Green Tea and Orange Infused Vanilla Cake

I have been wanting to try my hand at cooking or baking with tea for awhile.

It just intrigues me...and I like to try new things.

And of course I like to eat!

(I like that part a little too much sometimes).

Honestly I was not sure exactly how to cook with tea, but the other day I did a shop for Bigelow Tea and while perusing their website saw they had a recipe section. I looked over the many ways they used tea in their recipes and then decided to try my own hand at baking with tea.

Now I have to tell you...it was delightful! And I cannot wait to try more ideas!

Green Tea and Orange Infused Vanilla Cake

Bake at 350F

Pan, 9x9 or try muffin or mini muffins

Ingredients

1 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup Butter, softened

2 Eggs

2 Tablespoons Pure Vanilla Extract 

2 teaspoons (or capfuls) Almond Extract, optional

1 1/2 Cups Flour (I used White Whole Wheat)

1 3/4 teaspoons Baking powder 

1/2 Cup milk (I used Fat Free Organic, next time I will try Almond Milk)

4 Bigelow Green Tea Bags 

One can mandarin oranges, strained with the juice reserved.

Icing

1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar 

1-2 Tablespoons juice/syrup from the mandarin oranges

1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

For Garnish

1/4 (or less) cup powdered sugar

Orange zest

BAKE IT!

Pre-heat oven to 350F

Butter your pan

• Heat the milk on low in a saucepan; Place three-four tea bags in the milk; Heat until the milk begins to bubble. It took about 8 minutes on my stove; Let cool.
• NOTE: Be careful with those tags on the tea bags - OOPS! I burnt them - then I cut the tags off.

• Cream softened butter with sugar in a mixer.
• Add eggs; mix until incorporated.
• Add the Vanilla Extract. 
• And the Almond Extract, if you wish (go ahead and skip it if you don't like Almond).
• Mix to incorporate.
• Squeeze the liquid out of the tea bags and add the cooled milk to the mixer. Mix to incorporate. 
• Mix together the flour and baking powder. 
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
• Fold in the mandarin oranges.
• Place in the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Set your timer for 30 and check for doneness.
• Let cool. 

Finish Cake:

• Poke holes in the cake using a skewer. 

Prepare your Glaze:

• Combine powdered sugar, mandarin orange juice and vanilla in mixer and mix until blended. If it is too runny, add more sugar, one Tablespoon at a time.
• Pour glaze over the cake.
• NOTE: you may not choose to use all of your glaze at this stage. It depends on the level of sweetness you desire.

When complete, sprinkle with powdered sugar

and garnish with a bit of orange zest...

then ENJOY!

I made this cake for my friends when they came to craft...they loved it.

My hubby is enjoying it too much...My son also thinks this is amazing.

It is moist and, well, just delicious!

Have you ever cooked or baked with tea? 

This post is written and created at 504 Main by Holly Lefevre