
Calories: 628kcalCarbohydrates: 70gProtein: 6gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 141mgSodium: 196mgPotassium: 190mgSugar: 51gVitamin A: 1180IUCalcium: 91mgIron: 1.4mg
The nutritional information and metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this data. If this important to you, please verify with your favourite nutrition calculator and/or metric conversion tool.

Earl Grey Cake photo collage.

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August 20, 2017

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Jahnavi Harris says

    February 27, 2021 at 12:02 PM

    Have you had any feedback about any of your readers substituting the egg in your cake recipes for alternatives like apple sauce, flax eggs, etc?
    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 1, 2021 at 10:39 AM

      Hi Jahnavi! I haven’t done this myself but you can read through the comments to see if anyone else has.

      Reply
  2. Rose says

    February 5, 2021 at 12:12 AM

    Hi,

    I’m planning to make this as cupcakes for a work baby shower. Do you have an idea about how long it would take to bake? It’s hard to bring in cakes for cutting these days so I figured individual servings would be cleaner.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      February 5, 2021 at 3:01 PM

      Hi Rose! Start checking them at 15mins or so 🙂

      Reply
  3. Kit Broughton says

    January 29, 2021 at 4:04 PM

    5 stars
    I made this cake and it was a hit with the whole house. This is one of the best cakes I’ve had in a long time!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 29, 2021 at 4:19 PM

      Hi Kit! Thanks for the awesome feedback. I’m so glad you loved it 🙂

      Reply
  4. Kistaka says

    January 18, 2021 at 4:17 PM

    5 stars
    This cake was amazing! I added a little extra tea and a dash of cardamom to the cake batter and cut the sugar to about 1 cup. The cake was absolutely delicious! Definitely had the rich earl grey flavor I was hoping for!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 19, 2021 at 9:32 AM

      Hi Kistaka! So happy you loved it 🙂

      Reply
  5. ashley says

    January 17, 2021 at 5:42 AM

    5 stars
    Love love LOVE! this cake, absolutely amazing. However, may i ask what should the serving size / measurements be for a 7 inch cake pan?? Am making a 7 inch 3 layered cake <3 much appreciated if would could assist me in the measurements. 😀

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 18, 2021 at 9:48 AM

      Hi Ashley! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here are some sites I use as a guideline:
      http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html
      https://www.cookipedia.co.uk/recipes_wiki/Cake_tin_conversion_charts

      Based on that, for three 7″ pans, you’d want to increase the recipe by 1/3 or so.

      Reply
  6. ashher says

    January 17, 2021 at 5:28 AM

    5 stars
    Made this cake for my birthday and it was an absolute HIT! making one for my friend again. However, is it possible to substitute AP flour with Cake flour? I found my cake to be a little too dense and hard. Secondly, what should my serving size be if i were to use a 2 7′ inch cake pan? much appreciated if you could reply me i love this cake so so much <3

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 18, 2021 at 9:47 AM

      Hi Ashher! So glad you loved it. You can definitely use cake flour instead. My cakes tend to be more on the dense side rather than light and fluffy, but it shouldn’t be too dense. Overly dense cakes can be from overmixing the cake batter once the flour is added — it develops too much gluten.

      Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here are some sites I use as a guideline:
      http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html
      https://www.cookipedia.co.uk/recipes_wiki/Cake_tin_conversion_charts

      How tall are your 7″ cake pans? If they are 3″ tall you could just leave the recipe as is and increase the baking time. If they are 2″ tall then you can make cupcakes with extra batter. Otherwise, based on the charts you’d want to 3/4 the recipe.

      Reply
  7. Samantha Hodges says

    January 16, 2021 at 10:34 PM

    3 stars
    Tried this cake with two 8″ pans. I think the recipe needs to be increased if using that size as the cake turned out super thin in each layer

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 18, 2021 at 9:43 AM

      Hi Samantha! The cake layers should be about 1.5-2″ tall in two 8″ pans. If they are thinner than that then it could be due to expired baking powder or overmixing the cake batter.

      Reply
  8. Mary says

    January 13, 2021 at 9:04 AM

    Hi Liv!

    I’m a huge fan of all your recipes so please keep up the amazing work!!

    I recently made this cake but it was a bit dense. Any idea why that is?

    Would I be able to substitute the AP for cake flour/would that make a difference?

    Thank you! Xo

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 14, 2021 at 3:00 PM

      Hi Mary! Thank you so much! My cakes tend to be more on the dense side rather than light and fluffy, but it shouldn’t be too dense. Overly dense cakes can be from overmixing the cake batter once the flour is added — it develops too much gluten. Too much flour can also be a culprit. If you dip your scoop into your flour sometimes you get more than you need. It’s best to spoon the flour into your measuring up and level it off. That being said, you can totally use cake flour instead! 🙂

      Reply
  9. Amber says

    January 9, 2021 at 7:53 AM

    5 stars
    Hi! I just tried your recipe today and it turned out great! My family thought the cake was quite dense, however the taste was wonderful and it went really well with the buttercream. I’ve reduced the sugar by 1/3 and it turned out just right. Thanks for this!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 11, 2021 at 10:05 AM

      Hi Amber! So happy you loved it 🙂 My cakes tend to be more on the dense side rather than light and fluffy, but it shouldn’t be too dense. Overly dense cakes can be from overmixing the cake batter once the flour is added — it develops too much gluten.

      Reply
  10. Ezra says

    January 4, 2021 at 1:03 PM

    5 stars
    I just made a slightly adapted version of this (mostly replaced earl grey with lavender because my body doesnt like caffeine) and i have to say that this cake is amazing! Light and fluffy, not overly sweet, and it carries more subtle flavors really really well.
    The only thing that didnt quite work according to recipe was the meringue for the buttercream – it took forever to get to 160°F, which meant a lot of hand whipping while it was heating up, but that might just be my shitty stove. The result was worth a sore arm though, i got a really nice, silky-smooth buttercream. I’ll definitely use this as a base recipe for different cake flavors in the future!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 5, 2021 at 9:25 AM

      Hi Ezra! I am so happy you loved the cake! Strange that it took so long to reach 160F. I’d try using a larger pot (as long as the bowl still doesn’t touch the water) or turning it up a bit so it’s simmering more vigorously. What you’re looking for in that step is to dissolve the sugar and once it’s dissolved you just need to get the mixture to 160F. I hope that helps!

      Reply
  11. Sarah says

    December 15, 2020 at 4:09 PM

    Hi there! I am wanting to make this recipe this weekend. Just a couple questions about the Earl Grey Syrup. When do you add it to the recipe? How much of it do you use? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      December 16, 2020 at 9:24 AM

      Hi Sarah! It’s in the first step of the Assembly, you brush it onto the cake layers 🙂

      Reply
  12. Pooja Bachani says

    December 13, 2020 at 8:06 PM

    Hi there! I am new to your site and I have fallen in love with this cake. I want to make this with gluten free AP flour, do you think it will work? I am also planning to bake it in mini cake pans- im creating a British tea party celebration for Christmas for someone who needs a bit of pepping up 🙂

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      December 14, 2020 at 10:24 AM

      Hi Pooja! I think as long as it’s a proper AP flour blend it should be fine! I know Cup 4 Cup comes highly recommended. For mini cake pans, be sure to reduce the baking time. Let me know how they turn out!

      Reply
  13. tiffany says

    November 29, 2020 at 12:18 AM

    hello, I’m planning on making this for my gr ma’s birthday soon and im planning on testing this recipe out next week, I’m wondering if you could give me the measurement for a regular sized birthday cake for around 8 people? thank you!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 29, 2020 at 4:20 PM

      Hi Tiffany! A typical cake is two 8″ cake rounds but that will make more than for 8 people. You can use this recipe as-is for two 8″ rounds. Otherwise you can change the Servings to 8 and use those amounts.

      Reply
  14. Alysha Uong says

    November 28, 2020 at 2:34 PM

    Hi Olivia, I loved this recipe. I was wondering if it was possible to make the batter in advance the night before.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 29, 2020 at 4:09 PM

      Hi Alysha! No, the batter should be baked right away. You can bake the cake layers the night before though and just wrap them in plastic wrap. Leave at room temp or refrigerate.

      Reply
  15. Nancy says

    November 25, 2020 at 10:38 AM

    When putting the batter in the pan, is it going on top of the parchment paper? It says to flour and grease then put the parchment. Do I need to butter and flour the parchment as well?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 25, 2020 at 1:41 PM

      Hi Nancy! Yes, on top of the parchment. You can butter and flour the parchment if you like but it’s not necessary. It will just make removing the parchment from the cakes easier, but I never find it to stick that much.

      Reply
  16. Adelaide says

    November 23, 2020 at 10:44 AM

    If i just want to use one cake tin (one layer) what should i set the serving size to

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 23, 2020 at 5:05 PM

      HI Adelaide! For one 6″ cake round set the Servings to 4.

      Reply
  17. Cindy says

    November 17, 2020 at 7:58 PM

    Hi! When cooling the cakes, do I remove the tins after turning them out onto a wire rack or keep them in the tins?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 18, 2020 at 2:45 PM

      Hi Cindy! Yes, remove the tins!

