Manage your baking fix at our hub for beautiful cake recipes! I think every artist knows when he or she created something special, and that is precisely how I feel about this Earl Grey Meringue Cake. It took two days, two meringue trials, two frosting recipes, and many of hours to develop this cake recipe. But at the end of the day when all is said and done and the cake eaten, who is counting?! I love the combinations of textures in this cake. The light and flavourful sponge sandwiches the crunchy meringue, all covered with a decadent Swiss meringue buttercream. To top it off I added a few meringue dollops to the top of the cake. Even if they aren’t essential, they match the vibe of this cake so well!
Earl Grey Meringue Cake
For years my personal favourite tea has been Earl Grey. Earl Grey tea lends itself beautifully to baking. It has a delicate flavour that doesn’t overpower but beautifully perfumes delicious cakes and biscuits. Other types of black tea can have a deeper and occasionally bitter flavour, and will bring something completely different to baking. Earl Grey is much more nuanced the classic blend of spice, which makes it a great addition to baked goods. Earl Grey has a hint of citrus to it, which I enhanced in the sponge with lemon zest. But the taste of the tea is not overpowering. It is subtle and sophisticated and absolutely beautiful! Remember that tea leaves do not remain fresh forever, so avoid using tea bags that have been stuck in the back of your cupboard for years. And while there is no need to break the bank to buy fancy tea for this recipe, higher quality teas will have a better blend of spices so avoid the cheapest teas on the grocery shelf.
Making this cake
This cake is a bit more complex than many others so I recommend making it in stages. You can make the meringue and sponge in advance. That way you can focus on making the frosting and assembling the cake without the same pressure. The Earl Grey flavour comes from seven tea bags – four for the sponge and three for the rum drizzle. Make sure you use water and milk that is as close to boiling as you can get it to make the tea. This is essential for getting as much of the tea taste as possible! Making a meringue can be intimidating if you have never done it, but it is a recipe that is well worth mastering. I’ve given lots of instructions and advice to make sure you meringue layer is a success in my pavlova recipe. This cake is a good opportunity to practice with meringue because it is hidden inside the cake. Don’t worry if you have any cracks in the meringue because you can always seal them with buttercream. The Earl Grey Rum Drizzle is not essential to this cake so feel free to leave it out if you wish. I found that it enhanced the taste of the tea in the cake and gave it a bit more nuance. But even without the drizzle the cake will taste fantastic!
Recipe tips and notes
Read the recipe instructions from the beginning till the end before you start making it to understand the process and timing. Give yourself plenty of time when you are baking it. I would recommend baking the meringues the day before and store them in an air tight container to prevent from softening. The meringue kisses used for decoration can be baked at the same time as the meringue layer and on the same baking sheet. If Swiss Meringue Buttercream seems a bit too difficult to make try quick, easy and my personal favourite Mascarpone Cream instead.
Favourite cake recipes:
Russian Honey Cake Medovik Naked Cake with Mascarpone Cream and Crushed Strawberries Black Forest Cake Victoria Sponge Cake with Blackberry Compote
