Ms. Crawford’s Tea Cakes

It’s the birthday month of the blog and the blogger 🙂

I know it’s not a typical birthday cake recipe, but I love plain Tea cakes! If you ask me they are the bestest!

I’ve been wanting to bake this tea cake forever and finally baked it the other day. Though it’s a no-frills cake, it tastes wow!

You can have it plain or you can dress it up with some custard/whipped cream and berries/fruit compote. Either way, it’s fab!

MM celebrates her 16th birthday this month!! I’m happy that the blog has come this long, though there is much scope for improvement 😉 Thank You for being a part of MM!!

I do really hope you give this recipe a try and love it like just we did.

Recipe from Bava R. Lukose’s Suriyani Cookery

Plain flour (maida)
gms (1/2 cup) Unsalted Butter, softened
(I used full fat)
(optional, refer notes)

Preheat the oven to 180 C, for 10 mins before baking. Grease an eight or nine- inch cake tin (I used a 9 -inch loaf tin with butter and line with parchment paper.
Sieve together plain flour and baking powder.
With an electric beater, beat together butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract (if using) until it’s light and fluffy.
Add flour and milk alternately to the above. Start and end with flour.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake in the pre-heated oven for 45-50 mins or until the center of the the toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Let the cake rest in the cake tin for 10 mins and transfer onto a serving plate. Once the cake is cooled completely slice and serve.

I recommend using a wide and deep cake tin for this recipe.

The baking time may vary depending on the oven and also on the size of the cake tin you use.

The original recipe uses 1 tsp caraway seeds instead of vanilla extract. If you are using caraway seeds, add it in the end.

The batter may curdle in between (mine was super curdled) but it will come together in the end.

Crawford’s Tea Cakes

Author:
Cook Time:
Total Time:
Yield: – Tea Cakes

sticks of unsalted butter at room temperature ( of butter)
extra-large or jumbo eggs
buttermilk
of sugar
of all-purpose flour
baking powder
baking soda
of kosher salt
vanilla extract
lemon extract
almond extract
rum extract
Nutmeg to taste (1 teaspoon of fresh nutmeg)

Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt in a separate bowl, and set aside.
Cream butter and sugar together using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium high or hand mixer for 5 minutes. Scrape the bowl after 5 minutes and beat 1 additional minute.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add the extracts and mix well.
With the mixer on the slowest speed, add 1/3 of the flour mixture and a little of the buttermilk, and mix gently just to combine. Repeat this process 2 times, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
Remove from mixer, shape into a rectangle, and wrap in plastic wrap.
Chill for at least one hour to overnight. Overnight is best. If chilled overnight remove from the fridge 5 minutes before rolling out.
Pre heat oven to 400F
Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut using a 3-3 1/2-inch cookie cutter, biscuit cutter, jelly jar, or drinking glass.
Work with half the dough at a time keeping the rest of the dough refrigerated.
Bake for 7-9 minutes. The tea cakes will look pale on top with slight browning on the edges.
Remove from oven and allow to rest on cookie sheet for 1 minute.
Move to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Store in airtight container once cooled.

Notes

Teacakes can be frozen

Black Restaurant Week

Jump to Recipe

Unassuming though they might look, Southern Tea Cakes are special cookies. It’s said that these sweet little cake-like cookies were served at tea parties hosted by Juliette Gordon Low in her efforts to form the Girl Scouts of America. Leave it to Southerners to create an empire out of butter and sugar. Make a pot of tea for two and nibble on these soft, cakey cookies lightly scented with nutmeg.

If you’ve never heard of tea cakes, you should know exactly what you’re dealing with. Tea cakes are soft roll-out cookies that are tender, chewy and pleasantly dense. They are a cookie with a cake-like texture. The ingredients are very simple (flour, sugar, butter, milk, nutmeg, and eggs), and the gentle flavor of nutmeg is what makes these so special.

I first came across tea cakes in magazine, and gave them a try one holiday season. I’m happy to report that we make these year after year, because they’re simplicity makes them so approachable yet still delicious.

We typically make these around Christmas time, because they’re so great with hot cocoa or a warm mug of tea. My and a chai hot chocolate are some of our favorite drinks to serve alongside.

The Ingredients

Southern tea cakes have simple ingredients, so be sure to use high-quality butter and ensure your nutmeg is freshly grated.

Butter. When baking, I reach for European-style butter, because it has less water and slightly more fat. I explain this in my puff pastry recipe post very well.
Sugar. Plain, white granulated sugar is all we need.
Vanilla. Always bake with pure vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla. In simple recipes with very few ingredients, the flavor of the vanilla really shines. Also, vanilla extract makes things taste sweeter without any additional sugar.
Egg Yolks. We only need the egg yolks, not the egg whites. Separate two eggs, and save the egg whites for other things, like my baked Pumpkin Donut Holes.
Milk. A very small amount of milk (just one teaspoon) makes this dough soft and cake-like, rather than crisp like a cookie. The extra egg yolk does the same thing.
Flour. The best way to measure all-purpose flour for baking is to fluff it with a spoon, scoop the cup into the flour, and then scrape off the surface with a butter knife.
Salt.
Baking Soda.
Nutmeg. These tea cakes have a sprinkling of sugar and freshly grated nutmeg on top before baking, and it is the key to their incredible flavor. If possible, try to use fresh whole nutmeg that you grate fresh on a .

