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Cake… one of my favorites things in the world, besides tea, of course!  How about combining both tea and cake in the same bite?  Some of you might be thinking – tea and cake, how is that going to work?  Will it be too bitter?  Will it be one-dimensional?  I was hesitant at first, I’ve tried a lot of different green tea cakes out there, it can often be unappealing in color, gritty in texture and definitely not subtle in taste.  Don’t get me wrong, a well made green tea cake can be delicious, but I’m sure we have all tasted some duds.

Today, I want to share a recipe for cake that uses Harney & Sons’ Paris Tea for a tasty infusion of flavor that is sophisticated and versatile.  This recipe is provided by a good friend who is a trained pastry chef and interned at one of New York City’s top restaurants.  We paired it with a decadent mascarpone-cream cheese icing, recipe also included.  I hope you enjoy!

Do you have a favorite tea inspired dessert recipe?  Do you have a favorite bakery to get tea flavored cakes?  Please comment and share!

Paris Tea Cake

Cake Ingredients:

  • Whole milk – 10 fl. oz
  • Cake flour – 10 oz
  • Baking powder – 1 tbsp
  • Salt – 1/2 tsp
  • Unsalted butter – 4 oz  (room temperature – not too soft)
  • Superfine sugar – 12 oz
  • Pure vanilla extract – 1 tbsp
  • Egg whites – 4 fl. oz (room temperature)
  • Paris tea sachet – 4 or 5

Cake Directions:

  1. Preheat over to 350F.  Spray pans with baking spray.  Line bottom of pan with parchment circles; spray circles with baking spray.
  2. Place milk and tea sachet in small saucepan.  Heat over medium-low, until milk comes to a slow boil.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.
  3. Place dry ingredients in bowl of stand mixer.  Use paddle attachment and beat on lowest speed to combine.
  4. In separate bowl of stand mixer, beat butter and sugar on  medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.  Beat in vanilla extract.
  5. Whisk together milk and egg whites.
  6. Add 1/3 of dry ingredient mixture to butter/sugar mixture; beat on low until just combined.  Add half of milk/egg liquid mixture; beat on low until just combined.  Add 1/3 of dry ingredient mixture; beat on low until just combined.  Repeat once more with remaining milk/egg liquid and dry mixture.
  7. Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans.  Smooth top with offset spatula.  Bang pans a few times on the counter to remove air bubbles.  Bake 30-35 minutes.

Mascarpone-cream cheese icing

Icing Ingredients: (all ingredients should be at room temperature)

  • Heavy whipping cream – 12.2 fl. oz
  • Mascarpone – 8 oz
  • Cream cheese – 8 oz
  • Pure vanilla extract – 1 tsp
  • Confectioner’s sugar, sifted – 4.2oz

Icing Directions:

  1. Whip cream to firm peaks, set aside.
  2. With the paddle attachment; beat the cream cheese and mascarpone in bowl of stand mixer until smooth.
  3. Add the vanilla extract, confectioner’s sugar; beat until smooth.
  4. With a large spatula, gently bu quickly, fold a little whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture to lighten it.
  5. Fold in the remaining whipped cream in two stages.  If the frosting is not thick enough to spread, cover and keep in the refrigerator until it is firm enough.