Honey Chamomile Cake
This incredibly tender Honey Chamomile Cake is unique and delectably delicious! The beautiful layer cake features a cake that is infused with chamomile, giving it a delicious sweet floral flavor profile! A creamy, silky honey swiss meringue buttercream is added to lightly frost the honey chamomile cake, allowing the cake’s flavor to really shine!
What is Chamomile Tea?
Chamomile Tea is a herbal tea that comes from the chamomile plant. These plants resemble little daisies, and as such the flavor of chamomile tea is quite floral! Chamomile Tea has been used for centuries as a form of medicine and is said to aid in sleep quality! Chamomile tea is slightly sweet, floral, and very slightly earthy!
Infusing the milk with the Chamomile Tea
The first step in creating this Honey Chamomile Cake is infusing the milk with the tea. This process starts by heating up the milk in a small saucepan until it just barely gets to a simmer. Remove it from the heat and place 4 Chamomile Tea bags or 3 tbsp loose-leaf Chamomile Tea into it. It may seem like a lot of tea for such a small amount of milk, but the flavor has to be extremely concentrated to properly flavor the cake! Next, place a piece of plastic over the surface of the milk (to prevent a skin from forming), and place the saucepan into the fridge to cool down and infuse, for at least 2 hours. After the milk has cooled and infused, remove the tea bags and press on them to release any milk that is still within the tea bags, then discard the tea/tea bags.
How to make the Honey Chamomile Cake
1.Infuse the milk: As written above, add the tea bags to hot milk and allow to steep for 2 hours.
2. Beat eggs and sugar: Add the eggs, vanilla, and sugar, to your stand mixer, then beat the three together for about 5 minutes. By the end, it should be fluffy, and be tripled in volume.
3. Add oil: Turn the stand mixer down to medium speed, then slowly drizzle the oil into the stand mixer while it continues to beat. After all the oil has been added, beat the mixture for another 30 seconds.
4. Whisk together the dry ingredients: In a separate mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and salt, then whisk them together to combine.
5. Alternate add the dry & wet to stand mixer: First add the 1/3 of the dry ingredients, then beat until just combined. Add ½ of the cooled chamomile-steeped milk, and beat until just combined. Continue adding the wet & dry in this order, until all of the ingredients have been added (you’ll finish with the dry).
6. Add to pan & bake: Pour the Chamomile Cake batter into two 9” cake pans, then place into the oven to bake! When done, allow the Honey Chamomile Cakes to cool completely before stacking and frosting!
HOW TO MAKE SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM
Although Swiss Meringue Buttercream can seem a little daunting at first, it is actually fairly easy to make! However, it does take a little bit longer than your traditional American buttercream. The benefit, however, is the flavor and texture of Swiss Meringue Buttercream is out of this world! It is delicately sweet and sooo silky and smooth!
To make the Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Add egg whites, honey, and sugar, into a metal bowl (you can use the metal bowl of your stand mixer) and place over top of a pot with 1-2” of simmering water (do not use rapidly boiling water). Whisk the eggs and sugar constantly until it reaches 160°F or 70°C. Remove from the heat and place into stand mixer and whip on high (using whip attachment) for 7 minutes. After 7 minutes the meringue should look glossy, thick, and hold stiff peaks. At this point, turn your stand mixer to low and begin adding the butter in 1 tbsp at a time, letting the butter incorporate a bit before the next addition. After all the butter has been added turn the stand mixer back onto high. It may start to look soupy, curdled, and loose – this is okay, just keep beating! Continue to beat until the Swiss meringue buttercream comes together and looks smooth. Then add in the vanilla and the salt!
Get the Recipe: Honey Chamomile Cake
Ingredients
Honey Chamomile Cake
- 2 cups Whole Milk
- 4 Chamomile Tea Bags, (or 3 tbsp loose leaf tea)
- 5 cups (600g) All Purpose Flour,, measured correctly †
- 3 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Table Salt
- 3 cup White Sugar or Coconut Sugar for refined sugar free
- 6 Large Eggs
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 ½ cup Vegetable Oil
Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- 4 Large Egg Whites
- 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp White Sugar
- 1/2 cup Honey
- 2 cups Unsalted Butter,, at room temperature (or very slightly colder)
- 1 ½ tsp Vanilla
- Pinch of Salt
Equipment
- Stand mixer
Instructions
Making the Honey Chamomile Cake Layers
- Add milk to a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring the milk to a simmer then immediately remove from heat. Place the tea bags into the milk and gently stir. Place a piece of plastic over the surface of the milk and place into the fridge to cool and steep for about 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F, and prepare two 9” springform cake pans with oil and parchment rounds. In a large sized mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and salt, then whisk together to combine.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Beat on high for around 5 minutes, the mixture should look thick, fluffy, and be tripled in volume. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then slowly drizzle in the oil while on medium-low speed. After all the oil has been added, beat on high for an additional minute.
- On low, add the dry mixture to the stand mixer, mixing until just combined. Add in the tea-infused milk and mix only until the batter becomes smooth. Add the batter evenly to the cake pans, then bake in the oven for around 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before stacking and frosting.
Making the Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Place egg whites, sugar, and honey, into a metal bowl and place over top of a pot of simmering water (ensuring the water is not touching the metal bowl). Whisk the mixture constantly until it reaches 165°F or 70°C. Remove from heat immediately and place into the stand mixer.
- Using the whip attachment, turn the stand mixer onto high and beat the meringue for about 7 minutes. The meringue should have stiff peaks.
- Turn the stand mixer to low and add in the butter 2 tbsp at a time, allowing each addition to incorporate a bit before the next. When all the butter has been added turn the stand mixer back onto high and beat until the buttercream looks smooth. (It may look curdled and soupy at one point, but just keep beating).
- Add vanilla and salt to the buttercream and beat to combine.
Frosting & Finishing the Cake
- Level off each of the cake layers to remove any doming from the cakes.
- Place one cake layer onto your serving plate or onto a cardboard cake circle. Spread an even layer of buttercream, about 1″ to 1 ½” thick, across the top of the layer.
- Add the second layer on top, then repeat step 2. Decorate the top with anything you’d like!
Would it throw off the flavor if you used chamomile tea with lavender?
It might be very strongly floral flavored, but lavender in cakes tastes great too so its really your preference! If you find the tea is stronger in flavor than your typical chamomile, I would suggest reducing the amount you use!
Loved the chamomile flavor. Excellent cake
Thank you!
can i use olive oil instead of vegstable?
There will most likely be a detectable olive oil flavor but if you don’t mind that, then feel free to substitute with it!