Earl Grey Tea Cake with Cream Cheese-Orange Glaze

This Earl Grey Tea Cake is infused with fragrant tea and bright orange zest, then topped with a silky cream cheese–orange glaze. Moist, tender, and full of citrusy flavor, it’s an easy yet elegant bake perfect for teatime or anytime you’re craving something special.

Happy Tuesday!

Welcome to the March edition of Tea on Tuesdays,

a celebration of all things tea.  

Pam and I are glad you’re here, pour yourself a cuppa and join us!

You can find Pam’s invitation to tea at the bottom of this post.

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A Citrus-Kissed Earl Grey Tea Cake for a Cozy Teatime

There’s something about a slice of tender tea cake and a warm cup of tea that feels like a gentle pause in the day… and for this month’s Tea on Tuesdays, I’m sharing a cake that’s steeped (literally) in flavor! ☕

If you love the bright, citrusy notes of Earl Grey tea, this Earl Grey Tea Cake with Cream Cheese-Orange Glaze is a must-bake. Inspired by a favorite recipe from King Arthur Baking, I gave it a little twist with extra orange zest and a luscious cream cheese glaze that adds just the right balance of tang and sweetness.

It’s the kind of cake that feels equally at home on a spring table, tucked into an afternoon tea, or enjoyed as a simple treat with your morning cuppa.

Why This Tea Cake is a Favorite

☕ Deep Earl Grey flavor throughout

🍊 Fresh orange zest adds brightness and balance

🧁 Soft, buttery crumb thanks to cream cheese in the batter

🍰 Luscious citrus glaze for a bakery-style finish

🌿 Perfect for spring entertaining or everyday teatime

My Tea Tip ☕

I used Harney & Sons Earl Grey Supreme Black Tea, which has a wonderful smooth flavor and strong bergamot notes. (4.7 out of 5 stars with 3,678 global ratings)

I only needed 4 sachets to yield 2 tablespoons

For best results, grind or crush the tea leaves for a finer texture so the flavor distributes evenly. I used a coffee/spice grinder.

Earl Grey Tea Cake with Cream Cheese-Orange Glaze
Ingredients

For the Cake

2 tablespoons (4 – 6 teabags) Earl Grey tea leaves

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

Zest of 1 orange

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

4 oz cream cheese (half an 8-ounce package), softened

2 tablespoons milk (whole preferred)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour (or King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour)

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon table salt

Method

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan, or 8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ loaf pan with a parchment sling and lightly grease.

Prepare the tea:
Open tea bags and grind or crush the tea leaves to a fine consistency. I used spice grinder.

Infuse the sugar:
In a mixing bowl, combine sugar and orange zest. Rub together with your fingers until fragrant. Stir in the ground tea leaves.

Cream butter and cream cheese:
Add softened butter and cream cheese to the sugar mixture and beat until light and fluffy.

Add milk and vanilla:
Mix in milk and vanilla extract until combined.

Add eggs:
Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Combine dry ingredients:
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

Finish the batter:
Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until just combined.

Bake:
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until evenly golden brown, before tenting loosely with foil and baking for an additional 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean with only a few moist crumbs.

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before using the parchment sling to transfer it to a cooling rack. Let the cake cool completely before applying the glaze, at least 1 1/2 hours.

Cream Cheese–Orange Glaze 🍊
Ingredients

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted

2–4 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Instructions

Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Add orange juice gradually until desired consistency is reached. Spread or drizzle over cooled cake.

Print Recipe

Earl Grey Tea Cake with Cream Cheese-Orange Glaze

This Earl Grey Tea Cake is infused with fragrant tea and bright orange zest, then topped with a silky cream cheese–orange glaze. Moist, tender, and full of citrusy flavor, it’s an easy yet elegant bake perfect for teatime or anytime you’re craving something special.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Course: Teatime Treat

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cream cheese and orange glaze, Earl Grey Tea, gluten free option, tea loaf

Servings: 10 servings

Equipment

• mixer

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 2 tablespoons 4 – 6 teabags Earl Grey tea leaves
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 orange zested, save orange for juice for glaze
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
• 4 oz cream cheese half an 8-ounce package, softened
• 2 tablespoons milk whole preferred
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour or King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon table salt

For the Glaze

• 4 oz cream cheese softened
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar sifted
• 2 - 4 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Instructions

To Make Cake:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan, or 8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ loaf pan with a parchment sling and lightly grease.
• Open tea bags and grind or crush the tea leaves to a fine consistency. I used spice grinder.
• In a mixing bowl, combine sugar and orange zest. Rub together with your fingers until fragrant. Stir in the ground tea leaves.
• Add softened butter and cream cheese to the sugar mixture and beat until light and fluffy.
• Mix in milk and vanilla extract until combined.
• Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until just combined.
• Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until evenly golden brown, before tenting loosely with foil and baking for an additional 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean with only a few moist crumbs.
• Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before using the parchment sling to transfer it to a cooling rack. Let the cake cool completely before applying the glaze, at least 1 1/2 hours.

To Make Glaze:

• Mix softened cream cheese and sifted powdered sugar until smooth. Add orange juice gradually until desired consistency is reached. Spread or drizzle over cooled cake.

Notes

• Because of the cream cheese glaze, store the cake in the refrigerator.
• If using tea with larger pieces, crush the tea leaves using a spice grinder, mortar and pestle, or a plastic bag and rolling pin for a finer consistency. I used a coffee grinder dedicated to spices. 
• Make this cake gluten-free with King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour.

💡 Important: Because of the cream cheese glaze, store the cake in the refrigerator.

Serving Ideas for Tea on Tuesdays

This cake is wonderful:

With a hot cup of Earl Grey ☕

As part of a spring or Easter table, alongside berries or citrus slices

Lightly chilled for a denser, bakery-style texture

A Little Teatime Inspiration ☕

There’s something timeless about Earl Grey. . .  that delicate balance of black tea and bergamot always feels a little elevated and special.

Paired with orange, it becomes bright, fresh, and just right for welcoming spring—or adding a little sunshine to a gray day.

 Earl Grey Tea enthusiasts might also like:

 Earl Grey Tea Buttery Embossed Shortbread Cookies

Find a recipe and method to make embossed buttery shortbread cookies, infused with the flavor of Earl Grey Tea and the fragrant notes of bergamot. Dress these cookies up for tea with a pretty decorative relief pattern, or alternatively, use a simple slice-and-bake method for a flavorful teatime treat.

or Earl Grey No-Churn Ice Cream

Beat the heat and enjoy the flavors of Earl Grey Tea in a no-churn ice cream in four easy steps! Ideal for a sweet summer teatime treat, no ice cream maker required!

Details:

Blue and White Teacup and Saucer with Spoon

Blue and White Plates / Johnson Brothers Devon Cottage

Transferware Platter and flatware / vintage

Teapot / Peppertree Tabletops

You’re invited to join Pam for tea:

Pam at Everyday Living

Join Us for Tea on Tuesdays 

If you’re new here, you’re warmly invited to join me and Pam for our monthly Tea on Tuesdays series, where we celebrate tea, recipes, cozy tables, and simple gatherings all year long.

Pour yourself a cup and stay awhile. 💙

Final Sip

This Earl Grey Tea Cake with Cream Cheese-Orange Glaze is simple, elegant, and full of flavor—perfect for sharing or savoring one quiet slice at a time.

Because the best moments… are the ones steeped slowly. ☕🍊💙

Thank you for your visit, sharing with:

 Between Naps on the Porch