I tend to reach for softer cakes this time of year. This floral loaf is a springy spin on my Earl Grey tea cake, infused with chamomile and finished with a pink strawberry frosting. The cake bakes up plush and tender, chamomile lending a soft honeyed note through the crumb. I finished the loaf with generous swoops of strawberry cream cheese frosting, market berries, and couldn’t resist a few sprigs of chamomile blooming over the top.
Ingredients You’ll Need for This Milk Tea Loaf
Unsalted butter. Adds richness and keeps the crumb tender.
Avocado Oil. Keeps the loaf soft and tender.
Granulated sugar. To sweeten the cake.
Eggs. Provide structure and give the loaf its delicate crumb.
Whole Milk. Gently infused with chamomile for a soft floral note.
Sour cream. Adds moisture and tenderness.
Chamomile tea. Tea bags, loose leaf or dried flowers all work beautifully.
Vanilla extract. For a sweet creamy flavor.
All-purpose flour. Provides structure while keeping the crumb soft.
Baking powder + baking soda. Give the loaf its lift.
Salt. Balances sweetness and enhances the flavors.
Baker’s Notes
Chamomile is steeped into warm milk before being mixed into the batter, giving the cake its soft floral note throughout. Other teas work beautifully here too — Earl Grey, hojicha, or black tea with rose petals. The cake is just as lovely with a simple glaze in place of the frosting. Strawberry or raspberry are beautiful, or even a milky tea glaze.
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Chamomile Tea Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Chamomile Tea Loaf
1½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup (180 g) whole milk
3–4 chamomile tea bags (or 1½ tablespoons loose-leaf chamomile)
½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
¼ cup (50 g) avocado oil
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
½ cup (120 g) sour cream or whole milk yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup freeze-dried strawberry powder
2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it just begins to steam. Remove from the heat, add the chamomile, cover, and steep for 15–20 minutes. Strain well and measure ½ cup (120 g) for the batter. Let cool completely.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×4-inch or 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment, leaving an overhang.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, avocado oil, and sugar until glossy. Whisk in the eggs and yolk until smooth. Add the sour cream, vanilla, and the cooled chamomile milk.
- Add the dry ingredients and fold gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45–55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift out and cool completely on a rack.
- Beat the cream cheese and butter together until completely smooth. Add the powdered sugar and strawberry powder and beat until incorporated. Add the vanilla, heavy cream, and salt and beat until silky, thick, and spreadable.
- Spoon or gently swirl the frosting over the cooled loaf, letting it sit softly on top. Finish with fresh strawberries if desired.
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