Spring Chamomile Cake

Need an excuse to sit down with friends or family over a nice cup of tea and a teatime treat? Chamomile cake offers you just that excuse and it's super easy to make. 

The cake is delicious with any tea, but pairs especially well with our Spring Darjeeling tea, our Shangri La Oolong, or a classic black tea like English Breakfast. 

INGREDIENTS

• 20g Karma Tea Chamomile Flowers 
• 200ml whole milk
• 150g plain flour
• 190g caster sugar
• 125g butter
• 2 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 0.5 tsp vanilla essence

For Frosting:

• 125ml double cream
• 125 ml mascarpone
• 50g icing/ powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Whole chamomile flowers to sprinkle on top

METHOD 

1. Place the milk and chamomile flowers in a small saucepan. Heat the milk until it just starts to boil. Remove from the heat and allow the chamomile flowers to steep in the milk for 20 minutes. Strain to remove the flowers, and set aside. 
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F). Grease a round cake pan (8 inch) and line the bottom with parchment paper; grease the parchment.
3. In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, beat the butter, sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix well. Slowly add the flour mixture and the milk, and mix until smooth.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes. Let it cool in the baking pan for 10 minutes. Then remove and slide onto a flat dish.
5. For the topping, whip the double cream into stiff peaks. Add the mascarpone and beat with the cream until smooth. Mix in the sugar and vanilla. Spread on top of the cooled cake.