this cake, wow where do i start?, it is so fragrant.
i added some Tunisian dates in a bowl of earl grey tea to soak up the flavour but i also added some of the tea into the cake batter.
the sponge has brown sugar and ground cardamom with the zest of a lemon and pink grapefruit and some of the juice in it. for texture i added some chopped walnuts.
i added lemon juice and zest and lavender extract in to the frosting to for extra flavour.
you really need to make this cake.
recipe
300g 1 and 1/3 cups unsalted butter
300g 1 and 2/3 cups muscovado sugar
4 eggs
100ml approx 1/3 cup earl grey tea (use some of the left over tea from soaking dates)
8 peeled and chopped dates (that have been soaked in the tea for 15 minutes)
zest and juice of a pink grapefruit or orange
zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon
60g 2 ounces chopped walnuts
6 cardamom pods
370g 3 cups self raising flour
80ml 1/3 cup milk
pinch salt
preheat the oven to 180c 350f
add the dates into a bowl and cover with bowling water and add a earl grey tea bag and leave to strew for 15 minutes.
peel open the cardamom pods and add the seeds into a mortar and crush with a pestle into a powder.
peel the skin off the dates and remove the stones and chop into small pieces.
then chop the walnuts.
in the bowl of a stand mixer add the sugar and butter and mix until soft then add the eggs one at a time.
grate the zest of a lemon and pink grapefruit then squeeze the juice of the grapefruit and half a lemon into 100ml of the tea and add the chopped dates back into it then pour into the batter and fold in.
add the flour, salt and ground cardamom and fold in then add the chopped walnuts.
add the milk to loosen the batter then divide into two lined tins then bake for about 50 minutes.
grate the zest of a lemon and pink grapefruit then squeeze the juice of the grapefruit and half a lemon into 100ml of the tea and add the chopped dates back into it then pour into the batter and fold in.
add the flour, salt and ground cardamom and fold in then add the chopped walnuts.
add the milk to loosen the batter then divide into two lined tins then bake for about 50 minutes.
for the frosting
400ml 1 and 3/4 cups double cream
juice and zest of half a lemon
6 tbsp icing sugar
few drops of lavender extract
whip the cream with the icing sugar and add the lemon zest and juice and lavender extract and whip until peaks form.
slice the risen tops of the cakes then spread a layer of lemon curd and pipe on a layer of cream then add the second cake on top and add some more cream, decorate with lavender and rosemary and lemon zest
linking up at
I love earl grey tea and this cake looks just scrumptious!
Thankyou laura xx
Wow this looks so delish and incredibly beautiful. I'm going to make a gluten free version, thank you for sharing!
Thankyou x
Your photos are just stunning!!! This cake sounds incredible with the earl gray, YUM!!!
How interesting your cake sounds. we have some Earl Grey tea that I haven't used as neither my husband or me like it. What a good way to use it up. I will certainly be gathering these ingredients together to try. Thank you for sharing
Thankyou jeanette x
This is the perfect winter cake! The flavors are sound so warm and inviting!
Thankyou tori xx
Earl gray? Cardamon? Citrus? Could these be the most perfect flavor combinations for a winter cake? It's snowing buckets right now and I would love a giant slice of this to accompany my walnut tea. Sigh!
Thankyou Lynn x
Lovely! I made this into small cupcakes instead and it was a perfect project for a snow day! I used pistachios instead of walnuts and tossed some dried lavender into the frosting. Family loved them.
I'm so glad it turned out great xxx
This looks amazing, is the lavender and rosemary merely a decoration? Or do you eat it with the cake? Does it over power the flavour of the actual cake?
The pictures look perfect as always, I love cardamom and earl grey, so I'm sure this is something I will definitely make.
I just used the rosemary and lavender as decoration. There is a little lavender in the frosting x
Would you still suggest making this? I’m thinking of doing it for Christmas!
Hi Katherine, i have made so many cakes since but i do remember it, and i remember it being delicious x
Oh wow! I have been looking for a good cardamom cake for a while and just found this!!!
Is it possible to substitutethe cardamom pods for ground cardamom? And, how much would I use?
hi carol yes you can substitute, i haven’t tried it with this recipe though, i would try 1/2 a teaspoon