Description
This vegan Earl Grey Lemon Cake is a delightful and fragrant treat combining the citrusy brightness of lemon with the floral notes of Earl Grey tea. Made without any animal products, this moist and tender loaf is perfect for a teatime snack or a light dessert, finished off with a tangy lemon glaze for extra zest.
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons finely ground Earl Grey tea leaves (about 5 tea bags)
- 200 g (1 cup) caster or granulated sugar
- 180 g (¾ cup) vegan yogurt, preferably Greek style
- 100 g (6 Tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) unsweetened non-dairy milk (soy recommended)
- 124 g (½ cup + 1 Tablespoon) neutral oil (olive oil used)
- Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
- 45 g (3 Tablespoons) lemon juice
- 20 g (2 packed Tablespoons) cornflour (cornstarch)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 270 g (2 ¼ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
Glaze Ingredients
- 150 g (1 ¼ cups) icing (powdered) sugar
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon vegan Greek style yogurt
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Tin: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease a 2lb loaf tin and line it with greaseproof paper to prevent sticking during baking.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the finely ground Earl Grey tea leaves, sugar, vegan yogurt, non-dairy milk, neutral oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice. This mixture forms the fragrant and moist base of your cake.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually whisk in the cornflour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt, followed by the plain flour. Ensure the batter is smooth and well combined but do not over-mix to keep the cake tender.
- Pour and Bake: Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf tin, smoothing the top. Bake in the preheated oven for about 60 to 70 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, indicating the cake is cooked through.
- Cool the Cake: Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes so it sets slightly, then carefully turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely, ensuring the glaze will adhere beautifully later.
- Prepare the Glaze: Once the cake has fully cooled, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and stir in the lemon juice and vegan Greek style yogurt to create a thick but spoonable glaze. Adjust consistency by adding more icing sugar if too runny or more lemon juice if too thick.
- Glaze and Serve: Spoon the lemon glaze over the cake evenly. Allow the glaze to set briefly before serving. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Use finely ground Earl Grey tea leaves for the best infusion of flavor; you can grind loose leaves or tea bags with a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder.
- If you do not have vegan Greek-style yogurt, use any thick vegan yogurt alternative to get similar texture and tang.
- The neutral oil can be substituted with any mild-flavored oil like sunflower or light olive oil.
- Ensure the cake is fully cooled before glazing to prevent the glaze from melting and running off.
- Storage: Keep the glazed cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week; bring back to room temperature before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Western
