If you love lemon and sweet treats with your afternoon tea, then this Lemony Tea Cake is sure to please! Moist and delicious, this tea cake comes together quickly and easily using only 2 bowls, a whisk and a spatula. No mixers and no whipping – only sift, whisk and fold! Bake into a loaf shape or cupcakes, decorate with a lemony glaze and decorate with your favourite edible spring flowers. Change up the flavours by adding lavender to the lemon cake or swapping out the lemon for orange. Enjoy a slice with your favourite afternoon tea, or try one of our pairing suggestions below.

 

Lemony Tea Loaf Cake

Makes 1 Tea Cake or 12 Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, grease and flour the pan and set aside
OR
Line a 12-hole muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside

1. DRY INGREDIENTS
In a medium mixing bowl sift together:

• 1 ¾ cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon fine salt

2. WET INGREDIENTS
In a large mixing bowl add, then whisk together until smooth:
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup of organic sugar
• 1 cup of full-fat plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon of pure lemon extract
• 2 tablespoons of lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

3. Next add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until blended. Don’t over mix

4. Now fold in ½ cup of vegetable oil into the batter until incorporated

5. Turn the batter out into the prepared pan. Bake at 350 for approximately 50-55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean but not overly dry.
OR FOR CUPCAKES
Using an ice cream scoop divide the batter between the 12 cupcake lined muffin holes. Bake at 350 for approximately 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean but not overly dry

6. Allow loaf to cool in the pan for 15 minutes then lift of out pan and cool completely on a wire rack
OR
Allow cupcakes to cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes then remove and cool completely on a wire rack

FOR THE LEMON DRIZZLE
Whisk together in a small bowl:
• 1 cup of confectioner’s sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1-2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice (Start with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Add the 2nd one if needed to make a smooth pourable glaze)

TO DRIZZLE: 
Drizzle glaze over cooled loaf and decorate with lemon slices and edible flowers, if desired
OR
Spoon glaze over cupcakes and decorate with a candy lemon slice and edible flowers, if desired

TIPS
• Lemon extract can be substituted with vanilla extract. Reduce amount to 1 teaspoon. HOWEVER the tea cake will not be as lemony
• For a Lavender Lemon Tea Cake add 1-2 teaspoons of lightly crushed organic lavender to the wet portion of the recipe
• Swap out the lemon 1 for 1 in the main recipe with orange zest, juice and extract, and change the lemon drizzle to an orange drizzle, for a delightful twist on the original

TEA PAIRING SUGGESTIONS
THE BEST EARL GREY
LAVENDER EARL GREY
MOON SWIRL WHITE TIP
ORGANIC ENGLISH BREAKFAST