Tea cakes hold a special place in many cultures, often conjuring up images of cozy afternoons spent with friends and family. These small, sweet cakes are perfect for enjoying with a warm cup of tea or coffee, and the best part is, they’re surprisingly easy to make at home. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the entire process of baking delicious tea cakes, from gathering your ingredients to the final delightful bite.
Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting out, this recipe will equip you with all the knowledge and confidence you need to create tea cakes that will impress your loved ones and leave them craving for more.
What You’ll Need to Make Tea Cakes
Ingredients:
Here’s a list of everything you’ll need to make a batch of classic tea cakes:
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk
Optional ingredients:
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts (such as pecans or walnuts)
- 1 teaspoon citrus zest (lemon or orange)
Equipment:
- Oven
- Mixing bowls
- Electric mixer (handheld or stand mixer)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rubber spatula
- Muffin tin
- Wire rack
How To Make Tea Cakes: A Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Prepare Your Ingredients and Equipment
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a muffin tin with butter or cooking spray. It’s always a good idea to start with this step to ensure your oven is hot and ready to go when you are!
Pro Tip: To ensure your cakes rise evenly, use a kitchen scale to measure your flour accurately. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, use the spoon-and-level method: lightly spoon the flour into the measuring cup, then level it off with a straight edge.
Step 2: Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Why is this step important? Combining the dry ingredients helps to evenly distribute the leavening agents (baking powder and baking soda), ensuring that your tea cakes rise beautifully and have a light and airy texture.
Step 3: Cream the Butter and Sugar
In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. This should take about 3-5 minutes with an electric mixer.
What does “creaming” mean? Creaming butter and sugar means beating them together until they form a light and airy mixture. This process incorporates air into the batter, which helps to create a tender crumb in your tea cakes.
Step 4: Add the Eggs and Vanilla
Add the eggs one at a time to the butter-sugar mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Why add eggs one at a time? Adding the eggs one at a time allows each egg to be fully incorporated into the batter, resulting in a smoother, more consistent texture.
Step 5: Gradually Combine the Wet and Dry Ingredients
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk, and beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix!
What happens if you overmix the batter? Overmixing develops gluten in the flour, which can lead to tough, dense tea cakes. So mix until just combined – a few lumps are okay!
Step 6: Fold in Any Additional Ingredients (Optional)
If you’re adding nuts or citrus zest, gently fold them into the batter using a rubber spatula.
What’s the best way to fold in ingredients? Use a gentle hand and a folding motion to avoid deflating the air you’ve incorporated into the batter.
Step 7: Fill the Muffin Cups and Bake
Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full with batter. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
How do you know when tea cakes are done? Besides the toothpick test, look for cakes that are golden brown on top and spring back lightly when touched.
