Cake · Baking

Lemon Iced Tea Cake with Chatruemae Black Tea

Lemon and iced tea together is a summer combination that I love and have been wanting to put into a cake for a long time. The black tea is brewed strong and reduced slightly before going into the batter, which concentrates the flavour. The lemon curd filling is tart enough to balance the sweetness of the cake and together the two flavours taste exactly like a glass of lemon iced tea in the best possible way.

Ingredients

Chiffon Cake

• 4 egg yolks
• 60g granulated sugar
• 80ml neutral oil
• 150ml milk
• 2 tbsp black tea (steeped in milk)
• 150g cake flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 egg whites
• 40g granulated sugar

Lemon Whipped Cream

• 500ml heavy cream, cold
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 60g granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp unflavored gelatin powder
• 2 tbsp warm water

Assembly

• Store bought lemon curd

Method

1. 1 Heat milk until warm, steep black tea for 10 minutes and set aside to cool with the tea still in.
2. 2 Whisk egg yolks, sugar, oil, and tea milk together, then sift in flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until smooth.
3. 3 Whip egg whites until foamy, gradually add sugar and whip to stiff peaks. Fold egg whites into the batter in three additions.
4. 4 Pour into an ungreased pan and bake at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes. Invert and cool completely.
5. 5 Dissolve gelatin in warm water and set aside.
6. 6 Whip cold heavy cream with sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla to soft peaks, stream in gelatin and whip to firm peaks.
7. 7 Slice chiffon into three even layers. Spread lemon whipped cream on the first layer and spoon over lemon curd. Repeat with the second layer.
8. 8 Frost the outside of the cake with remaining lemon whipped cream.

Tips & Notes

Brew the black tea strong and allow it to cool completely before using. The lemon syrup should be poured over the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven so it soaks in while hot. This loaf gets better with time and is best the next day.