Earl Grey Yogurt Cake with Earl Grey Glaze

Tea lovers, this Earl Grey Yogurt Cake is for you! This cake is super soft, very easy to make and full of Earl Grey flavor. A must have for your breakfast or afternoon tea!

Jump to:

• What does yogurt do in a cake?
• Ingredients and Substitutions
• How to make it
• Earl Grey glaze
• Tips and Tricks
• What flavor goes well with Earl Grey?
• Storing and freezing

Want more easy cake recipes?

If you’re a sourdough fan, try my best chocolate cake using sourdough discard!

Looking for a different carrot cake? You should try the Brazilian version: a beautiful orange color with the most delicious chocolate glaze!

And if you’re an Earl Grey fanatic like me, you need to make my Iced Earl Grey Milk Tea: it’s vegan, and perfect for summer!

What does yogurt do in a cake?

Greek yogurt is a fantastic ingredient for baking goods! A baking good using it will have less lactose, as you usually replace milk with yogurt in the recipe.

This ingredient helps the cake to keep its moisture for longer than cakes using milk or water, for example.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Let’s talk about the ingredients and its substitutes.

All-purpose flour

Use all-purposed flour for this recipe. Be sure to measure it correctly! To learn how to scoop dry ingredients, check my beginner’s baking tips.

Oil

You can use vegetable, canola, sunflower or a healthier option like coconut oil for this recipe.

Oh, and if using coconut oil, use its refined version, so it doesn’t leave a coconut taste in the cake.

Greek Yogurt

Use one with full-fat and no sugar or flavor added for the best result. If using with sugar/flavor, choose a vanilla-flavored Greek yogurt.

Sour cream can replace it, but the taste will be slightly tangier. Use a full-fat sour cream.

Earl Grey

We’ll need both tea leaves and brewed tea for this recipe. If using tea bags, you’ll need 2: one for brewing, one for the cake. If using loose tea, follow the measures in the recipe card.

Also, if using loose tea, be sure to grind it into a finer texture. Loose tea usually is grainier than the content of a tea bag, and that can affect the texture of this cake.

Eggs

Large eggs are required for this tea cake. Use organic, if possible. You’ll need to whip the egg whites.

Tip: Separate the yolk from the egg whites while eggs are still cold! It’s easier to do it before it reaches room temperature.

Sugar

Granulated or caster white sugar are the best options for this recipe.

Vanilla Extract

It enhances even more the Earl Grey flavor. It can be substituted for Earl Grey extract. I can teach you how to make your own black tea extract!

Salt

Salt plays an important role in both savory and sweet recipes, enhancing the flavors.

How to make it

Start by preheating the oven. Preheat with rack in the middle, until oven reaches 350°F.

Brew Earl Grey using 1 tea bag (or 1 teaspoon of loose tea).

Remove from fridge Greek yogurt and eggs. Separate the egg whites from the yolk, and gather and measure all the remaining ingredients plus baking pan.

After oven has preheated, start putting together the batter.

Whipp the egg whites. It needs to be whipped until medium peaks.

In a medium bowl, add all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt, and stir to combine.

In a large bowl, add egg yolks, sugar, brewed Earl Grey and vanilla extract. Mix until combined. Add Greek yogurt,oil and Earl Grey leaves, stirring until well mixed.

Add the flour mixture and stir just until combined. Do not overmix for a lighter and fluffier cake.

Fold the whipped egg whites into the batter. Start by folding ⅓ of it, and after incorporated, fold the remaining.

Grease with oil and dust with sugar a large bundt cake pan, and pour the batter in.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until lightly golden at the top. To check for doneness, insert a toothpick in the middle: if it comes out with some crumbs or clean, cake’s ready.

Let it cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan. Don’t let it cool completely, though, or it might not come out of the bundt pan.

Earl Grey glaze

I love, love, love this glaze! It makes the cake even moister and gives a boost of earl grey flavor.

You’ll need:

• Melted butter,

• Earl Grey Milk (or tea); and

• Powdered Sugar.

Earl Grey extract is optional, but soooo recommended.

It’s super simple to make:

• Heat the milk and brew the earl grey directly on it;

• Melt the butter.

• In a medium bowl, add powdered sugar. Stiff to avoid any lumps, specially if powdered sugar was open before this recipe, as it can absorb moisture and create little lumps.

• Pour butter and milk tea over it, and whisk until homogeneous.

The glaze will harden after some minutes, so be sure to mix it just before pouring over the cake.

Tips and Tricks

Make an Earl Grey Pound Cake: divide batter into 2 greased and dusted medium loaf pans. Bake for 30 minutes, and check doneness by inserting a toothpick in the middle. If it comes out with crumbles, it’s ready. If it comes out clean, it might be slightly overbaked, but it should still be delicious.

Don’t overmix the batter: it’s totally ok if the batter is a bit lumpy. Avoid overmixing, as the less you do it, the fluffier the cake. Mix just until flour is incorporated.

Mix whipped egg whites GENTLY: egg whites, whipped, are filled with air which helps to lighten and leaven the cake. Incorporate them into the batter gently, to keep the air trapped inside them. Mixing them without paying enough attention might make their structure collapse.

Measure all ingredients AND preheat the oven BEFORE starting the recipe: I find it easier to have everything in hand and a hot enough oven for baking goods. So, start by preheating de oven, getting yogurt and eggs out of the fridge, separating the egg yolk from the whites, brewing the earl grey you’ll need and so on.

Oh, and you can use a decaf Earl Grey version for a caffeine-free tea cake.

What flavor goes well with Earl Grey?

Zesty fruits pair fantastic with the flavors of bergamot and black tea.

You can substitute the Earl Grey glaze for a lemon or a passionfruit glaze. Pineapple, orange and strawberry also are amazing flavor options.

Lavender is also a flavor that harmonizes well with Earl Grey. You can make a lavender glaze instead, or have a Lavender Latte along with your tea cake.

Storing and freezing

After cooled, store this cake in a cake keeper, away from direct sunlight. It’s good for up to one week. It keeps moist and soft for at leat 5 days, if stored correctly.

You can freeze any leftover cake if you want/need. When freezing, it is best to do it as soon as you know you won’t eat what’s left. Be sure the cake has cooled, and then wrap it in plastic wrap, or store it in an airtight container. I find it easier to freeze this cake already sliced, so I can grab the exact amount I want to eat. It keeps well in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Thaw for 1 hour in room temperature, or if sliced, just microwave for about 30 to 40 seconds (microwaving might cause the glaze to melt).