      Reply
  18. Dawn Stubing says

    November 17, 2020 at 2:01 PM

    5 stars
    This cake was everything I hoped it would be! The cake is tender, moist and has has such a lovely, delicate flavor. The buttercream imperfect, not overly sweet but with enough richness to complement the cake and let you know you are eating something special. Thank you so much! So many cakes! and…so much time!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 18, 2020 at 2:39 PM

      Hi Dawn! I’m so happy you loved it. Thanks for the feedback!

      Reply
  19. Priscilla says

    November 8, 2020 at 8:19 AM

    Hi Liv, I made this recipe last week. Two questions for you: (1) My buttercream came out really glossy, like it was melting (but it didn’t, it just looked like it could melt). It wasn’t overly hot over here and my butter was at room temp (maybe veering on being colder than room temp). Any ideas on what I could have done wrong or how I could fix it next time?

    (2) the flavor of the cake was lovely, and when they came out of the oven, they looked like they were the right texture. I left the cakes in their tins overnight but the next morning when I went to decorate, the cakes had deflated and looked quite dense and wet in the middle (but it was still cooked through). Any clues on what might have happened there?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 9, 2020 at 9:17 AM

      Hi Priscilla! Without seeing a picture of the buttercream, to me it sounds like it was maybe too warm? You could try putting it in the fridge for 20mins then rewhipping. Regarding the cake shrinking – is it possible the batter was overmixed or the cakes were overbaked? Those can both cause cakes to shrink in size once they’re cooling. If you cool the cakes in their pans they will keep cooking until the pans cool. I recommend removing the cakes from their pans after 10mins.

      Reply
  20. EH says

    October 31, 2020 at 12:25 PM

    Please help! I’m going to use two 8×2″ round cake pans tomorrow. Do I need to change the temperature or cooking time? I read in a comment that this recipe will work for two 8×2″ pans. And how much batter should go into each pan?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 2, 2020 at 3:35 PM

      Hi EH! The recipe will work fine for two 8″ pans and the baking time should be similar. Pour half the batter into each pan. I use a scale to make sure it’s precise but it’s not necessary.

      Reply
  21. Kay says

    October 17, 2020 at 8:06 PM

    Hi, this cake tasted delicious but i just had 1 issue. I baked this cake on 2 separate occasions but both times the cake turned out a bit dense and not as fluffy as i thought it would be. Would you know what i may be doing wrong? I did bake the cakes the night before, cooled them then wrapped them and kept it on the counter.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 19, 2020 at 10:39 AM

      Hi Kay! My cakes tend to be more on the dense side rather than light and fluffy, but it shouldn’t be too dense. Overly dense cakes can be from overmixing the cake batter once the flour is added — it develops too much gluten.

      Reply
      • Kay says

        October 20, 2020 at 3:22 PM

        Oh thanks for the reply! I didnt know it would be a bit dense.

        Reply
  22. Shelly Cao says

    October 13, 2020 at 9:08 AM

    5 stars
    I made this for my boyfriend’s birthday and it was delicious! I didn’t end up using any simple syrup but the cake was still moist the next day. Also, I didn’t have 6″ round pans but there was the perfect amount of batter for two 8×8 square pans.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 13, 2020 at 9:51 AM

      Hi Shelly! Thanks for the feedback! I’m so happy you loved it 🙂

      Reply
  23. Lars says

    October 10, 2020 at 3:30 AM

    4 stars
    I tried this with a black keemun quince tea, and I think that’s a mistake; I think it needs the edge a good earl grey has; the velvety smoothness from the quince tea got a little overwhelmed by all the Other goodness in here.
    I found myself with a bowl of mixed batter and three 25cm (10″) cake pans and had to think fast – I found three glass ‘tupperware’ bowls from ikea turned out to work Just fine as cake pans, and the cake turned out overall well.
    The buttercream was a little overwhelming though.
    Today I’m making the same cake layers, with the quince – it’s my signature tea – substituting a raspberry fromage for the buttercream. And have really high expectations (o:

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 13, 2020 at 9:30 AM

      Hi Lars! Thanks for the feedback!

      Reply
  24. Eden says

    September 15, 2020 at 4:20 PM

    Can I use buttermilk instead of milk for the tea milk?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 16, 2020 at 3:06 PM

      Hi Eden! For best results use milk.

      Reply
  25. C.J. says

    September 7, 2020 at 5:25 PM

    Hi Liv,

    I made this cake for my dad’s birthday back in July and everybody loved it. Still, I’m such a perfectionist that I want to make it again, for my birthday this week, so I can work on some things that I think went wrong the first time.
    So here’s my question. I used salted butter for the buttercream (it was the only type they had at the grocery shop, and with lockdown and everything you just gotta make lemonade with the lemons you’ve got haha). So, I really liked the salty flavour it added to the cake overall but at the end of the day, it felt a little too buttery flavoured for my taste. I followed your recipe proportions to the t, so I wonder if it maybe was the type of butter I used that made the cake so buttery?. If not, how can I tone down the butter flavour but still achieve that creamy texture for the buttercream?

    Cheers from Santiago, Chile.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 8, 2020 at 5:18 PM

      Hi C.J.! Be sure to really whip the buttercream once the butter is added. It is more buttery tasting than an American buttercream, but it shouldn’t taste like you’re eating a stick of butter! You could also reduce the butter to 1 cup, but that would mean less buttercream overall.

      Reply
      • C.J. says

        September 8, 2020 at 8:01 PM

        Thank you so much! I’ll try to whip the buttercream more, like you said.
        This is the best cake ever <3

        Reply
  26. Priscilla says

    August 29, 2020 at 9:43 AM

    Hi Liv, this looks like the perfect cake to bake for my friend’s 40th next weekend! I am currently not at home (where all my lovely baking tools are) and have only one 6” cake pan to use (buying more is not an option in my situation). Can I make the cake batter, divide the batter into 3 portions, and then bake each layer one after the other in the oven (I know, it will be so time consuming)? I didn’t know if letting the batter stand and not bake straight away would affect the cake texture. Also, while a layer of cake is baking in the oven, how should I store the batter? Does it need to go in the fridge while I wait? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 29, 2020 at 3:35 PM

      Hi Priscilla! Ideally, you’d bake the cake layers all at once as it will affect the texture of the other two. I don’t think it would be a disaster, just not ideal. Be sure to refrigerate the unused cake batter until it gets baked. Let me know how it turns out!

      Reply
    • Chynna says

      September 18, 2020 at 8:41 PM

      Hi Priscilla! I’m also hoping to make this but only have one 6″ pan. How did you go with yours? Would love to hear all about it! Thanks so much. x

      Reply
  27. valerie says

    August 25, 2020 at 3:12 PM

    Hi Liv, i was wondering if i could make one layer with a 9 by 3 pan how would i change the measurements for the cake?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 26, 2020 at 4:47 PM

      Hi Valerie! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html

      Reply
  28. Austin says

    August 14, 2020 at 5:24 AM

    Hello!

    I can’t eat dairy, and I’m trying to figure out how to use an alternative for the frosting. Would you recommend palm fruit shortening or ghee or lard? Please let me know! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 14, 2020 at 12:00 PM

      Hi Austin! Only real butter will work for this frosting, but you can try one of these with butter alternatives:
      https://livforcake.com/simple-vanilla-buttercream/
      https://livforcake.com/ermine-frosting/

      Reply
  29. Ayla Ramji says

    August 12, 2020 at 11:10 PM

    Hi,

    How should I store this cake(already frosted) if I was serving it the next day?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 13, 2020 at 9:03 AM

      Hi Ayla! It will be fine on the counter overnight, but the frosting will be quite soft. I like to refrigerate my cakes and take them out 2-3 hours before serving.

      Reply
      • Ayla Ramji says

        August 13, 2020 at 9:08 AM

        Thank you!! Do I need to wrap the cake if I refrigerate it?

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          August 14, 2020 at 11:57 AM

          No, it should be fine unless you have something particularly smelly in the fridge. The buttercream can pick that up.

          Reply
  30. Alix says

    August 5, 2020 at 8:01 PM

    Hi! Does this cook the same if I were to use GF flour??

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 11, 2020 at 8:52 AM

      Hi Alix! I haven’t tried it with GF flour but the baking time should be similar.

      Reply
  31. Jen says

    August 4, 2020 at 1:51 AM

    5 stars
    I made this cake awhile back and it tasted delicious! The cake itself was fluffy and not too sweet and paired lovely with the buttercream.

    I’m wanting to make this cake again and was wondering what adjustments I would need for three 9 inch pans instead of three 6 inch ones.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 5, 2020 at 11:01 AM

      Hi Jen! So happy you loved it 🙂 Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html Based on that I would double the recipe (change the Servings to 24) for three 9″ pans.

      Reply
  32. Austin M says

    July 29, 2020 at 9:03 PM

    5 stars
    WOW! This cake was so fantastic!! My partner wanted this cake for his birthday so I gave it a try, Yeah it was a little work and I’d never made a buttercream that way, but everything comes together so light and there is even a brightness in it from the tea I assume? I don’t know but this recipe is 100% a keeper.

