Chocolate English Tea Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Prepare the frosting: In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup/120 milliliters heavy cream to a simmer over medium-high heat. Stir in the tea, remove from the heat, cover and let stand for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Strain the tea through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids, and chill the remaining cream until completely cold, at least 1 hour.
• Prepare the cake: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch round cake pan and line with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, tea, baking powder and salt.
• In large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the orange zest and beat to combine. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat in the flour mixture on low, until just combined, then beat in the milk. (Don't overmix.) Add the chocolate and fold it in using a spatula. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake just until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Then tip the cake out onto the rack to cool completely.
• To finish the frosting, add the remaining 1/4 cup/60 milliliters cream and the confectioners' sugar to the tea cream. With an electric mixer on medium, beat the cream mixture until medium-stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mascarpone and beat just until stiff peaks form. (Do not overmix.) Top the cake with the frosting to serve. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days; let come to room temperature before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a standing mixer, mix all ingredients except for the chocolate on high speed until creamy and combined. Fold in the chopped chocolate. Fill a greased and floured cake pan and bake for 40 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the muffin tin with cupcake liners.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.
• In another medium bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until light and foamy, about 2 minutes. While beating, gradually pour in the butter and then the vanilla.
• While mixing slowly, add half the dry ingredients, then add all the milk, and follow with the rest of the dry ingredients. Take care not to over mix the batter. Divide the batter evenly in the prepared tin.
• Bake until a tester inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cupcakes on a rack in the tin for 10 minutes, then remove. Cool on the rack completely.
• To assemble the cakes: Slice a small layer off the top of the domed side of each cupcake to make a flat surface. Peel cupcake liners off and place cakes upside down on a rack.
• To make the glaze: Put the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream, water and corn syrup to a simmer. Pour hot cream over the chocolate and shake bowl gently so cream settles around the chocolate. Set mixture aside soft, about 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth, taking care not to incorporate too many air bubbles.
• To Decorate: While still warm and loose, pour a thin layer of glaze (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup per cake) over each cake. If desired, set aside for about one hour before serving; if pressed for time, slip the cakes into the freezer to set.
• Decorate mini cakes with fresh berries or candies. If using candies to decorate, press into still slightly wet glaze before it sets.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Gradually add flour and mix well. Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls into greased miniature muffin cups; flatten slightly. Press a walnut half into the center of each., Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.