Wonder cake, wacky cake, crazy cake … whatever you like to call it, this easy cake is naturally egg-free and dairy-free, using just baking soda and vinegar to create a moist and tender crumb. Earl Grey tea and rosemary give it a subtle, sophisticated flavour.
Earl Grey wonder cake
Makes 1 20cm cake
Ingredients
2 cups water
3 Earl Grey teabags
1 sprig rosemary
3 cups plain flour
2 cups caster sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground nutmeg
⅔ cup neutral vegetable oil
2 Tbsp malt vinegar
2 tsp vanilla essence
Earl Grey glaze
1 Earl Grey teabag
¼ cup boiling water
1 cup icing sugar
1 Tbsp honey or maple syrup
Method
- Preheat the oven to 175C. Lightly grease a 20cm cake tin (round or square).
- Bring the water almost to the boil, pour over the Earl Grey teabags, add the sprig of rosemary, and leave to steep for 10 minutes. Strain and cool to room temperature.
- Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
- Make three wells in the dry mixture: two small and one larger.
- Pour the vegetable oil into the large well, the malt vinegar into one small well, and the vanilla extract into the other.
- Pour the cooled Earl Grey tea over all the ingredients.
- Use a whisk to mix the ingredients together until smooth and completely blended.
- Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool completely in the pan.
- Once the cake has cooled, make the Earl Grey honey glaze.
- Brew one Earl Grey tea bag in ¼ cup of boiling water for 5 minutes. Press the bag to get the strongest flavour.
- In a small bowl, whisk the icing sugar, honey or maple syrup, and 2 Tbsp of the hot tea together until completely smooth.
- If the glaze is too thick, add a few more drops of tea. If it is too runny, add a spoonful of icing sugar.
- Place the cooled cake on a wire rack and pour the glaze over the centre, letting it naturally drip down the sides. It will set into a shiny crust.
NOTE: Use maple syrup rather than honey for the glaze if you want to make a vegan cake.