    I made the cake on a Monday in two 9 inch cake tins instead of three 6 inch, let it cool a bit before taking it out of the cake tin then let it cool completely before wrapping it up tightly in saran wrap then putting it in the fridge. I made the buttercream on Wednesday and took the cake out, frosted and everything no problem. The cake kept perfectly fine in the fridge so it was much less hassle than trying to cook everything the day of.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      July 30, 2020 at 9:39 AM

      Hi Austin! Thanks for the amazing feedback. I’m so glad you loved it!

      Reply
    • Anastasia says

      September 19, 2020 at 6:03 AM

      I was thinking of doing that as well (the pan conversion). Did it turn out allright? or was it too short?
      Thank you!

      Reply
  33. Nancy says

    July 17, 2020 at 10:11 AM

    Hi Liv,

    This was my first recipe that I have tried from your blog and it definitely will not be the last!

    I love anything earl grey and this for sure hit the spot. You can definitely smell and taste the earl grey.

    I made this cake for my cousin’s birthday and it was such a hit!

    I plan on making this again – but I read in another post of yours that adding sour cream can make your cake more moist. Do you think I can do so with this recipe? Maybe 2 tbsp?

    Thanks for providing such a tasty earl grey recipe!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      July 17, 2020 at 4:27 PM

      Hi Nancy! I am so happy you loved this one. I think 2 Tbsp would be fine and won’t hurt the recipe, but a great way to add moisture is to add Simple Syrup to the baked cake layers. This helps especially if the cakes are overbaked and a bit dry. Here’s some more info: https://livforcake.com/simple-syrup-recipe/ I can’t wait to hear what you try next! 🙂

      Reply
  34. Marissa says

    July 16, 2020 at 8:54 PM

    Hello! Was just wondering how I should adjust the ingredient measurements if I want to use a 4 inch cake tin and make 2 layers instead of 6 inch?

    Thank you! 🙂

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      July 17, 2020 at 9:31 AM

      Hi Marissa! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html I know that half a recipe makes three 4″ layers.

      Reply
  35. Poonam says

    July 13, 2020 at 6:04 PM

    5 stars
    Omg! I just made this cake in preparation for my 10yr Wedding anniversary. First off I have to say cake strips are amazing. First time using them and I’m in love! Second, I made my layers a little thinner so I could make a few cupcakes to try it out first and it tastes delicious!!!!!! I can’t wait to use the earl grey syrup and frost it with my blackberry Italian meringue buttercream and fresh berries. Thanks so much for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      July 14, 2020 at 9:31 AM

      Hi Poonam! I’m so happy you love it! And yay for trying the cake strips 😀 I swear they are the most used thing in my kitchen.

      Reply
  36. Jury says

    July 5, 2020 at 1:26 AM

    Hi there, can I use handheld mixer in this recipe?

    Thank you in advance!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      July 6, 2020 at 9:23 AM

      Hi Jury! It will work fine for the cake but be a challenge for the frosting. See this post for more details.

      Reply
  37. Catherine says

    June 28, 2020 at 5:10 PM

    Look forward to making this this week! Question: on the buttercream, can I use liquid egg whites instead of fresh egg whites?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      June 29, 2020 at 9:31 AM

      Hi Catherine! I have not had success with carton egg whites myself — the meringue won’t whip up properly. See this post for details.

      Reply
  38. Yvette Choy says

    June 19, 2020 at 3:13 PM

    Hi! Can I use almond flour in place of all-purpose flour? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      June 19, 2020 at 4:10 PM

      Hi Yvette! Not completely. You can replace some of it though. I would recommend 1 1/2 cups AP flour and 3/4 cup AF.

      Reply
  39. Leonie says

    June 17, 2020 at 3:56 AM

    5 stars
    I ADORE this recipe!!! I’ve made it a few times now, and every time the reviews have been unanimous: amazing!! So moist, so easy, with such a unique flavour. It really is one of my favourites.

    But I’ve been wondering, can the cake & buttercream be made a day in advance? If yes, what would be your recommendations for storage? Or would that be really bad for texture/taste? My mother has requested it for her birthday, but since I work full-time I won’t have time to bake it the day-of.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      June 17, 2020 at 9:40 AM

      Hi Leonie! So happy to hear that you love it!! If it’s just a day in advance you can leave both at room temp (wrapped/covered in plastic wrap). The buttercream will need to be rewhipped before use to fluff it up again. Otherwise, if making further in advance:
      For the Cake: Cool the layers, double wrap in plastic wrap, freeze for up to 3 mos. Take out 2-3 hours before assembly.
      For the Frosting: Place in an airtight container and refrigerate for 1 week for freeze for 3 mos. Bring to room temp and rewhip before using.

      Reply
  40. Michelle Good says

    June 15, 2020 at 4:59 PM

    Hey! I have 9 inch round pans… can I use that with this recipe or do I need to increase the quantity?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      June 16, 2020 at 10:12 AM

      Hi Michelle! You should double the recipe for three 9″ pans.

      Reply
  41. Topaz Gillmore says

    June 15, 2020 at 2:25 PM

    Hi, Can I just use the teabags of earl grey and open them and use the leaves inside?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      June 15, 2020 at 3:29 PM

      Hi Topaz! Yes, that should be fine 🙂

      Reply
  42. Tara says

    June 14, 2020 at 2:37 PM

    2 or 3” tall cake pans?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      June 15, 2020 at 9:58 AM

      Hi Tara! Mine are all 2″ tall but 3″ will work fine too.

      Reply
  43. Caroline says

    June 13, 2020 at 6:04 PM

    5 stars
    SUCCESS! I made this last night for a friend’s birthday party. Not overly sweet, moist, and full of great flavor.

    I used 2x 8″ stainless steel cake rounds, and have a gas oven ended up baking them for about 40min after turning them halfway through. I also made homemade cake strips using wet paper towels and aluminum foil, and the folding trick to cut the parchment to fit the pans (I’ve never done either of these things so it was great to learn!). I bought brand new baking powder since the first round I made didn’t really rise and realized the BP was expired. Something else I did is separate the egg yolks amd whites amd beat the egg whites with a hand mixer in a separate bowl and folded them in with a spatula after the rest of the batter was mixed, just before pouring into the pans.

    I used cake flour 1:1, however since this recipe has 1 cup of Earl Grey milk, next time I may use AP flour. I used regular tea bags to make the EG milk, which i let steep for about 20min (I wanted a very deep flavor) and a coffee grinder to grind the tea bag tea very finely. I used about a tsp and 1/2 just because I love that flavor. I spooned in the flour and didn’t pack it. The cake was full of flavor, and baked flat with the strips to a police golden brown color.

    The frosting went well, I think. I wiped all my utensils and bowl with lemon juice before making the meringue. I whisked constantly when on the double boiler. I had to make a second amount because needed it to cover the cake and the half naked thing didn’t look good on my cake. But additional frosting was used to decorate the top of the cake. The frosting I found melted very quickly both times, so I added cornstarch to each batch, about 2 tbsp per batch, and the frosting didn’t taste starchy so it worked well! I could’ve added sugar, but trying to stay away from the extra sweetness, I didn’t have Royal Icing sugar to try either.

    Icing the cake was a bit of a pain but I got it done after some time and garnished the cake with fresh strawberry slices. It was refrigerated overnight, and left outside (albeit in the shade) in 78° weather, for and 1 and 1/2 hrs before being eaten, and it held up well.

    Moist and delicious, everyone raved about it. I will definitely be making this cake again. Thank you so much Olivia!!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      June 15, 2020 at 9:48 AM

      Hi Caroline! Thanks so much for the amazing feedback and your detailed tips! So happy you loved it 🙂

      Reply
      • Caroline says

        June 15, 2020 at 1:58 PM

        5 stars
        Your recipe is fantastic! And I received rave reviews. Going to try some more of yours soon. Thank you again!

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          June 15, 2020 at 3:29 PM

          Please let me know what else you try! 🙂

          Reply
  44. Caroline Samaan says

    June 12, 2020 at 1:50 PM

    Hi there!
    Thos recipe looks soo good! am making this today, can I use cake flour, and do I meed to increase to 2 1/4 cup + 2tbsp?
    Thanks in advance!
    Caroline

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      June 12, 2020 at 1:57 PM

      Hi Caroline! You can use cake flour no problem. I would just swap it in one for one. The +/- 2 Tbsp won’t make or break it though 🙂

      Reply
      • Caroline says

        June 12, 2020 at 4:48 PM

        Thank you Olivia! I can’t wait to do this cake, I’ll let you know how it turns out 🙂

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          June 13, 2020 at 4:38 PM

          Please do! I can’t wait to hear about it 🙂

          Reply
  45. Diana says

    June 2, 2020 at 7:24 PM

    Hi!
    Can I use non dairy milk for the early grey milk?
    How would modify the ingredients to fit two 8 inch pans? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      June 3, 2020 at 11:35 AM

      Hi Diana! Yes, non-dairy will work totally fine. The recipe as is works in two 8″ pans. For three 8″ pans, 1.5x the recipe by increasing the Servings to 18. Changing the Servings to 16 leads to easier numbers though so I would recommend that if you don’t mind slightly thinner layers 🙂

      Reply
      • Diana says

        August 25, 2020 at 8:59 PM

        5 stars
        Wow!!! I made this cake for my daughter’s graduation since we are huge earl grey tea fans….we absolutely loved this cake! It didn’t last long in our household! I will definitely make this again. Thanks for sharing this recipe💕

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          August 26, 2020 at 4:52 PM

          Hi Diana! Thanks so much, I’m so glad you all loved it 🙂

          Reply
  46. Chris says

    June 2, 2020 at 10:03 AM

    Hi,
    May I check if this csjd can be made 1 week in advance and keep in freezer before use.

