Elderflower Lemon Tea Cake Recipe

As spring inches ever closer with sunshine, green grass, and warm breezes, this cheery lemon tea cake recipe dusted with elderflowers is just the thing to celebrate the end of winter.

This cake is super lemony flavored with both lemon juice and lemon zest, so you can't help but feel downright chipper after a nice, big wedge. It's also tender, moist, and wonderfully fragrant while baking, so all your senses come to life.

It's the sort of cake you want to eat when the world feels a bit dreary and dark, when things aren't going smoothly, or you're just a bit out of sorts. It's a wonderful gift to bring to someone who's under the weather and needs a bit of cheering, and you really can't go wrong with this as a centerpiece for a "Hooray for Spring!" tea party.

The other great thing about this lemon tea cake is how brilliantly quick and easy it is to make. Just leave the butter out to soften on the counter the night before and you'll have this cake whipped up and in the oven in just a few minutes.

It's also a forgiving cake. Let's say you were the sort of person who, like me, baked the cake early one morning before work so you could cheer up exhausted co-workers and in the bumbling fog of the wee hours dropped said cake not once, but twice. Don't worry, it's still going to be awesome.

If you are not a butterfingers like yours truly, you'll be able to ice this beauty and carry it to the table with pride. However, don't lose heart if it does drop or get partially stuck in the pan when you try to plate it. Simply nudge it back together, give it a generous drizzle of lemony icing, then tuck in edible flowers to cover any cracks.

How to Make this Lemon Tea Cake

Softened butter and unwaxed lemons are the keys to success with this batter.

Cold butter will only frustrate and lead to a batter filled with chunks of butter instead of one that is creamy and smooth. If you forget to leave the butter out to soften, just pop it in the microwave for 5-second bursts until it is soft but not melted.

Waxy lemons will still flavor your cake, but you really don't want to be eating wax. If you can only get waxed ones, place them in hot water for 20 seconds or so, then give them a good scrub to remove as much of the wax as you can. It takes a bit more effort, but you won't be sorry.

Top it All Off

This lemon tea cake is truly a celebration of lemony goodness, and a zesty icing is the cherry on top. Simply add powdered sugar to freshly squeezed lemon juice until you achieve the right consistency for a drizzle. Then drizzle away in a haphazard manner until you get the look you want.

Simple garnishes are just right for this cake. Scatter it with fresh elderflower blossoms and fresh lemon zest and you're done. If there aren't any blossoms growing in your area yet, try edible dried flower petals like calendula, rose, or lavender to achieve a similar look.

Tea Pairings

This bright, lemony cake pairs wonderfully with teas that are light and fruity like our Huckleberry Happiness black tea, laced with elderberries, Aronia berries, black currants, blueberries, hibiscus, cornflowers, and huckleberry essence.

Blackberry Mojito black tea is also delicious with its lovely blend of spearmint, blackberries, hazelnut pieces, lime essence, and maple extract. Strawberry Honeysuckle black tea is another great option with its summery blend of strawberries, raspberry leaves, calendula, and honeysuckle essence.