Earl Grey Strawberry Loaf Cake + Video
Earl grey STRAWBERRY loaf cake — GAH, I can’t believe ittttt! We’ve made it! The time has finally arrived. The time when it is appropriate to post desserts containing berries. It’s the first berry dessert since last summer on the blog, and I am so thrilled.
I’m beginning my summer fruit debut with strawberries. Big, juicy, tart, sweet, succulent strawberries. Because apparently, strawberries come in season before the OG berries such as raspberries and blackberries do. So. Strawberries it is.
Strawberries. Inside of a moist, tender, rich loaf cake that’s filled with irresistible earl grey flavor and a hint of bright lemon and aromatic nutmeg and also, I have a video tutorial for this earl grey strawberry loaf cake. Go to town:
Or, watch it on YouTube.
I’m obsessed with this earl grey strawberry loaf cake for many reasons.
One of which is the fact that its flavor profile is so unique and flowery and fruity and bright and warm and full-bodied and sophisticated and dare I say it — pretentious. What can I say? Sometimes it feels good to be a flavor snob.
Don’t get me wrong — I’m down for a classic vanilla or chocolate cake any day. But those flavors are expected and common. This early grey strawberry cake? Unexpected. Uncommon. It’s special and different and delicious.
So. Let’s discuss all these flavors then.
First, we’ve got almond flour. In addition to regular flour, this earl grey loaf cake utilizes a generous amount of almond flour. The almond flour makes this strawberry cake extra rich and moist and squishy and tender.
Then. Earl grey tea. Three (we ain’t messing around) earl grey tea bags get steeped in some hot milk (use non-dairy milk to yield a completely dairy-free loaf cake) and then get squeezed out into the cake batter to release all that liquid and flavor. The earl grey-steeped milk adds delicious bergamot orange flavor and spiciness and warmth to the cake.
Additionally. Fresh lemon zest. Not too much. Just from half a lemon. This isn’t a lemon cake. But we still want a little of that bright, citrusy lemon flavor to complement the bergamot orange flavor and the juicy strawberries.
And. A kick of ground nutmeg. For that nutty, earthy spiciness to pair with the earl grey tea deliciousness.
And lastly. Strawberries. A hefty amount. Slice them up, stir them in, and you’ll be getting a hunk of succulent, sweet, tart strawberries in every bite.
As for texture. This earl grey strawberry loaf cake is soft and tender. It’s even more squishy and moist than your average cake, thanks to the almond flour and a nice amount of oil.
The edges are crispy, and the top — it’s extra crunchy and crackly from granulated sugar that gets sprinkled over the cake before it’s baked.
Yes — this earl grey strawberry cake is winning on ALL fronts. Who said life was fair?
Soft and tender. Moist and squishy. Sweet and bright. Spiced and citrusy. Floral and aromatic. Quick and easy. Dairy-free and hassle-free. Unique and sophisticated.
Earl grey strawberry loaf cake — I’m never gonna quit loafing around with you.
Earl Grey Strawberry Loaf Cake
Yield: 9x5” loaf/8 servings
1/4 cup milk (or non-dairy milk)
3 earl grey tea bags
2/3 cup canola/vegetable oil
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
Zest of 1/2 a lemon
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
-1 tablespoon granulated sugar, for sprinkling
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9x5” loaf pan well.
2. Heat the milk till it just begins to boil. Add the tea bags to the milk and let steep while preparing rest of the batter.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour the dry ingredients over the wet and stir everything together until just combined.
4. Squeeze the tea bags into the milk to release all the liquid. Discard tea bags and stir the steeped milk into batter. Mix in strawberry slices (save a few to garnish top of batter).
5. Spread batter evenly into pan. Garnish top with a few strawberry slices and then sprinkle the tablespoon sugar over. Bake loaf cake for 50-65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let cake cool before releasing from pan and serving.