    Pls advise.

    Thanks
    Chris

    Reply
    • Chris says

      June 2, 2020 at 10:08 AM

      * this cake.

      Btw can I use normal grinder to grind the tea leaves to be added into the cake batter?

      Reply
      • Olivia says

        June 2, 2020 at 10:10 AM

        As long as the grinder makes a powder it should be fine. You can sift it as well to get rid of any larger chunks.

        Reply
    • Olivia says

      June 2, 2020 at 10:09 AM

      Hi Chris! Yes, you can make and assemble the cake and freeze for at least a week (properly wrapped) or make each component separately and freeze those:

      For the Cake: Cool the layers, double wrap in plastic wrap, freeze for up to 3 mos. Take out 2-3 hours before assembly.

      For the Frosting: Place in an airtight container and refrigerate for 1 week for freeze for 3 mos. Bring to room temp and rewhip before using.

      Reply
      • Christina says

        June 2, 2020 at 11:15 PM

        Thank you very much for your helpful advice!

        Reply
  47. Simplesweetpleasures says

    May 25, 2020 at 1:47 AM

    if i wanted to change the all purpose flour to cake flour, would the measurement still be the same amount or slightly more? if more, what’s the relative % to all purpose flour?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      May 25, 2020 at 10:35 AM

      Hi there! It should be fairly similar, I would just swap it one for one.

      Reply
  48. Lily says

    May 24, 2020 at 9:19 PM

    Is there a way to use vanilla in liquid form instead of paste? Thanks! Excited to try this!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      May 25, 2020 at 10:33 AM

      Hi Lily! Yes, you can swap it 1 for 1 with liquid.

      Reply
  49. Annie-Claude says

    May 24, 2020 at 2:31 PM

    5 stars
    This cake is DEVINE! I just made it yesterday as a test for a cake I have to make next week, and everyone loved it. I used homemade cake strips for the first time (tea towel and foil), and I think I kept too much water in the tea towel because the cakes looked soggy after I took them out of the oven, so I left the simple syrup out. But I added the buttercream and left it in the fridge overnight, and it turned out great. It’s a dense and moist cake, which is exactly what I needed to support a heavy cake topper. I followed the instruction closely for the swiss meringue buttercream and it came out perfect too. The only modification I made was the addition of a layer of raspberry filling between each layer, and it was really nice fit. Thanks for the amazing recipe!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      May 25, 2020 at 10:28 AM

      Hi Annie- Claude! Thanks for the awesome and detailed feedback! I’m so glad you loved it 🙂

      Reply
  50. Evangeline says

    May 23, 2020 at 3:44 AM

    5 stars
    Tried making this today. It tasted amazing! I love the flavour and lightness of the cake. Thank you for sharing this recipe. It is easy to follow and very yummy.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      May 25, 2020 at 10:04 AM

      Hi Evangeline! I’m so glad you loved it 🙂

      Reply
  51. Lyssa says

    May 15, 2020 at 9:35 PM

    5 stars
    This cake turned out absolutely beautifully. The flavor is warm and delicate, and the frosting is perfectly light. My whole family raved about it! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      May 16, 2020 at 3:41 PM

      Hi Lyssa! So happy everyone loved it, thanks for the feedback 🙂

      Reply
      • Lyssa says

        May 18, 2020 at 11:32 AM

        Can I also ask, if I wanted to make this a 2 layer cake with 8” or 9” pans, would I need to change the bake temp or time? Thanks!

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          May 19, 2020 at 10:14 AM

          Hi Lyssa! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html Baking temp would stay the same but timing could differ.

          Reply
  52. Sasha says

    May 12, 2020 at 8:20 AM

    Hi!

    Making this recipe soon and was wondering if you have any tips on what to do if I only have 1 6-inch pan? Should I refrigerate the batter in between layers, or leave it on the counter?

    Also, I was wondering if Oat milk or any other non dairy milk would work in the earl grey milk part of the recipe! Many thanks!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      May 12, 2020 at 5:06 PM

      Hi Sasha! Ideally, you’d bake all of the layers at the same time. You can try 1/3 the recipe and do that three times. Otherwise, you can try to chill the remaining batter. I haven’t tried that so I can’t guarantee the results. Any other milk will work just fine! 🙂

      Reply
  53. Thea says

    May 10, 2020 at 2:13 PM

    5 stars
    I signed up just so I could leave a comment. I made this cake for my birthday this past Thursday, and it was honestly the best cake I’ve had. It took me a while to make because I wanted to follow everything exactly, and I’ve never made this type of buttercream before, but it was totally worth it. The texture was perfect, and the buttercream balanced both the flavor and texture amazingly. The only edit I made was to add lavender in with the earl grey tea as I brewed the milk. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, I’ll definitely make it again.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      May 11, 2020 at 10:32 AM

      Hi Thea! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment, I really appreciate it! So glad you loved this cake and happy belated birthday to you 🙂

      Reply
  54. E Ju says

    May 8, 2020 at 8:19 AM

    Tried this today. Cake turned out fine, I didn’t continuously mix it with the mixer when adding the eggs, milk and flour, so texture was great! Moist enough, (I still used the earl grey syrup, but even without, it was moist), not too dense.

    Only thing, it was just too sweet. Sweet upon sweet. The Earl Grey flavor came out nicely, but I had to modify both the batter (before baking I usually taste the batter first) and buttercream due to the sweetness, by adding around 1/2 teaspoons of salt each.

    I recommend using Salted or Semi Salted butter instead for this recipe, if the sweetness is too much. I added very few chopped blueberries as well to balance some flavors, and it turned out great.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      May 8, 2020 at 11:40 AM

      Hi there! Thanks for your feedback. I don’t find the cake too sweet myself, but it’s definitely a matter of preference. You could skip the simple syrup to cut some of the sweetness out or try a German buttercream instead that has a very subtle sweetness.

      Reply
  55. Mabel says

    May 7, 2020 at 8:17 AM

    Hello hello! Super stoked to try out your recipe for the upcoming mother’s day.
    However, i wanted to know if i could bake the cake in a pan all together and then level it into layers?
    I don’t own a few cake pans in the same size – and plan on making three of these for some special ladies in my life, so baking each layer one by one with a single cake pan sounds quite terrifying, if i were to be honest! Heading out to buy a few more isn’t really an option either due to the lockdown measures in my country, sadly.

    Another question would be whether I could directly triple the recipe, so I don’t have to create the batter again after one is done?

    Thank you so much in advance!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      May 7, 2020 at 10:54 AM

      Hi Mabel! You’d need a very tall pan to bake all of the cake batter at once, or a very large one. I would make and bake each recipe one at a time. Batter should be baked right away. I hope this helps!

      Reply
  56. Min says

    May 3, 2020 at 1:42 AM

    4 stars
    Hi Olivia,
    My cake turned out dense and moist. I followed the recipe closely except for (1) 1 cup brown sugar (as opposed to 1.5 cup sugar) and used a (2) 8″ x 8″ pan. I also spoon my flour as advised instead of using the cup to scoop the flour. What could have gone wrong? Could it be this is meant for 3-layer cake so i should bake in 2/3 batches (my oven is tiny)? I’m a novice so hasnt attempted how to make buttercream. Thank you so much for your advice! So many positive reviews, and i hope to try it again.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      May 4, 2020 at 9:58 AM

      Hi Min! Dense cakes are often due to overmixing the batter once the flour is added. However, I prefer my cakes on the denser side (but not too dense). This is not a light and fluffy cake recipe 🙂

      Reply
  57. Violet says

    May 1, 2020 at 8:54 PM

    Just wondering but on average how many cupcakes do most of your recipes make?!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      May 4, 2020 at 9:45 AM

      Hi Violet! It depends on the recipe and the size you make your cupcakes but most should make about 18-24 🙂

      Reply
  58. Rachel Lew says

    April 19, 2020 at 4:21 AM

    hi!! I love earl grey tea and was excited to try it! But my cake turned out to be very mushy and dense 🙁 i duno what went wrong. Also if i want to make cupcakes, how full should i fill it to? And how long should i bake it at the same temp? Sorry i have so many questions!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      April 19, 2020 at 5:15 PM

      Hi Rachel! Sorry to hear it didn’t work out for you! Is it possible that the cake was underbaked? That’s the only thing I can think of that would cause a mushy texture. Otherwise, overmixing the cake batter can cause cakes to be dense. I recommend mixing on low when adding the flour and only till just incorporated.

      For cupcakes, fill the liners about 2/3 full and check them at 15mins or so. Same temp 🙂 Let me know how they turn out!

