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Earl Grey Blueberry Lemon Cake…sweet lemony almond cake swirled with a mix of fresh blueberries and infused with the warming flavors of earl grey tea for a cozy winter twist. Finish this simple cake with a citrus lemon glaze that’s unique and delicious. Every last crumb is SO GOOD. Enjoy for brunch, as an afternoon snack with a latte, or for dessert with a dollop of whipped cream. Bonus? It’s simpler to make than you’d think, and so very pretty…with very little effort.

Earl Grey Blueberry Lemon Cake | halfbakedharvest.com

It’s Tuesday, but it feels a bit more like a Monday, right?

Well, actually to be honest I’m lost as to what day it is most days of the week. Lately they’ve been blurring together a bit. With the long weekend behind us, I hope you guys are feeling refreshed and excited for the short week ahead. I also hope you’re ready for some baking because we obviously have some cake to chat about. I figured we did tacos yesterday, so with snow set to fall all week long, Tuesday afternoon baking just felt so very right.

Plus, it’s been a while since I’ve done a Tuesday baking recipe. This week just felt like a nice week to bring a sweeter Tuesday recipe back!

So here we are…and with a cake you might not expect out of me (because we all know that I really love a good chocolate cake).

raw blueberries

The background Story.

The funny thing about this recipe? I actually really dislike tea. I can do a hibiscus tea, but pretty much all warm teas make me gag. I know, I know, so weird. Trust me, I want to love a mug of green tea or that cup of chamomile tea, but I just can get it down. Maybe with some persistence I could learn to like it, but I’ve never given it too much of a shot. Tea just is not my favorite.

That said, I do love the flavors that are abundant throughout a lot of teas. Chai tea is cinnamon spice and everything nice. It’s probably my favorite flavor to incorporate into fall and winter desserts (do you remember my chai latte cupcakes?). And Chamomile pairs so wonderfully with honey. I often use it in spring and summer desserts (like this strawberry chamomile naked cake). And then there is earl grey, the warming tea that reminds me most of winter.

cake before baking

I haven’t done as much with earl grey as I have with chai and chamomile, but it’s still a flavor I love. It’s a British black tea, typically flavored with oil from the rind of a bergamot orange, a citrus fruit with the appearance and flavor somewhere between an orange and a lemon with a little grapefruit and lime thrown in. Way back in the day I shared an earl grey blueberry muffin in the original HBH cookbook. Last year I made earl grey citrusy pancakes. This winter I drew inspiration from those original blueberry muffins…and now we’re talking blueberry earl grey cake.

glaze being drizzled on cake

Here are the details.

The first step is to steep the tea in milk. I used whole goat milk, but you can also use coconut milk or any nut-based milk you enjoy. Ideally something creamy with a higher fat content like canned coconut milk or Malk organic nut milk (this is my favorite brand of nut milk).

While the tea is steeping, get together all the ingredients you need. Once the tea has steeped in the milk, the rest of the cake comes together quickly.

Cream some butter with lots of lemon and orange zest and a touch of sugar. Then add eggs and a splash of cream.

overhead photo of Earl Grey Blueberry Lemon Cake

Once all the wet ingredients have been mixed. Simply beat in the flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Add the steeped milk and then stir in lots of blueberries. If you’re low on blueberries, pretty much any berry would be great.

Layer the batter into a loaf pan. Then add a small handful of berries and finish the cake up with a sprinkling of sugar on top. At this point, it’s time to bake. Like most pound cakes, this takes about an hour in the oven, which is a long time, but well worth the wait.

overhead close up photo of Earl Grey Blueberry Lemon Cake

While the cake bakes, make the glaze.

While the cake is so good on its own (really, it is), the glaze seals the deal (literally) and makes this extra special.

The first step is the citrus. I used a Meyer lemon and a blood orange. You can use all lemons too, but I love the color the blood orange adds, so pretty.

close up photo of Earl Grey Blueberry Lemon Cake slice

I zested the fruits with a Y peeler, then thinly sliced the zest into very thin dainty strips. Set the strips aside for a minute and mix the lemon juice together with a little powdered sugar (only just a little) and all the citrus zest. Spoon this over the cake for a truly delicious topping.

Earl Grey Blueberry Lemon Cake | halfbakedharvest.com

And that’s it…simple, pretty, perfectly sweet, extra moist, and SO GOOD! Every bite is bursting with sweet blueberries and hinted with lemon and orange.

Happiest Tuesday night baking to you all! Hope you guys enjoy this Earl Grey Blueberry Lemon Cake as much as I do!

