Lady Earl Grey Cake: Lavender Velvet Sponge with Earl Grey Milk Chocolate Ganache
Mar 24, 2026
Hello everyone!
This post is all about cute Lavender colour, Earl Grey and Milk chocolate! Can you think of anything better?
I have been meaning to associate Milk Chocolate and Earl Grey for a while now, so quite happy that I finally got around to bake this long overdue flavour combination!
I must say that the trigger was receiving my new Lavender colour from the amazing Colour Mill range! I couldn't resist making a lavender colour cake, and Earl Grey tea being often associated with purple, it was the perfect match.
The Velvet looking finish
To get that beautiful coloured velvety sponge, I had to first make what we call in French "Pâte à Cigarette", which literally means "Cigaret Dough"!
It is simply a mix of four ingredients (egg whites, flour, icing sugar and butter) that will make this paste-consistency dough which you will be able to spread thinly on a silicone mat before pouring your sponge batter and baking it. Easy peasy and the result never ceases to amaze me!
The beauty of it, of course, is that you can use any colour you want, and therefore give any sponge that cool velvety finish! Well... Not quite ANY sponge, they would still have to be baked on a tray.
THE RECIPE
Recipe for a 5" Cake - (You will need a 38x28cm tray with a silicone mat).
PÂTE À CIGARETTE ("CIGARETTE DOUGH")
INGREDIENTS
- Butter (room temp) 30g
- Icing sugar 30g
- Egg whites 30g
- Flour 30g (or Corn Starch if making gluten free)
METHOD
With the whisk attachment, whip the butter and icing sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the egg whites and finish with the flour. It might look slightly split, if that worries you, add a small pinch of flour.
Add your desired colour.
Using an angled palette knife, spread directly onto your silicone mat. The layer should be very thin, less than 1 mm (be careful not to go so thin that it becomes transparent in places).
Place the silicone mat on your tray and freeze while you prepare the sponge batter.
ALMOND GENOISE
INGREDIENTS
- Eggs x4
- Plain flour 100g
- Ground almonds 40g
- Caster sugar 120g
- Melted salted butter 40g
- Almond flavour 5 drops
METHOD
Melt the butter in a bowl (microwave works perfectly).
Separate the egg yolks and whites.
Using the whisk attachment in your mixer, whip the egg whites and caster sugar into a thick, glossy meringue.
Add the yolks and almond flavour and whisk briefly to combine.
Fold in the plain flour and ground almonds by hand using a silicone spatula until evenly incorporated.
In the bowl with the melted butter, scoop about a quarter of the batter and mix well until fully combined. Pour this mixture back into the main batter and gently fold together.
Pour the batter over your frozen tray prepared with the pâte à cigarette.
Bake at 180°C for about 15 minutes, or until evenly golden. Rotate the tray halfway through for even baking.
Once baked, slide the silicone mat onto a cooling tray immediately (be careful - it will be hot). Thin sponge sheets can dry out if left on the baking tray.
WHIPPED EARL GREY MILK CHOCOLATE GANACHE
INGREDIENTS
- 40% Milk Chocolate 75g
- Whipping Cream 55g
- Earl Grey Tea Bags x2
- Cold Whipping Cream 130g
METHOD
The day before:
Gently heat the 55g cream (add a little extra to compensate for absorption) and add the Earl Grey tea bags. Leave to infuse for at least 20 minutes.
Remove the tea bags and weigh the cream again to ensure you still have 55g (add more cream if needed). Reheat gently.
Melt the milk chocolate and pour the cream over it in three additions to create a smooth ganache. Blend with a stick blender until fully emulsified.
Add the 130g cold whipping cream and blend again.
Cover with cling film directly touching the surface and refrigerate overnight or for at least 3 hours.
ASSEMBLING THE CAKE
Make a strong cup of Earl Grey Tea, (1 tea bag for ½ water) and infuse for at least 5 minutes.
Make a simple syrup with 60g of sugar for 80g of water. Bring it to the boil and pour your tea infusion in it. Set aside.
Cut three discs of about 4" diameter out of the sponge (you might have to resize them a bit) and a 3" tall strip the length of your tray.
Roll the strip inside of a 5" pastry ring, coloured side towards what will be the outside once you remove the ring, and place the bottom disc in the centre.
This will block the strip against the pastry ring and make it secure, preventing any leak.
Get your ganache ready: simply pour your cold and rested ganache into your kitchen mixer bowl and whip with the whisk attachment until reaching a beautiful light mousse consistency.
Pipe a first layer of ganache, then place the second disc of sponge the same way as before, repeat the ganache process, and close with the last disc of sponge, making sure that the coloured part is facing up.
Place in the fridge for at least one hour.
I simply chose to pipe Chantilly cream on the outer edge as shown in the photo, but you can decide to decorate your Earl Grey tea cake however you want.
Enjoy my friends! And if you try this Earl Grey Milk Chocolate cake recipe or the velvet sponge technique, remember to tag me on Instagram @zazamarcelle, would LOVE to see your work and reshare it with my followers. How exciting!