      Reply
      • Rachel Lew says

        April 22, 2020 at 7:29 PM

        Hi! Can i replace butter with oil? Just so maybe the cAke will be more moist?

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          April 23, 2020 at 9:28 AM

          Hi Rachel! I wouldn’t fully replace it but you can swap half of it out if you like.

          Reply
  59. CP says

    April 18, 2020 at 12:45 PM

    If I can’t grind the earl grey tea (we don’t have a grinder), it there any other alternative or can I leave it out?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      April 19, 2020 at 5:12 PM

      Hi CP! I would leave it out and maybe make the Earl Grey milk stronger? That will help add more flavour.

      Reply
  60. Angie says

    April 1, 2020 at 11:56 AM

    5 stars
    This cake was absolutely DELICIOUS! Subbed out milk for almond milk and didn’t have time to make the syrup. The batter was incredibly runny so I was nervous, but it ended up being both moist and light. Honestly, one of the best cakes I’ve ever made!

    I have a question here – it’s my friend’s birthday coming up and I’d like to make something special for him. He absolutely loved the earl grey cake because of the texture, but I want to change it up and make something new for him. Is there a recipe you recommend? He prefers lighter flavors (white cake) and cream cheese. I was thinking of using your white cake recipe with a lemon curd filling and cream cheese frosting. Do you think that would be a good combination? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      April 1, 2020 at 2:42 PM

      Hi Angie! Weird that the batter was so runny 😮 It should be on the thicker side — glad it worked out though and that you loved it 🙂 I think the combo you have sounds delicious! The curd and cream cheese are both tangy though, but I like the combo as the CC buttercream tends to have a lot of sugar in it.

      Reply
  61. Kathy says

    March 30, 2020 at 8:37 PM

    5 stars
    Just tried this recipe and I love it! The tea flavor truly comes out and is a nice change from usual cake flavors. I ended up halving the recipe and made cupcakes instead (got 9 out of ½ this recipe; baked for 17 minutes). I reduced the butter and sugar by a few tablespoons and subbed AP flour for cake.

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      March 30, 2020 at 8:37 PM

      Whoops, meant that I subbed cake flour for AP flour

      Reply
      • Caroline says

        June 12, 2020 at 4:47 PM

        Hi there, did you increase the amount when you switched to cake flour?

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          June 13, 2020 at 4:38 PM

          Hi Caroline! It should be fine to just swap it one for one.

          Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 31, 2020 at 2:49 PM

      Hi Kathy! I’m so happy you liked it 🙂 Thanks for your cupcake tips!

      Reply
  62. Theo L says

    March 16, 2020 at 7:47 PM

    I must be a dark wizard because I tried this recipe TWO times, following it exactly, and it turned out like a hefty brick both times. I’ve never had this happen in my life!

    I checked all the ingredients were in date and fresh, I made sure the temperature was right for all of them, followed the steps exactly, didn’t over mix. No idea what I did! So weird. I trust it’s a good recipe since the comments all say it turned out alright! No idea what happened.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 18, 2020 at 10:14 AM

      Hi Theo! Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear that. It should NOT be dense like that. How do you measure your flour? I recommend spooning and levelling into the cup rather than using the cup as a scoop. The latter can pack in a lot more flour. Were your eggs the correct size? Was the batter super thick going into the pans?

      Reply
    • Kathy says

      March 30, 2020 at 8:34 PM

      Try using cake flour maybe!

      Reply
    • Wendy mccarthy says

      April 19, 2020 at 8:20 AM

      2 stars
      Mine came out extremely dry too and I followed the recipe with the exception of the syrup. Maybe that’s the key to making it moist? Flavor was good but damn it was DRY

      Reply
      • Olivia says

        April 19, 2020 at 5:16 PM

        Hi Wendy! Sorry to hear it came out dry. That would either be due to overbaking or too much flour. How do you measure your flour? I always recommend spooning flour into the cup and leveling it off rather than using the cup to scoop it. The latter can add too much flour to a recipe. The syrup would definitely help add moisture though!

        Reply
  63. Rose says

    March 3, 2020 at 4:28 PM

    Is it ok to use the stuff in the actual tea bags?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 7, 2020 at 2:38 AM

      Hi Rose! Yes, you can use that.

      Reply
  64. Suk1988 says

    February 27, 2020 at 5:07 AM

    5 stars
    Hi is it better to use caster sugar or granulated sugar (from the uk) and is all purpose flour the same as plain flour?
    For the cups measurement is it LEVEL cups?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 1, 2020 at 12:29 AM

      Hi there! Caster sugar is finer than granulated — you can use that but it might be a bit sweeter. I *think* AP is the same as plain but I’ve never used it myself. Yes to level cups but there is a metric converter at the bottom of the list of the ingredients too! 🙂

      Reply
  65. Li says

    February 9, 2020 at 2:35 AM

    Hi! Just wondering if I want to make a 2x8inch cake, do I need to 1.5x the batter or will this current amount be suitable?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      February 9, 2020 at 3:04 PM

      Hi Li! The cake recipe as-is will also work for two 8″ cake pans, so not changes needed.

      Reply
      • Li says

        February 11, 2020 at 1:05 AM

        Thank you! Will the layers be thinner or about the same?

        Also just wondering is it OK to make the Earl grey milk like a day ahead and just keep it in the fridge until needed?

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          February 12, 2020 at 9:37 AM

          Hi L! The layers will be slightly thinner, but just barely. And yes you can make the milk a day ahead and keep it in the fridge. Just be sure to bring it to room temp before using in the cake 🙂

          Reply
  66. Hope says

    January 22, 2020 at 7:28 PM

    5 stars
    I made this for a theme cake for my daughter’s 13th birthday. It was amazing. She was so thrilled that I used the chatacters favorite tea as the cake flavor. Thank you for this fantastic recipe. Even those who don’t care for tea, enjoyed the cake. I’m making it again for my birthday.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 23, 2020 at 10:41 AM

      Hi Hope! Thanks so much for the wonderful feedback, I’m so happy everyone loved it 🙂

      Reply
  67. AH says

    January 11, 2020 at 3:35 PM

    hi! i doubled the recipe for 9 inch pans for two layers (i should’ve done three, i misread one of your comments). how long should i bake it for?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 12, 2020 at 11:33 AM

      Hi AH! It depends on how thick the layers are — how full were the pans?

      Reply
      • Billy says

        February 21, 2020 at 5:33 PM

        5 stars
        I’m curious as to how long too since I will be doing this for two 9 inch pans. And how much will I need to increase the ingredients by to do it as I dont wanna waste anything.

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          February 23, 2020 at 12:25 PM

          Hi Bill! The recipe as-is would work fine for two 8″ pans, so it will be a bit thinner in the 9″. I would 1.5x the recipe (change the Servings to 18 to get the proper amounts). Let me know how it turns out!

          Reply
  68. Kelly says

    December 27, 2019 at 9:17 AM

    This recipe looks devine!!
    I am wanting to use this recipe for baby shower cupcakes. I am using the tulip cupcake holders. Do you think this recipe would work? If so what is your suggestion on how far to fill the cupcake holders? What temp and how long to bake? How many cupcakes will this recipe make? Will the icing be okay to travel in a car for 4hrs? Thank you in advance.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      December 27, 2019 at 10:09 AM

      Hi Kelly! I think this recipe will work great! I haven’t used those cupcake liners myself, but I wouldn’t fill more than 2/3 full. Maybe do a couple test cupcakes — one at 1/2 full and the other at 2/3 and see which you like better? The temp should stay the same but start checking them at 15mins or so (depending on how much batter you use). The recipe will make 18-24 depending on size. For transport — I would chill or freeze them first so the buttercream is very firm and transport in a cooler or a car with A/C if possible. Let me know how they turn out!

      Reply
  69. Mitch says

    December 8, 2019 at 8:37 AM

    I am making this cake today for a baby shower but I am a bit unsure about the double boiler part for the buttercream. I don’t have a double boiler but just putting the mixing bowl over a pot of boiling water should work right. Or no?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      December 8, 2019 at 10:30 AM

      Hi Mitch! Yes, totally. Just put the bowl (ideally metal not glass) over a pot with 1-2″ of simmering water. I have a more detailed post about it here: https://livforcake.com/swiss-meringue-buttercream-recipe/

      Reply
  70. Jane K says

    December 6, 2019 at 12:50 PM

    Would it make a difference if I used oat milk and whole wheat flour for this recipe?? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      December 7, 2019 at 11:31 AM

      Hi Jane! It would affect the flavour, but otherwise should be fine if you like those flavours!

      Reply
    • Wes says

      December 23, 2019 at 8:15 PM

      Would the measurements be the same if I used matcha?

      Reply
      • Olivia says

        December 24, 2019 at 11:13 AM

        Hi Wes! Yes, it should be the same.