How to Make Southern Tea Cakes

This dough comes together quickly in one bowl using a hand-held mixer, and then it is rolled out and cut into perfect circles. The cookie cutter is the key to the iconic perfect circle shape of the tea cake.

In a medium bowl, combine the butter and sugar together, and beat, using a handheld electric mixer, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Next, add the vanilla, egg yolks and milk. Beat well. Remember that you’re only using the egg yolks, not the whole egg!

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda in a small bowl.

Pour one-third of the flour mixture into the butter and beat until just combined. Add another ⅓ of the flour and continue beating lightly. Finally, add the last flour and beat until just combined—do not overmix.

Shape the dough into a square disk that roughly measures 6 inches, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 15 minutes. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350-degrees Fahrenheit.

Lightly flour a work surface and dump the dough out onto it. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a ¼” rectangle and cut out 8 circles with a 2 ½” round cookie or biscuit cutter. Then, gather and re-roll the scraps to get 4 more cookies, for a total of 12 cookies.

Place cookies a greased baking sheet, sprinkle lightly with sugar and freshly grated nutmeg, and bake for 9 minutes. The cookies should not have any brownness around the edges; they will be puffed in the middle.

Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before moving to wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy immediately, or keep in an air-tight container for up to 5 days.

Equipment

This Southern tea cakes cookie recipe requires a few standard baking tools.

Storage

Since these are holiday cookies, you should know that they are great when made in advance! However, they need to be stored in an airtight container so that they can stay fresh for up to 5 days. You can make and freeze the dough in advance at the dough chill step, but let it rest at room temperature until it’s soft enough to roll out and cut circles. You can freeze already baked cookies months in advance, and then let them thaw at room temperature before serving.

Questions about Tea Cakes

Why are they called tea cakes?

While I wish we still had the tradition of pausing every afternoon for tea and a sweet treat, we simply do not anymore. I believe the name ‘tea cake’ comes from their affinity for afternoon tea parties.

What are tea cakes made of?

Tea cakes are simple roll-out sugar cookies with a slightly dense, cake-like texture sprinkled with nutmeg and sugar. They are elegant cookies that are always perfectly shaped in circles.

What is a tea cake in America vs England?

A tea cake in America is what you see here: a soft sugar cookie with a light dusting of nutmeg on top before baking. In England, a tea cake is similar to a soft sweet bun but it can even be a scone!

How are Southern tea cakes different from sugar cookies?

If you look closely in the photos, I think you’ll see that these cookies are a much brighter yellow than regular sugar cookies. This is because the dough contains only egg yolks. The egg yolks along with the small splash of milk make these cookies, soft, dense and cake-like. In contract, a sugar cookie is typically crisp around the edges and soft maybe in the center only. It often contains cracks, like my Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe.

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon milk
1 cup flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
Sugar & freshly grated nutmeg for sprinkling on top

Add the vanilla, egg yolks and milk; beat well.
Whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda in a separate small bowl. Pour ⅓ of the flour mixture into the butter and beat until just combined. Add another ⅓ of the flour and continue beating lightly. Finally, add the last flour and beat until just combined—do not overmix.
Shape the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°.
Lightly flour a work surface and dump the dough out onto it. Then, using a small rolling pin, roll the dough into a ¼” rectangle and cut out 8 circles with a 2 ½” round cookie or biscuit cutter.
Reroll the scraps to get 4 more cookies. Place cookies a greased (or parchment paper lined) baking sheet, sprinkle lightly with sugar and freshly grated nutmeg, and bake for 9 minutes. The cookies should not have any brownness around the edges, however, they will be puffed in the middle. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before moving to wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy with tea.

Storage/ Make-Ahead: Since these are holiday cookies, you should know that they are great when made in advance! However, they need to be stored in an airtight container so that they can stay fresh for up to 5 days. You can make and freeze the dough in advance at the dough chill step, but let it rest at room temperature until its soft enough to roll out and cut circles. You can freeze already baked cookies months in advance, and then let them thaw at room temperature before serving.

Yield

1Amount Per Serving: 5g 3g 0g 2g

Reader Interactions

These old-fashioned tea cakes will take you back to the good old days.

They may not seem like much but trust me, they have everything it takes to blow you away.

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Old Fashioned Southern Tea Cakes

Imagine a warm, cozy living room with the smell of something freshly baked wafting out of the oven. That’s what comfort food is all about!

