If you love cozy teas, floral notes, and melt-in-your-mouth cakes, this London Fog Cake will sweep you away! Infused with Earl Grey, lavender, and vanilla bean, this dreamy cake is extra soft, lightly soaked in sweet tea milk, and finished with a silky lavender cream cheese frosting. It’s reminiscent of a tres leches cake — luxuriously moist, but not overly wet — making it the ultimate tea-lover’s treat.
⭐ Why You’ll Love This Cake
✨ Ultra-Soft Earl Grey Sponge
This beautifully tender cake gets its flavor from finely ground Earl Grey tea, dried lavender buds, and vanilla bean paste. Creamed butter, well-mixed eggs, and tangy buttermilk create a lush, airy crumb that practically melts on your tongue.
✨ Tea-Infused Milk Soak
A concentrated Earl Grey–lavender milk steeped and blended with sweetened condensed milk adds incredible moisture and depth. After baking, the cake is poked with tiny holes so this fragrant mixture can seep inside, saturating every bite with classic London fog flavor.
✨ Lavender Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
A creamy blend of whipped butter, cool cream cheese, lavender, and vanilla bean paste gives the perfect finishing sweetness. Fluffy, silky, and lightly tinted lavender (if you choose food coloring), this frosting makes each slice irresistible.
How to Make It
This is just a brief overview — refer to your full recipe card for exact measurements and steps!
1. Bake the Cake
Prepare the Earl Grey batter and bake until golden and springy.
2. Make the Milk Soak
Steep loose Earl Grey and lavender in warm milk, strain, and whisk with sweetened condensed milk and vanilla.
3. Whip the Frosting
Beat soft butter until pale and fluffy, mix in cream cheese, powdered sugar, lavender, and vanilla. Make it lavender-colored if you want!
4. Assemble
Once cooled, shave off a thin top layer to help absorption. Poke lots of small holes, then slowly pour the tea soak over the cake.
5. Frost, Slice, and Serve
Spread the frosting generously, slice into 16 servings, and enjoy — preferably with a London Fog latte and a good book.
🌿 Tips for the Softest, Moistest Cake
✔ Room-Temperature Ingredients: Cold eggs and dairy can lead to rubbery texture — let everything warm up first.
✔ Proper Mixing: Cream butter and sugar well, mix eggs until smooth, but fold dry ingredients gently to avoid denseness.
✔ Accurate Measurements: Use a kitchen scale! Scooping flour packs too much and leads to dry, heavy cake.
✔ Light Metal Pan: Dark pans and glass bake unevenly — a light metal pan gives best results.
🌼 Ingredient Notes: Earl Grey, Lavender & Vanilla
• Loose leaf tea gives great flavor, but tea bags work — snip them open for the cake batter, or steep them whole for the milk soak.
• Vanilla bean paste provides stronger flavor than extract, but extract will still work.
• Dried culinary lavender delivers a true floral profile — lavender extract can easily get lost next to Earl Grey.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How should I store leftovers?
Keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. For best texture, let slices come to room temp before serving.
Can I make it gluten-free?
Yes! This recipe works well with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour — it’s the closest match to regular flour in texture.
Don’t have buttermilk?
Make your own! Stir 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or vinegar into 1 cup whole milk, let sit 5 minutes.
🌷 More Tea-Inspired Treats
• Lemon Lavender Sugar Cookies
• Lavender Earl Grey Madeleines
• Strawberry Cupcakes
• Strawberry Cake
⭐ London Fog Cake
Yield: 16 slices
Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Bake Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
A delicate Earl Grey sponge soaked in sweet lavender tea and topped with vanilla bean lavender cream cheese frosting — an elegant tea cake perfect for celebrations or quiet afternoons.