        Reply
  71. Traci says

    October 5, 2019 at 9:38 AM

    5 stars
    I made a version of this cake for our wedding last weekend — and it was amazing! I made 2 6″ stacked gluten-free early grey tea cakes with lemon curd and a Swiss Meringue Buttercream (from another LivForCake recipe), flavored with about 5 TBPS of Elderflower Cordial. It really was spectacular! I can’t wait to try some others – thanks Olivia, this is one of my favorite sites with spot on recipes!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 7, 2019 at 9:10 AM

      Hi Traci! Thanks for the sweet comment and for your tips! I can’t wait to hear what you try next 🙂

      Reply
  72. Chris says

    August 23, 2019 at 8:28 PM

    Hi there,
    I cannot wait to try this, my Mums favourite thing is Blackcurrant tea, so I’m trying it with that. So excited to see how it turns out! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 26, 2019 at 2:52 PM

      Hi Chris! Love that, let me know how it turns out 🙂

      Reply
  73. Natasha says

    August 3, 2019 at 9:37 AM

    This looks absolutely amazing! Can’t wait to try this out. However, I noticed a discrepancy in the number of egg whites used when I switched from the US customary units to the metric one. It says 3 in one but 4 in the other. How many should we be using?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 3, 2019 at 10:28 AM

      Hi Natasha! Thanks for calling that out, I’m not sure why it was doing that! I ran the converter tool again and it should be fixed. I used 3 egg whites for the buttercream. 4 would also work though — it would just make more and the buttercream would be a bit whiter 🙂

      Reply
  74. Shahirah says

    August 2, 2019 at 2:46 PM

    Hi dear just wondering if this cake freezes well. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 2, 2019 at 4:53 PM

      Hi Shahirah! Yes. Properly wrapped the cake will freeze well for months.

      Reply
  75. Cheryl says

    July 27, 2019 at 10:01 AM

    5 stars
    Great cake. I put my own spin and did a cream cheese frosting in umbre of purple. It was a big hit.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      July 29, 2019 at 11:41 AM

      Hi Cheryl! Love the CC frosting and the purple ombre. I bet it looked beautiful!

      Reply
  76. Giulia says

    July 24, 2019 at 12:43 PM

    Hello,
    I don’t have a stand mixer and I don’t have a paddle attachment… is there any possible way I can make this cake without using it?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      July 24, 2019 at 1:53 PM

      Hi Giulia! If you have a hand mixer you can make the cake no problem. The buttercream will be a challenge without a stand mixer though. I don’t recommend it as it will take a long time to make.

      Reply
  77. Claudia says

    July 7, 2019 at 4:02 PM

    Hi Liv,

    I was just wondering if I reduce the serving size of the cake from 12 to 6, do I still need 3 6″ baking pans and the same cooking time? Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      July 10, 2019 at 5:06 PM

      Hi Claudia! No, if you reduce the serving size you should reduce the pan size too and possibly adjust the baking time. For ease, I would recommend doing 2/3rds of the recipe (set servings to 9) and using two 6″ pans. Baking time should be similar then.

      Reply
    • Bonnie says

      July 12, 2019 at 5:51 AM

      Can I use cake flour instead of all purpose? Would any ingredient ratios need ti be changed if I did so?
      Thanks, Bonnie

      Reply
      • Olivia says

        July 12, 2019 at 1:36 PM

        Hi Bonnie! Cake flour will work just fine. No changes needed to any ingredients, just swap the flour.

        Reply
  78. Laura says

    June 12, 2019 at 6:52 AM

    Hi- My 2.5 year old son helped me make this yummy cake. It didn’t rise very well and I’m wondering if it’s because the baking powder is old or because it took us a loooong time to actually get all of the ingredients into the mixer…haha. I would definitely make this cake again. Thanks for sharing the recipe!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      June 12, 2019 at 10:27 AM

      Hi Laura! Definitely test your baking powder, but also is it possible the cake batter was overmixed? That can cause for a denser cake. Also when measuring yoru flour, be sure to spoon and level it rather than scooping.

      Reply
  79. Helen says

    May 12, 2019 at 11:46 PM

    Hi Olivia,

    I was just wondering can I bake this 2 days in advance?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      May 13, 2019 at 12:23 PM

      Hi Helen! Yes, no problem. You can keep it on the counter or refrigerate 🙂

      Reply
  80. Sabrina Berg says

    April 13, 2019 at 8:59 AM

    Hi, I was wondering what depth the pan should be? I’m seeing either 6” by 2” or 6” by 3”. Would the 6 by 2 be deep enough?
    Kind Regards,
    Sabrina Berg

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      April 14, 2019 at 10:44 AM

      Hi Sabrina! Either works but I used 2″ deep ones for this particular recipe. The cakes should bake close to the top of them.

      Reply
      • Giulia Beccarelli says

        August 25, 2019 at 7:43 AM

        Thank you for this comment and this reply! I was wondering the exact same thing. If I use 6 x 3 pans, should I still use baking strips? How would the results change?
        Thank you!

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          August 26, 2019 at 3:11 PM

          Hi Giulia! I always use baking strips no matter the pan size.

          Reply
          • Giulia Beccarelli says

            August 28, 2019 at 8:24 AM

            Thank you! I’m finally making this tonight… a little intimidating, but I will try and see what happens 🙂 thanks for your patience and for your availability.

          • Olivia says

            August 29, 2019 at 10:29 AM

            Anytime! Please let me know how it turns out 🙂

  81. Kimberly Chan says

    April 9, 2019 at 11:48 AM

    Not sure if this is covered somewhere (I tried to scroll through the comments but didn’t see an answer to this, so I’m sorry if this is a repeat question), but just wondering if it’s possible to just empty the contents of earlgrey teabags for this recipe or if loose leaf tea is necessary? Thanks in advance!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      April 12, 2019 at 2:17 PM

      Hi Kimberly! You could totally do that just fine 🙂

      Reply
  82. Jaime says

    March 5, 2019 at 8:47 PM

    Hi! My dad loves earl grey so I’m planning to make this for his birthday that’s coming up soon. I have 2 9” cake pans and was wondering if I should double the recipe or just do 1.5. What should I do? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 7, 2019 at 1:55 PM

      Hi Jamie! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html

      Reply
  83. Christina says

    March 2, 2019 at 10:19 AM

    I made this as cupcakes today and it was sooooo good!
    I think I overbaked the cupcake a little bit, but the cake was still moist and delicious 🙂
    I also reduced all sugar by half and it was still sweet!
    I’m definitely going to make this again in the future.
    Thank you for a great recipe!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 4, 2019 at 8:52 AM

      Hi Christina! So glad you liked it!

      Reply
  84. Angela B says

    February 26, 2019 at 1:10 PM

    5 stars
    I made this for my friend who loves earl grey tea and she LOVED it!! Thanks so much for the recipe!
    Wondering if I’d be able to tweak the buttercream and make it lemon buttercream?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      February 27, 2019 at 3:40 PM

      Hi Angela! So glad your friend liked it! And for sure — you can add some lemon zest and/or a bit of lemon juice to it.

      Reply
  85. Sarah says

    February 21, 2019 at 3:24 PM

    I’m making this cake for a birthday. I’m making it a day in advance and putting it together at the venue. I was only going to put the earl grey syrup on one layer – should i do this in advance or when assembling? Does it need to be warm for the syrup to soak in?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      February 23, 2019 at 12:42 PM

      Hi Sarah! I would do it when assembling. It does not need to be warm, but I would either trim the cakes or poke holes in them to make sure the syrup absorbs in.

      Reply
  86. Jared says

    January 7, 2019 at 12:49 AM

    5 stars
    Hi! This cake looks fantastic! I was just wondering if I used a cake levelling strip to level my cake, will the sides of the cake become less interesting since it’s partially naked? Thanks again for the wonderful recipe.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 7, 2019 at 4:40 PM

      Hi Jared! I always use baking strips — this cake was made with them. I hope you like it 🙂

      Reply
      • Jared says

        January 7, 2019 at 11:52 PM

        Hi again,
        the cake tasted amazing and looked wonderful! Thank you so much. Just a question, what other frosting do you think I could use instead of the one you used in the recipe? I wasn’t too fond of this one, tho it was still amazing! Thanks again.

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          January 9, 2019 at 12:29 PM

          Hi Jared! What didn’t you like about the frosting? It’s a pretty neutral flavour, but you can try an American buttercream if you prefer or a cream cheese frosting. I think both would go well!

          Reply
  87. Kelly says

    January 6, 2019 at 10:51 PM

    5 stars
    Omg, this cake is AMAZING. It’s sweet, but not too sweet, and it’s moist and very fragrant. Plus, I could eat just the bowl of frosting by myself lol. My dad doesn’t eat many sweets (I don’t even bother with a birthday cake anymore), but even he ate a hunk and said it was great!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 7, 2019 at 4:39 PM

      Hi Kelly! So happy that you liked it, and your dad too!

      Reply
  88. Izzy says

    November 13, 2018 at 11:04 AM

    4 stars
    This cake is absolutely delicious! Love the fragrance earl grey tea adds.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 13, 2018 at 2:16 PM

      Thank you Izzy!

      Reply
  89. Jessica says

    November 13, 2018 at 10:35 AM

    Hello!! Baking this cake as we speak!!! Curious if the butter for the buttercream has to be cubed if it’s at room temp? Generally I only cube butter if it’s really cold – just don’t want to use warm butter if it’s supposed to be cold!!! Thanks for your help!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 13, 2018 at 2:14 PM

      Hi Jessica! It doesn’t need to be cubed as long as it’s already at room temp and you add it in about 1 Tbsp portions.