A cross between a cake and a cookie, these old fashioned tea cakes are sweet and buttery with a beautifully light, fluffy, and melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Flavored mainly with butter and sugar, they’re rich with just the right amount of sweetness.

What Are Tea Cakes?

Tea cakes in the United States are southern cookies with a cake-like, golden crumb, and chewy edge. They’re quite dense and often served with tea. In the United Kingdom, tea cakes are sweet, yeasted buns with warm spices and currants. They taste like hot cross buns and are usually served with butter.

Of course, we’re talking about southern tea cakes today, which are slightly crisp on the bottom and chewy around the edges.

If you’ve ever made vanilla cake in a sheet pan and had it a little too thin in one corner, you’ll know exactly how these taste!

Also, unlike traditional cookies, tea cakes are not too sweet.

Instead, they get a perfect balance of flavors from butter, sugar, a splash of vanilla, and a pinch of nutmeg.

Best eaten with a cup of tea, these tea cakes are the ultimate afternoon snack!

The great thing about these tea cakes is they only call for the most basic baking ingredients! In fact, I bet you have everything on hand already:

Eggs – For binding the ingredients together. Be sure to use room-temperature eggs so they’ll combine with the rest of the ingredients easily.
If you forget to take them out of the fridge, submerge them in warm water for 1-2 minutes, and you’re all set.
If you forget to take them out of the fridge, submerge them in warm water for 1-2 minutes, and you’re all set.

Baking Soda – The leavening agent that’ll make the cookies rise. Make sure it’s potent, or it won’t work at all.
To test, drop a teaspoon of baking soda in a bowl of vinegar. You’ll know it’s still active when it foams up upon contact.
To test, drop a teaspoon of baking soda in a bowl of vinegar.
You’ll know it’s still active when it foams up upon contact.

How to Make Old-Fashioned Tea Cakes

This recipe is pretty straightforward. The only thing you need to remember is to chill the dough – so plan ahead!

Cream the butter and sugar.

Creaming is a baking term for mixing butter with sugar. It can be done with an electric hand mixer or a paddle attachment in a stand mixer.

Beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until it’s light and fluffy. It should take about 5 minutes.

Add the eggs and sift the dry ingredients.

Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg in a separate bowl. (Or, place the sieve over the bowl with the butter and sift the dry right into the bowl.)

Gently combine the wet and dry ingredients.

Use a spatula to stir the dry into the wet. Use long strokes, working under the batter and around the edges to get all the little pockets.

Stop when you no longer see streaks of flour.

Chill the dough.

The dough will come out sticky, so you’ll need to pop it in the fridge for about 30 minutes before you proceed to the next step.

Otherwise, it’ll be hard to roll out and cut.

Wrap the top of the bowl to keep it fresh.

Roll the dough and cut it out.

Place the refrigerated dough on a lightly floured surface. Then, roll it into a flat rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.

Cut it into circles (or any shape you like) with a cookie cutter.

Bake the cookies.

Place the cookie dough cutouts onto cookie sheets with 1/2 – 1 inch of space between each to allow for spreading.

Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit (160°C) or until the edges are golden.

Let the tea cakes cool, and enjoy!

Take the cookie trays out of the oven and leave them to cool for about 5 minutes. Then, transfer the tea cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve with your favorite tea or coffee, and enjoy.

Tips for the Best Tea Cakes

Old fashioned tea cakes are excellent in their simplicity, but feel free to jazz them up with flavor extracts, spices, and fun extras!

Here are my favorite suggestions:

Spices: cinnamon, allspice, lavender
Zest: orange, lime, lemon, or grapefruit
Extracts: vanilla, almond, rum
Nuts: pecans, walnuts, almonds
Toppings: vanilla glaze, cinnamon sugar

How to Store

Allow the tea cakes to cool, then place them in an airtight container and store them for up to 5 days.

These treats also freeze well!

Double-wrap them in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, then place them in freezer-safe bags. They’ll keep well for up to 3 months.

Let the cookies thaw at room temperature and enjoy.

When you’re ready to bake them, let the dough come to room temperature, and roll, shape, and bake as instructed.

More Tea-Time Treats You’ll Love

Chocolate Crinkle CookiesLinzer CookiesSugar CookiesItalian Wedding CookiesPeanut Butter Cookies

butter, room temperature
eggs, room temperature

Directions

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition.
Add the vanilla with the last egg.
Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg in a separate bowl, then add it to the butter bowl.
Use a spatula to gently stir the wet and dry together, and stop when no flour streaks remain.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, knead it gently until it comes together, then wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or until firm).
While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (160°C) and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment.
Roll the cold dough on a lightly floured surface until it’s 1/4-inch thick.
Cut the tea cakes into portions with a cookie cutter and transfer them onto the baking sheets – leave 1 inch between each cookie.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are golden.
Remove the trays from the oven and leave them to cool for 5 minutes before transferring them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Serve and enjoy!