Earl Grey Yogurt Cake With Blackberry Glaze (One Bowl)

Earl Grey yogurt cake is a simple, single-layer, any-occasion cake. Once cooled, the cake is finished with a pinkish-purple blackberry glaze.

this recipe!

This Earl Grey yogurt cake combines two of my favourite things in the whole world — Earl Grey tea and cake! Whether classic Twinings, or a loose leaf blend from a specialty shop, I adore the citrusy, floral flavour of Earl Grey tea. And cake? I don’t think that requires any explanation.

Mixed in one bowl, this single layer cake has a soft, moist, vanilla base. I grind the Earl Grey tea leaves to a fine powder with some of the sugar before starting. No one wants large bits of tea leaves in their mouth!

With high fat Greek yogurt, vegetable oil, and whole milk, this cake is soft and moist. It even stays that way after storage in the fridge! Mashed blackberry juice and powdered sugar create a jewel-toned pinkish-purple icing. The colour is a perfect finish for this fuss-free cake. In the photos you can see my blackberry glaze crackled a bit. I don’t mind this because I think it adds to the homey look of this incredibly easy dessert.

Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of this post, or scroll to the bottom of the post, to see the PRINTABLE recipe card with ingredient measurements and complete instructions.

Ingredients

Step-By-Step Instructions

Preheat the oven and lightly grease an 8-inch (20-cm) round cake tin with vegetable oil. Dust the inside of the tin with flour then line it with a circle of parchment paper cut to fit. Sprinkle a bit more flour over the paper. Set aside.

Using a mortar and pestle, grind about 1 tablespoon of sugar and the Earl Grey tea leaves to a fine powder. Alternatively, process all of the sugar and tea leaves in the bowl of a food processor to a fine powder.

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Place the Earl Grey sugar mixture, any remaining sugar, the Greek yogurt, milk, oil, egg, and vanilla in a mixing bowl.

Mix everything together on medium-high speed for about one minute until smooth.

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Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to the bowl. Mix on medium-speed until everything comes together in a cohesive batter. Don’t worry if the batter is lumpy.

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Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula halfway through mixing. Give the batter a final mix.

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Scrape the cake batter into the prepared baking tin. The batter isn’t super thick so the top of the batter will level itself out. Give the tin a few sharp raps on a work surface to break up any large air bubbles.

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Place the cake in the preheated oven and bake it until the top is golden. The top should also spring back when pressed gently with a fingertip.

Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a wire rack. Let it cool in the tin for 20 minutes. Flip the cake out from the tin onto the rack then let it cool completely before topping it with the blackberry glaze.

Make The Blackberry Glaze

Mash the blackberries with a fork. Press the pulp through a small sieve, reserving the juice and discarding the solids.

Add the juice, ½ teaspoon at a time, to the sifted icing sugar. Continue the process until a thick glaze forms, about the consistency of honey.

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Working quickly, spoon all of the blackberry glaze onto the middle of the cooled Earl Grey yogurt cake. Spread the glaze gently from the middle of the cake towards the sides, turning the plate as you go. Use an offset spatula or butter knife to encourage slow drips of glaze down the sides of the cake.

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Let the glaze set on the cake for at least 15 minutes before slicing. As the glaze sets it may crackle, however, it will still be delicious. Leave the top plain or decorate it any way you like.

Notes & Tips

Notes About The Earl Grey Yogurt Cake

If using Earl Grey tea bags, cut the tops of the bags open with scissors. Measure or weigh the leaves inside each bag. One teabag of Twinings Earl Grey is about 1 teaspoon of tea leaves. One tablespoon of tea leaves is approximately 3 teaspoons.

A little lemon or orange zest is lovely in this cake. Keep in mind however, too much zest can overpower the flavour of the tea.

I bake this cake at 325ºF (160ºC) to promote a slower rise than baking at 350ºF (180ºC). Baking at 325ºF (160ºC) takes a bit longer, however, higher temperatures can produce a larger dome on top. A cake with a slightly flat top makes a better canvas for the thick blackberry glaze.

Because the top of the cake domes slightly, it may also crack. I love the homemade look of a cake with a cracked top. Also, the crack catches and holds more icing. If you don’t like this, trim the top of the cake flat after removing from the pan. Flip the cake over, upside down, onto a serving plate or platter, exposing the flat bottom before glazing.

To make a double-layer cake, simply double the recipe and use two 8-inch (20-cm) round cake tins. This simple vanilla buttercream, or whipped cream cheese frosting are terrific for a double layer version. Add blackberry juice for colour.

Notes About The Blackberry Glaze

Stir the blackberry juice completely into the powdered sugar before each addition of juice. Powdered sugar icing can go from too thick to too thin very quickly. For beautiful slow drips of glaze that set quickly, keep the glaze on the thicker side. It should hold its shape when stirred. I compare mine to the thickness of honey.

If you run out of blackberry juice and your icing is still too thick, add milk by the ½ teaspoon. Stir well between each addition and repeat until you are happy with the consistency.

If your blackberry glaze is too thin sift in small amounts of powdered sugar at a time. Stir well between each addition to reach your desired consistency.

If you are worried about your glaze cracking like mine did, consider mixing in a tablespoon or two of softened butter when mixing the glaze. I haven’t tried this myself, as I don’t mind the crackling, but I think it should add extra stability.

Cake Storage

Store your Earl Grey yogurt cake, covered loosely with aluminum foil on the counter for up to two days. After that, place it in the fridge. If your house or climate is super hot or humid, store the cake in the fridge directly after serving.

I don’t recommend storing glazed cakes in airtight containers. The lack of air makes the glaze sort of melt and run which does not look good.

Substitutions

You could probably use organic cane sugar in place of white sugar, however, I haven’t tested this myself.

You can use any flavour of tea you like — chai, jasmine, or green tea could be nice options.

Full-fat sour cream is a good substitution for Greek yogurt.

I use whole milk in this recipe, but I think buttermilk would work too.

A neutral oil like vegetable or canola is best for this recipe. You can use any oil you like but the cake may not stay as moist as it will with the two mentioned.

Orange blossom water is a lovely subtle and floral substitution for vanilla.

Try light spelt flour at a 1:1 ratio for a whole grain option.

Use any fresh or frozen berries you like for the glaze. Raspberries or blueberries would both be wonderful.

More One-Bowl Cake Recipes

Lemon Buttermilk Cake With Cream Cheese Icing

Classic Victoria Sponge

Vegan Chocolate Snacking Cake

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