      Reply
  90. Angela Ferrin says

    November 11, 2018 at 8:16 PM

    5 stars
    I am a novice baker and have probably made less than 10 homemade cakes (thus far) in my life. I am beginning to bake more and love a good London Fog so I thought an Earl Grey cake would be fun and found your recipe and blog. I read the directions over (and over and over 😂) to catch each detail since baking doesn’t come naturally to me yet. Your instructions were spot on and the cake turned out AMAZING! I made it for my supper club and it was a huge hit! I only have a hand mixer and it took quite a while to make the icing but it was worth it. Thank you for such well-written instructions, I plan to work my way through your recipes with my kiddos and am so excited! They love baking and baking shows and it will be so fun to learn together. Thank you again!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 13, 2018 at 2:02 PM

      Hi Angela! Thanks so much for the great feedback. I’m so glad you found everything easy to follow and that it turned out well! I can’t wait to hear what you’ll make next!

      Reply
  91. Olivia says

    October 22, 2018 at 6:53 PM

    5 stars
    Hi Olivia,
    This cake is absolutely tasty! I made this for my birthday just over the weekend with two layers of 8 inch round. My first time making layered cake with frosting!! I was so thrilled when it all came together. My family just loved it into pieces. The cake was so moist and Earl grey’y’!! Thank you for sharing, I am so glad that I came across your blog! Definitely will try your other cake recipes too!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 24, 2018 at 9:23 AM

      Hi Olivia! So happy to hear that you liked it and happy belated birthday!

      Reply
  92. Vishal says

    September 15, 2018 at 5:32 PM

    Hey, I love the look of this recipe and am making it tomorrow for a school project! Quick question, I want to scale this bad boy up a bit to feed the hungry masses, do you think doubling this recipe would give me three 9 inch rounds? Even if they are thinner than normal I can reduce bake time to probably 10 minutes less… what’re your thoughts?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 20, 2018 at 2:03 PM

      Hi Vishal! Sorry for the delayed reply, I hope it worked out ok! Doubling should have worked well for three 9″ rounds!

      Reply
  93. Jennifer says

    September 11, 2018 at 6:48 PM

    Hi….this cake and all the reviews looks like one I really want to try. I did make your banana blueberry cake and had good comments about it. Thanks Liv!

    That recipe used cake flour, I’m wondering if I could use cake flour as well for this recipe ?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 14, 2018 at 2:34 PM

      Hi Jennifer! You could totally use cake flour here instead. Let me know how you like it!

      Reply
      • Madeline says

        September 22, 2018 at 4:43 PM

        5 stars
        This is SUCH A GREAT RECIPE!! I made it for my sisters 22nd birthday this weekend and it was lovely. I added culinary grade lavender flowers to the milk, the batter, and the syrup and it was so aromatic and delicious. I probably used a half teaspoon of lavender at each phase. It turned out to be a great combination of flavors, and I plan to make this cake again. Thank you Olivia!

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          September 27, 2018 at 1:44 PM

          So happy to hear that Madeline!! I love the addition of lavender, I’ll have to try that!

          Reply
  94. Michelle Lee says

    September 8, 2018 at 6:11 AM

    5 stars
    Hi Liv! I have two questions for you:
    1) How do you get your tea ground so finely? I have been using a food processor but there are still sizeable chunks left.
    2) What do you with the wet tea loose leaf after straining the milk tea? I hate the idea of throwing them out but I’m not sure what else I could use them for. Thought about using them for garnish but they are unpleasant to chew!

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 10, 2018 at 3:46 PM

      Hi Michelle! I use a coffee grinder, it creates the finest powder! I just discard the loose tea in my organics bin. I’m not sure you could really use them for anything 🙁

      Reply
  95. Vincent Murinigo says

    July 31, 2018 at 11:15 AM

    5 stars
    Hello, I am so excited to make this recipe today!! Have you ever made cupcakes with this recipe?? What would the baking time be for the recipe?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 3, 2018 at 2:35 PM

      Hi Vincent! I haven’t myself, but it should work just fine. You’ll just need to reduce the baking time. I suggest start checking them at 15mins 🙂

      Reply
  96. Lisa says

    July 29, 2018 at 3:18 AM

    So excited to try this!! Thinking of doing a lavender honey buttercream with this, thoughts????

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      July 30, 2018 at 1:13 PM

      Hi Lisa! I think that would be amazing! Let me know how it turns out 🙂

      Reply
  97. Mandy says

    July 16, 2018 at 7:07 PM

    If I wanted to make a 3 layer 8 inch cake, should I double the recipe?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      July 18, 2018 at 8:27 AM

      Hi Mandy! Yes, double the recipe. Your layers will be slightly thinner so you may need to reduce the baking time a bit.

      Reply
  98. Erica says

    June 30, 2018 at 9:13 PM

    My cake didn’t come out so moist. What do you think I did wrong? I had froze it for 40 minutes, frosted it and then let it come to room temperature for 3 hours.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      July 4, 2018 at 1:59 PM

      Hi Erica! Is it possible it was overbaked? Was it completely at room temperature when you ate it or still a bit cold?

      Reply
  99. Katelyn says

    June 4, 2018 at 2:44 PM

    I just want to say, I was super impressed with this cake. I’m always looking for good cake recipes and usually have to change something about the recipe in order to get the cake to how I want it. Every part of this recipe was spot on. Perfection! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      June 5, 2018 at 4:30 PM

      Hi Katelyn! Thanks for the great feedback, I’m so glad you liked it 🙂

      Reply
  100. Katie says

    May 13, 2018 at 9:20 AM

    5 stars
    I made this cake (with a fig jam buttercream) yesterday and the cake came out wonderfully. Delicately flavored but you can definitely taste the earl grey, moist, light… great recipe!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      May 17, 2018 at 2:58 PM

      So glad you liked it Katie!

      Reply
  101. Lizzie says

    April 21, 2018 at 10:19 PM

    Hi there!! I’m in the midst of trying this recipe, and after making the Earl Grey Syrup, I realized there aren’t any further instructions beside how to make that. When do you add it? To the cake? In addition to the milk? And do you swap out something else (like some of the sugar)? Thanks for your help!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      April 23, 2018 at 10:44 AM

      Hi Lizzie! That step is listed as part of Assembly — you brush it onto the layers.

      Reply
  102. Talia says

    April 20, 2018 at 6:44 AM

    5 stars
    Seriously… this cake is so delicious. Already made it twice and everyone goes crazy over it. You don’t have to be a tea lover to literally fall in love with this flavour! Thank you! I added my vanilla mascarpone cream/custard in between the layers and vanilla swiss buttercream to cover it! Amazing! Thank you

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      April 20, 2018 at 2:19 PM

      So happy that you liked it Talia! My husband is not a tea fan at all, but he also enjoyed it 🙂

      Reply
    • Michelle says

      July 9, 2018 at 8:00 PM

      Can I ask would you have a mascarpone cream/custard recipe? This cake looks amazing and I want to make it for my sister’s 40th but she isn’t a big fan of buttercream… Many thanks!!

      Reply
      • Olivia says

        July 10, 2018 at 9:29 AM

        Hi Michelle! I don’t have either of those, but I do have a mascarpone frosting here: https://livforcake.com/tiramisu-cake/

        Reply
        • Michelle says

          July 18, 2018 at 9:24 PM

          Thank you!! Thank you for the videos as well!!

          Reply
  103. Grace says

    February 17, 2018 at 9:40 AM

    Hi Olivia! Thanks so much for this gorgeous recipe. I’m planning on trying it out this weekend! I was just wondering if you had a preference for a type of milk to use? I was going to try whole, but I didn’t know if that would be best.

    Thanks again!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      February 18, 2018 at 4:02 PM

      Hi Grace! Honestly, I use 1% because that’s just what we happen to have. Whole milk would be ideal though, but anything btwn that and 1% will work 🙂

      Reply
  104. Koko says

    February 5, 2018 at 5:04 PM

    5 stars
    This cake was lovely! Made it for a baby shower and everyone loved it! Total hit. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      February 5, 2018 at 5:12 PM

      Thanks so much Koko! So glad you liked it 🙂

      Reply
  105. Holly says

    January 24, 2018 at 10:19 AM

    I want to make this so bad! I was wondering if adding a hint of orange to the frosting would be good as the tea already has orange in it. Plus we have an orange tree in the yard that is producing a lot of oranges right now. Do you know if I could incorporate orange juice/zest in the frosting without messing it up?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 25, 2018 at 3:30 PM

      Hi Holly! I think that would be totally fine and perfectly delicious. I would use zest first — add it in after you finish adding the butter and give it a taste. If it needs more you can add some juice (1 Tbsp max) or more zest (as much as you like). Let me know how it turns out!