Earl Grey Blueberry Lemon Cake | halfbakedharvest.com

Looking for other wintery sweets? Here are a few to try:

5 Minute Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread Mug Cake

Dirty Horchata Tres Leches Cake

Coconut Banana Cake with Fudgy Chocolate Frosting

Lastly, if you make this Earl Grey Blueberry Lemon Cake be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

@halfbakedharvest

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♬ Elevator Music – Bohoman

Earl Grey Blueberry Lemon Cake

Author: Tieghan Gerard
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 374 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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Ingredients

Lemon Glaze

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • 1. Bring the milk to a low boil in a small saucepan until steaming. Remove from the heat. Add the tea bags, cover, and steep for 10 minutes. Remove the tea bags and discard.
    2. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Grease a (9×5 inch) loaf pan.
    3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, 1/2 cup sugar, lemon zest, and orange zest until combined. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined, then add the vanilla. Add 1 cup flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt, and beat to combine. Add the steeped milk, beating until just combined.
    4. Toss the blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour, then fold in 3/4 cups blueberries.
    3. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Swirl in the blueberry jam, then Sprinkle on the remaining blueberries and 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until the center is just set. Let cool before glazing.
    4. Meanwhile, make the glaze. Remove the zest from the blood orange with a vegetable peeler in wide strips. Thinly slice the strips. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, and lemon juice until smooth and drizzly. Stir in the orange zests.
    5. Drizzle the glaze over the cake. Slice and enjoy!

Notes

To Freeze: Bake as directed, cool completely, then tightly wrap in plastic wrap. Freeze in a freezer bag or freezer safe container for up to 4 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, or on the counter for a few hours. 
To Make Gluten Free: Use an equal amount of your favorite gluten free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour. I recommend Cup4Cup gluten free flour. 
Storing: this cake keeps well for 3-4 days at room temperature. 
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Earl Grey Blueberry Lemon Cake | halfbakedharvest.com

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Comments

  1. God bless people for having a baking blog…Lord knows I couldn’t do it with all the questions people ask when they have access to Google. This looks incredible. I can’t wait to make it.

    Reply

  2. Yummy but mine was more tan than yellow and very dense. I used 2% milk and all purpose flour only. Maybe goat milk doesn’t take on the tea color as much? And would the all purpose flour make it heavier? I’m going to try again and see if it comes out more like your photo!

    Reply

    1. Hey Melissa,
      Thanks for giving the recipe a try, yes the almond flour gives in a lighter texture! I hope this helps for next time! xTieghan

      Reply

    1. Hey there,
      I would cool at least 15 minutes before adding the glaze. I hope you love the recipe, let me know how it turns out! xTieghan

      Reply

  4. I’ve been following along with your dinners and finally got the courage enough to try some baking with this recipe (extremely novice baker!) It turned out tasting delicious!, however it definitely crumbled on me. I’m curious if your baking recipes account for high altitude baking? I’m in the Denver area, so not quite like Breck, but wanted to ask! Thanks! It still tasted delicious even if it didn’t look pretty! 🙂

    Reply

  5. 5 stars
    W-O-W!! Loved this recipe Tieghan! Easy to make and oh my God so delicious!! Absolutely will continue to make this for myself and others. Question, how did you get your bread to look so yellow? Mine is not that color but still delicious. Also, when it comes to adding the blood orange, do you mean include it as the part of the 3 Tablespoons of lemon juice for the glaze? Curious to know and thank you for making cooking fun and delicious!!

    Reply

    1. Hey Abilia,
      I am so glad you have enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for making it! Yes, that is correct:) The lemon gave my bread the yellow color. Have a great week! xTieghan

      Reply

  6. 4 stars
    I just made this without substitutions. It’s very good as a blueberry lemon cake, as the earl gray is so faint, I honestly don’t notice it. Did anyone else experience this? I also agree with reducing the baking time. I did 375 at 55 min, but could have done about 45. I have a gas oven for reference.
    Nice recipe, will make again. Will put like, 6 earl gray bags into the milk next time.

    Reply

  7. 4 stars
    Cake is delicious! It was done 10 minutes earlier than time given…glad I was watching!
    I followed recipe to a T and my glaze was clear and runny, not thick and white like your video. Do adjustments need to be made due to your altitude?

    Reply

    1. Hey Debbie,
      Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try! For a thicker glaze, just add some more powdered sugar:) I hope this helps! xTieghan

      Reply

  8. 5 stars
    this cake is so good!! i love the addition of earl grey and citrus and lemon in this cake. i thought it might all not work well together, but it’s so delicious 🙂

    Reply

  10. Hi Teighan! I am excited to try this. Can I use regular milk or does it have to be a nut milk?

    Thanks so much! 🙂

    Reply

    1. Hey Annabel,
      You can use a regular milk that you enjoy. I hope you love the recipe. Let me know how it turns out! xTieghan

      Reply

    1. Hey Davek,
      Thanks for giving the recipe a try, sorry to hear about the coloring. Was there anything you may have adjusted? This would help me to better answer your question! xTieghan

      Reply

    1. Hey Eliza,
      Sorry I haven’t tested that, I am worried it would affect the outcome of the cake if you did that. I hope you enjoy the recipe. Let me know how it turns out! xTieghan

      Reply

  13. 5 stars
    Delicious! I didn’t have Earl Gray so I used Chai steeped in coconut milk but I must say it was absolutely delicious! Great recipe!

    Reply

  14. 3 stars
    I made this recipe but skipped the blueberries as I didn’t have any on hand. It was a little dry and I couldn’t taste the earl grey flavors at all. I plan to try again but maybe will add extra milk next time!

    Reply

    1. Hey Taylor,
      So sorry you didn’t love the recipe, the blueberries do add some moisture as they release their juices, maybe try following the recipe as is next time:) I hope this helps!! xTieghan

      Reply