Earl Grey, Lemon & Blueberry Cake

INGREDIENTS

• 120ml milk
• 3-4 bags of earl grey tea
• 120g salted butter, at room temperature
• 100g granulated sugar
• 2tsp lemon zest
• 2tsp orange zest
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2tsp vanilla extract
• 125g of self-raising flour
• 85g almond flour 
• 2tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 220g fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1tbsp blueberry jam (optional)

For the Lemon Glaze

• 80g caster sugar
• 3tbsp lemon juice
• 1 blood orange (optional)

METHOD

1. Bring the milk to a simmer in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat, add the earl grey tea bags, cover, and leave to infuse for 10 minutes. Remove the tea bags and discard, preserving the milk.
2. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and grease your baking tin – we recommend a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, lemon zest, and orange zest until combined. 
4. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined, then add the vanilla. Add your flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt, and beat to combine. Add the earl grey-infused milk, beating until just combined.
5. Toss the blueberries with 1 tbsp flour, which will help stop them from sinking to the bottom. Then add ¾ of the blueberries to the mixture. 
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Swirl in the blueberry jam (if using), then sprinkle on the remaining blueberries, and 1 tbsp sugar. 
7. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until the centre is just set. 
8. Remove from the oven and leave to cool before glazing.
9. While the cake cools, make the glaze. 
10. Remove the zest from the blood orange with a vegetable peeler in wide strips. Thinly slice the strips. 
11. In a small bowl, whisk together the caster sugar and lemon juice until smooth and drizzly.
12. Stir in the orange zest.
13. Drizzle the glaze over the cake.