Irish Tea Cake

This traditional Irish Tea Cake recipe is a simple vanilla cake with a light crumb that is a perfect companion for afternoon tea or a delightful dessert option for any occasion.

Ingredients and substitutions for Irish Tea Cake

• Butter: Unsalted softened was used here as this is fresher than salted, however, you could absolutely substitute salted butter here.
• Sugar: As a result of using superfine or caster sugar, the nice fine granules dissolve into our cake and add sweetness without adding additional flavors. Icing or confectioners' sugar is best for the top of the cake.
• Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract helps give our cake it's signature and depth of flavor here. You could also add fresh vanilla bean seeds into the batter to really enhance the flavor.
• Eggs: As well as adding structure to the cake, the room temperature eggs will bind everything together, so are essential.
• Plain flour: Plain or all purpose works best here for a nice texture to the cake. You could replace with cake flour for an even more tender crumb, if you prefer.
• Baking powder: This helps our base rise so it is nice and light.
• Milk: Full fat milk helps add moisture to our cake, but can be substituted with skim or non dairy milk.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to make Irish Tea Cake:

Step 1: Pale and fluffy: Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy with an electric beater.

Step 2: Eggs: Add one egg and beat until well combined and fluffy; repeating with the second egg. Add in the vanilla extract.

Step 3: Dry ingredients: Stir the flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl and toss into the cake batter ⅓ at a time.

Step 4: Milk: Pour ⅓ of the milk into the batter and whip on low until just combined, repeating after each addition.

Step 5: Bake: Spoon into your prepared pan and bake until golden brown and slightly pulling away from the sides of the tin.

Step 6: Serve up: Cool fully before topping with a sprinkle of powdered sugar and serve with your favorite hot beverage.

Step 7: Enjoy: Dig in!

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Irish Tea Cake

Sylvie Taylor

This classic Irish cake is flavored with vanilla for a light snack cake or unfussy cake ideal for any time of the year and best served alongside a hot cup of tea.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine Irish

Servings 10

Calories 357 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 120 grams / 4.23 ounces butter softened
• 200 grams / 1 cup superfine/caster sugar
• 110 grams / 2 large eggs room temperature
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 282 grams / 1 ¾ cups plain flour
• 8 grams / 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 130 grams / ½ cup milk

To serve

• Powdered sugar

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and line a 20 cm or 8 inch round cake tin with parchment paper.
• Place the butter and sugar into a bowl and beat until pale and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
• Add in one egg and whip until combined.
• Repeat with the remaining egg.
• Add in the vanilla extract and whip to combine.
• In a separate bowl, toss the flour, baking powder and salt and stir together.
• Add ¼ of the flour mixture into the butter egg mixture and combine on low speed until no portions remain on the edge of your bowl.
• Pour in ¼ of the milk and combine on low until just incorporated.
• Repeat by adding in the flour and milk in portions and mixing on low speed until your batter has been formed.
• Spoon the cake batter into your cake pan and spread out evenly.
• Bake in the oven until the exterior is golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean from the center of the cake, approximately 35 minutes.
• Remove and allow to cool in the cake tin for 5 minutes before removing and setting onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
• Sprinkle over powdered sugar.
• Slice, serve and dig in.
• Enjoy!

Video

Notes

• Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract helps give our cake it's signature and depth of flavor here. You could also add fresh vanilla bean seeds into the batter to really enhance the flavor.
• Cake tin: A 20cm or 8 inches round springform tin was used though a tin of a similar size would work also well. It is not recommended to use a cake tin larger than 23cm's or 9 inches as the result would be cake with less height.
• Make this your own: You can incorporate dried fruit like raisins or currants, or even add a sprinkle ground spices like cinnamon or nutmeg.
• You can freeze the cake: Once it has completely cooled, wrap it tightly in aluminum foil, then place in a freezer-safe container or bag. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Adapted from Irish Family Vacations

Nutrition

Calories: 357kcal

Keyword cake, snack cake

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