Spreading hope and giving earl grey a second chance.
Let me introduce the second recipe in the Basically Guide to Better Baking, from Bon Appetit. A tea cake that harnesses the power of citrusy Earl Grey tea for its distinct flavor.
I was really excited when I saw Molly Baz post this Earl Grey Yogurt Cake on her instagram - it just looked SO good. I'm not a fan of Earl Grey tea... I know, I know... But this is something different. It's sweet and balanced. The tea flavor is present and strong, but is not overpowering – the cake is a solid-food form of a cup of Earl Grey tea with cream and sugar.
I would recommend getting your hands on some high quality tea for this. High quality loose-leaf tea is more fragrant and flavorful than tea bags, meaning you won’t need as much of it. If you do decide to use tea bags, just snip them open and measure out the tea inside.
So a few notes:
You have to grind the tea if you're using loose leaf. 30 seconds in a spice grinder is plenty. If you don't, you'll have long strands in your bread.
You can crush a dry tea bag with the back of a spoon to get it sufficiently powdery if you don't have a grinder.
How gorgeous does this look?
The texture of the cake is reminiscent of poppy seeds/sesame, and it has a beautiful speckled look. Make sure to add sugar on top – it makes for a crunchy, satisfying crust!
The original calls for yogurt, but because I don't use dairy in any of my cooking, here's a great sub - Forager Project Organic Dairy-free Plant-based Protein yogurt (coconut and cashew yogurt alternative). If you can't get your hands on this, then I'm pretty sure that any plant based yogurt would do the trick.
Have to say that I adore this recipe! My loaf was moist and had a delicate crumb, and was absolutely perfect with a cup of coffee in the morning. I will be keeping this in my pocket to whip out when I feel like splurging on a brunching recipe.
EARL GREY YOGURT CAKE
Makes 1 (9x5") loaf
INGREDIENTS
1 cup coconut oil, plus more for pan
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
2 large eggs
1¼ cups granulated sugar
1 cup plain plant-based yogurt
3 Tbsp. loose-leaf Earl Grey tea or ¼ cup tea from bags
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. raw or granulated sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 325°F and line a bread pan with parchment paper & grease the sides.
Whisk all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl to combine.
Vigorously whisk 2 large eggs and granulated sugar in a large bowl 1 minute. Mixture should be pale yellow and frothy. Whisk in yogurt, loose-leaf Earl Grey tea (or ¼ cup tea from bags), and vanilla extract.
Gradually stream in coconut oil, whisking constantly until incorporated. Add dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top.
Sprinkle top with 1 Tbsp. raw or granulated sugar.
Bake for 60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean (mine took about 1h 10)
Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes before removing from the pan. Lift it out using parchment overhang and transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or room temperature.
Let cool for a few minutes on a wire rack.
Serve and enjoy!
NOTES
You can use vegetable oil instead of coconut oil if you can't get your hands on any.
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