      Reply
  106. Mai ngoc hoa says

    January 16, 2018 at 2:21 AM

    5 stars
    Dear Olivia,
    I’m planning to make this cake for a dinner at friend’s house. What can I do if I can’t find any Earl Grey tea finely ground but only Earl Grey tea leaf (or like the Lipton/twinnings tea bag)?
    Thank you very much for your attention

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 16, 2018 at 2:07 PM

      Hi Mai! Do you have a spice grinder? Or something you could grin the tea leaves up with?

      Reply
      • Mai ngoc Hoa says

        January 21, 2018 at 2:54 PM

        Hi again, I made the cake finally and it tasted awesome. Would like to send you photos too if you don’t mind. I will definitely redo this cake over soon

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          January 22, 2018 at 12:31 PM

          Hi Mai! I would love to see your pictures! Send them to livforcakeblog[at]gmail[dot]com.

          Reply
  107. Sharon says

    November 30, 2017 at 6:55 PM

    Hi Olivia! I’m planning on making this cake this weekend for a friends birthday. What would you suggest as decorations/topping/garnish instead if not the earl grey tea leaves?

    P.S. I’ve been following your recipes for a while now and absolutely love them. My goal one day is to make all of yours :)…5 down, lots to go!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      December 1, 2017 at 8:44 PM

      Hi Sharon! Can I just say how flattered I am that you’re working your way through my recipes?! Amazing. Thank you! I hope you like them all :).

      For garnish, if you could find some edible flowers, that would be super pretty, though those might be hard to come by, especially this time of year. You could use sprigs of thyme, that always looks pretty too, and just remove them before serving (easier to remove than the tea leaves, hah). If you wanted to get a bit fancy, you could do a white chocolate ganache drip and color it lavender, or something like that (the ratios for that are different than a dark choco ganache, so let me know if oyu want to go that route and I’ll give you the proportions).

      Reply
      • Sharon says

        December 2, 2017 at 6:55 PM

        Thanks for your suggestions! Ooo a colored white chocolate ganache sounds cool – yes would love the proportions/recipe if you have a good one for that! Last time I tried making a ganache drip the chocolate seized up on me…so much struggle 😭

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          December 3, 2017 at 12:20 PM

          Chocolate can be tricky to work with sometimes. How did you make the ganache? Try the the one from this recipe from this post: https://livforcake.com/eggnog-cake/
          If the ganache is too thick, add in a tsp of heavy cream until it gets to a thin enough consistency. Let me know how it turns out!

          Reply
      • Sharon says

        December 2, 2017 at 8:56 PM

        Ahhh also I had one more question – sorry I’m asking so late, hopefully you see it before tomorrow (when I’m baking this). I found another recipe for an earl grey buttercream as well (https://www.abeautifulplate.com/london-fog-cake-earl-grey-buttercream/) – do you think that would go well with the cake? Or do you think the cake itself has enough earl grey flavor and adding this buttercream would be overpowering?

        Thanks again!!

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          December 3, 2017 at 12:23 PM

          Hi Sharon! The cake has a fairly strong earl grey flavour (to me), which is why I chose to pair it with a simple vanilla buttercream. I think it could work with an earl grey buttercream too, but the flavour would definitely be strong. If you like that though, then I would give it a try! (and let me know, haha)

          Reply
          • Sharon says

            December 4, 2017 at 6:29 PM

            5 stars
            Finished! It turned out great :). Using earl grey buttercream definitely helped intensify the flavor and luckily people didn’t think it was overpowering. Would definitely recommend! I ended up doing a simple swirl topping, did not brave the ganache haha. I can send pictures if you want!

          • Olivia says

            December 5, 2017 at 9:12 AM

            Haha! Glad it worked out! Definitely email over some pics as I’d love to see! livforcakeblog (at) gmail (dot) com

  108. Erin says

    November 24, 2017 at 8:16 PM

    Hi! This cake looks amazing! Would I be able to use a vanilla bean or extract opposed to vanilla bean paste?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 25, 2017 at 10:09 AM

      Hi Erin! Sure thing, those would work just fine.

      Reply
  109. Sofie says

    November 10, 2017 at 6:45 AM

    Hi What size cake pan is the recipe for? 6″?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 10, 2017 at 9:47 AM

      Hi Sofie! Yes, 6″ pans.

      Reply
      • Sofie says

        November 10, 2017 at 1:53 PM

        thank you! If I double for an 8″, will it be too much?

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          November 13, 2017 at 9:24 AM

          You can use the recipe as is for two 8″ or 1.5x the recipe for three 8″ pans. I hope that helps!

          Reply
  110. Stephanie says

    October 21, 2017 at 10:41 AM

    Would this cake recipe be ok to use for cupcakes instead of a full cake? What would you suggest for temperature and cooking time?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 23, 2017 at 8:10 PM

      Hi Stephanie! You can totally use it for cupcakes. Bake at the same temperature, but check them after 15mins or so as they may be done by then.

      Reply
  111. Emily says

    September 24, 2017 at 1:18 PM

    Hi Olivia,

    Do you think this earl grey cake will pair well with a honey cream cheese frosting? Or will it taste funny? I do not like to use powder sugar for my cakes, and I’ve been repeatedly using honey, cream cheese, and unsalted butter as my frosting. Since this is an earl grey tea cake flavor, I’m afraid the flavor will not pair well. What do you think?

    Thank you,
    Emily

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 25, 2017 at 4:09 PM

      Hi Emily! I actually think it would go really well. Especially with the honey. Honey is often an addition to Earl Grey tea! At least over here 🙂 I’m not 100% sure on the cream cheese, but I think it would be fine. I haven’t had a cake yet that didn’t work with a cream cheese frosting 🙂 Let me know how it turns out!

      Reply
      • Emily Huang says

        October 22, 2017 at 12:38 AM

        Hi Olivia,

        The cream cheese frosting unfortunately didn’t work well with this cake, covered up all the earl grey taste. However, my cake came out really dense, I was wondering if it was anything I did wrong, because your cake look so fluffy.

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          October 23, 2017 at 8:12 PM

          Hi Emily! Sorry to hear you the cream cheese didn’t work out. Regarding the dense cake — did it rise ok? If not, perhaps your baking powder is expired. Another culprit could be overmixing the batter! Only mix the flour until just incorporated at each stage.

          Reply
  112. Clare says

    September 11, 2017 at 9:33 AM

    5 stars
    Hello!

    How do you get such a clean edge and even colour on the sides of your cake?

    Looks delicious!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 11, 2017 at 4:47 PM

      Hi Clare! I use a combination of a plastic icing smoother (http://amzn.to/2wSXEvf) on the sides and a small offset spatula (http://amzn.to/2xt6mB4) on the top. I hope that helps! Or wait, did you mean the actual cake layers themselves? I use evenbake cake strips (http://amzn.to/2wWkAZP) on all my cake pans. You can get more info on that here: https://livforcake.com/flat-top-cakes/

      I hope that helps!

      Reply
  113. Justine says

    September 6, 2017 at 7:55 AM

    What a beautiful cake and stunning flavour combination, Olivia! Also, I’m glad you got your appliance situation sorted out. 😜

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 6, 2017 at 3:10 PM

      Haha thanks so much Justine! <3

      Reply
  114. Pia says

    August 30, 2017 at 9:48 AM

    5 stars
    I tried the cake and I absolutely love it! It was very moist and had a great flavor. Thank you very much for the great recipe!!!!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 30, 2017 at 5:07 PM

      Hi Pia! I’m so happy that you liked this cake! Thank you for the feedback 🙂

      Reply
  115. Stephanie says

    August 28, 2017 at 8:13 AM

    4 stars
    Do you think I can add earl grey oil to enhance the flavor?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 28, 2017 at 2:22 PM

      Hi Stephanie! I’ve never used earl grey oil, but I can’t see it being a problem. Be careful with the strength of it though, if it’s concentrated. This cake is already packed with Earl Grey flavour!

      Reply
  116. Olivia says

    August 26, 2017 at 8:33 PM

    Wow! This looks great! You are so good at decorating cakes! 🙂

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 27, 2017 at 2:30 PM

      Thank you so much! 🙂

      Reply
  117. Hakima says

    August 24, 2017 at 7:32 AM

    Your story is my life! I am probably the most dramatic person (according to my husband) and I would have called the cops in a heartbeat, and yeah, my mind races so fast, I’ve already thought of about a dozen scenarios of my death from some minuscule happening.

    But I’m so glad it was just the fridge and yay for getting new appliances!

    I’ve seen a variation of earl grey cake all over the place and I tell myself I want to try it, but I actually don’t like earl grey. LOVE tea, but am not a fan of earl grey. I wonder if it will have a different taste, or maybe a more subtle taste? Hmm. Might experiment anyway since my husband loves earl grey.

    Reply
  118. Meg | Meg is Well says

    August 23, 2017 at 7:38 AM

    I’m so glad it was just the fridge and not something super complicated! And I’m excited about this Earl Grey Cake! I basically dream of turning every dessert into a London Fog (aka Earl Grey Tea Latte), so basically you made my dreams come true!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 23, 2017 at 2:47 PM

      Haha yesss! I have more tea flavoured desserts in mind. LOVE a London Fog <3

      Reply
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I'm Olivia, a professionally trained pastry chef, recipe developer, and photographer from Vancouver, BC. Creating classic cake recipes with a modern twist.
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