I’ll be honest, I’m a terrible baker. Most of my efforts have resulted in failure. I know even the most proficient bakers are sometimes let down by a bad recipe or ill luck, but in my case, it’s not you it’s definitely me.
It really is my fault. I’m sloppy, I’m messy, I don’t measure things properly, I give up when the mixture doesn’t combine properly and hope that it will just magically heal itself in the oven. My sponges disintegrate. My buttercream still has lumps of flour in it because I forgot to sieve it first. My batter curdles. I have baked a cake for nearly 2 hours and it was still raw in the middle.
I acknowledge that I do not have the skill, talent nor patience.
Yet still, on a rare free Saturday I might try my hand at baking and today was one of those days. I attempted an Earl Grey Tea Cake and actually it’s kind of, possibly, not all that bad. I mean, it tastes nice and it’s not burnt or raw so I figure I can count that as a success, right?
Well, if you think you can do any better (which I am certain you can) then here’s a decent recipe you could try.
Ingredients
160g butter
250g self-raising flour
150g caster sugar
4 early grey tea bags
105ml milk
Handful of fresh foraged blackberries
2 eggs
A dash of almond essence
And for the buttercream
100g softened butter
175g icing sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
Method
Soften the butter and combine gradually with the sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Fold in the flour.
Heat the milk in a saucepan on the hob but be careful not to let it boil. Add the earl grey tea bags and turn off the heat. Give the tea bags a good squeeze and cover with lid to let it steep for 10 minutes. Let it cool before adding to the mixture. You can use loose leaves tea bags if you prefer.
Separate the mixture into 2 sandwich tins and cook for 40 minutes in a pre-heated oven on 160 degrees.
In the meantime, we create the buttercream. Soften the butter and gradually add the icing sugar, mixing thoroughly. Add the cocoa powder and stir together into a thick cream. Add a bit of milk if necessary if too dry.
Et voila.
