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Loose Leaf Earl Grey Lemon Loaf Cake

By • Updated July 2026
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This tender, citrus-soaked loaf brings together the delicate bergamot of Earl Grey and bright lemon zest in a cake that tastes as good as your kitchen smells while it bakes. The secret? Freshly ground loose leaf tea that releases far more bergamot oil and flavour than pre-ground tea or tea bags ever could. By pulsing whole loose leaf Earl Grey in an electric spice grinder just before mixing, you unlock aromatic compounds that would otherwise stay locked inside the leaf structure, giving you a loaf with real depth.

The texture is beautifully moist thanks to yoghurt and a lemon syrup soak, and the finely ground tea distributes evenly so every slice carries that signature Earl Grey perfume. If you've only ever baked with tea bags, the difference here is remarkable—whole leaf tea ground fresh delivers a cleaner, more pronounced flavour. Serve this loaf at afternoon tea, wrap slices for lunchboxes, or toast a piece and spread it with butter for breakfast.

Loose Leaf Earl Grey Lemon Loaf Cake
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time50 mins
Servings1 loaf (8-10 slices)
DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp loose leaf Earl Grey tea (about 9 g)
  • 225 g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
  • 225 g caster sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • Zest of 2 lemons (reserve juice for syrup)
  • 225 g self-raising flour
  • 120 g natural yoghurt
  • For the syrup: juice of 2 lemons (about 60 ml) and 75 g granulated sugar
Nutrition per serving:
Calories: 385
Fat: 20g
Sugar: 32g
Protein: 5g

Instructions

1
Grind the tea: Add the loose leaf Earl Grey to your electric spice grinder and pulse in short bursts until you have a fine powder—about 10–15 seconds. You want the texture of icing sugar, not gritty fragments. Tip the ground tea into a small bowl and set aside.
2
Prep the tin: Preheat your oven to 170°C (fan)/190°C (conventional)/Gas 5. Grease a 900 g (2 lb) loaf tin and line the base and long sides with a strip of baking parchment so the ends overhang—this makes lifting the loaf out much easier.
3
Cream butter & sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and caster sugar together with an electric whisk or wooden spoon until pale and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of flour with the last egg to prevent curdling. Stir in the lemon zest and the ground tea.
4
Fold in flour & yoghurt: Sift in the self-raising flour and gently fold with a spatula until almost combined, then fold through the yoghurt until you have a smooth, thick batter. Avoid overmixing—stop as soon as no streaks of flour remain.
5
Bake: Scrape the batter into your prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake for 45–50 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean and the top is golden and springs back lightly when pressed. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
6
Make the syrup: While the loaf bakes, warm the lemon juice and granulated sugar in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Let it simmer gently for 1 minute, then set aside.
7
Soak & cool: As soon as the loaf comes out of the oven, poke holes all over the top with a skewer and slowly drizzle over the warm syrup, letting it soak in. Leave the loaf to cool completely in the tin—it will firm up as it absorbs the syrup. Once cool, lift out using the parchment overhang, slice and serve.

🫖 Equipment You'll Need

An electric spice grinder transforms whole loose leaf tea into a fine, aromatic powder in seconds, releasing far more essential oil and bergamot character than you'd ever get from crushing leaves by hand or using pre-ground tea. For this loaf, freshly ground loose Earl Grey means the delicate citrus notes permeate every crumb, and the fine texture distributes evenly through the batter without any bitter, woody bits.

See our electric spice grinder picks →

Expert Tip: Choose Quality Earl Grey

Not all Earl Grey is created equal. Look for a high-quality loose leaf blend with visible cornflower petals or citrus peel—these blends tend to have more natural bergamot oil. Avoid dusty, overly cheap teas; they'll give you a flat, one-dimensional flavour in the finished loaf.

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