Another day, another “new favorite” upside-down cake. This time, it’s an irresistible combination of Earl Grey tea and lavender to make the London Fog cake base paired with sweet, syrupy raspberries. The finished product is floral, sweet, aromatic, and so perfect for an afternoon tea date at home.
Inspired by the creamy, floral flavor of a London Fog latte, this raspberry upside-down cake makes for a perfectly sweet–but not too sweet–treat best served with a cup of warm tea.
I’ve officially entered my tea era. Ever since I invested in a tea kettle, I’ve cut coffee (except espresso martinis, of course) from my day-to-day completely and replaced it with tea.
Coincidentally, as I continued my foray into tea, my friend had a beautiful London Fog cake for her birthday, which I took as a sign. I knew I wanted to emulate it for this upside-down cake.
This cake has a wonderful flavor profile with slightly bitter and citrusy Earl Grey, floral lavender, vanilla, and syrupy, tart raspberries. Instead of being overly sugary, all the elements of the cake work together to deliver a well-rounded sweetness. The bergamot from the tea cuts through the richness of the caramel, the lavender gives a delicate floral flavor, and the raspberries bring a sweet acidity that makes each bite taste like heaven.
This baking project is a little bit of a project, but it’s still accessible enough, no matter your baking skills. It starts with a lavender-infused caramel that the raspberries bake directly into. On top of the raspberries is a moist London Fog-flavored cake. I finish the cake with my go-to whipped mascarpone and a sprinkle of lemon zest to give it a sweet, creamy finish.
It’s a good option for spring parties, Easter dinner, brunch, or anytime you want something that feels thoughtful without being fussy. And if you’re already into Earl Grey desserts or London Fog drinks, this is the next dessert to add to your repertoire.
How to make Raspberry London Fog Upside-Down Cake
This floral upside-down cake layers lavender caramel, raspberries, and London Fog cake batter before baking and flipping for a dramatic spring dessert.
What you need
- Lavender caramel: Heavy cream, culinary lavender, butter, light brown sugar, vanilla extract
- Fruit layer: Fresh raspberries, cornstarch, granulated sugar
- Cake batter: Earl Grey tea, culinary lavender, all-purpose flour, powdered buttermilk, baking powder, kosher salt, butter, granulated sugar, eggs, whole milk, vanilla extract
- Whipped mascarpone: Heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and mascarpone cheese
- For serving: Lemon zest (optional); orange zest would also be lovely
How to make it
Step 1: Make the caramel base.
Infuse the cream with lavender. Melt butter with brown sugar until slightly darkened, whisk in the infused cream and vanilla, and pour into a greased 9-inch cake pan. Refrigerate briefly.
Step 2: Prep the fruit.
Toss the raspberries with cornstarch and sugar until lightly coated.
Step 3: Combine the dry ingredients.
Grind the tea and lavender in a mortar and pestle and then sift together with the dry ingredients.
Step 4: Make the batter.
Cream the butter and sugar, beat in the eggs, then alternate dry ingredients and milk. Mix just until smooth.
Step 5: Assemble and bake.
Arrange the raspberries over the caramel, spread the batter on top, and bake until set.
Step 6: Cool and flip.
Let the cake rest, invert onto a plate, and cool completely.
Step 7: Finish the topping.
Whip the frosting, spread or pipe it over the cooled cake, and garnish with lemon zest.
Raspberry London Fog Upside-Down Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Lavender caramel:
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) heavy cream
- 1½ teaspoons culinary lavender
- 4 tablespoons (57 g) butter
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Raspberries:
- 12 ounces (340 g) raspberries (rinsed and patted dry)
- 1 tablespoon (7 g) cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated sugar
Batter:
- 1½ tablespoons (7 g) Earl Grey tea (from 3 to 4 tea bags depending on the brand)
- 1½ teaspoons culinary lavender
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon (7 g) powdered buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons (57 g) butter (room temperature)
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whipped mascarpone:
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 ounces (112 g) mascarpone cheese
For serving:
- Lemon zest (optional)
Instructions
Start the caramel:
- Place 2 tablespoons (30g) heavy cream in a heatproof measuring glass. Microwave for 45 seconds until warmed through. Add the lavender and let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Strain through a sieve and set aside. Discard the spent lavender.
Make the caramel:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a 9-inch round cake pan. Set aside.
- Melt 4 tablespoons (57g) of butter in a small pot over medium heat. Once melted, add ½ cup (100g) of light brown sugar. Stir to combine. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture darkens slightly in color.
- Turn the heat to low and add the reserved lavender-infused heavy cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and simmer for 1 minute. Turn off the heat.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and smooth it into an even layer. Transfer to the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Prepare the raspberries:
- Place the raspberries in a bowl with 1 tablespoon (7g) cornstarch and 1 tablespoon (12g) granulated sugar. Toss gently to coat.
Make the batter:
- Place 1½ tablespoons (7g) Earl Grey tea and 1½ teaspoons lavender in a mortar and pestle and grind until a coarse powder forms. See Note 1. Transfer the mixture through a sieve and discard any large pieces.
- Sift 1 cup (120g) of all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon (7g) powdered buttermilk, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt into a small bowl. Add the tea and lavender mixture. Set aside.
- Add 4 tablespoons (57g) of room temperature butter and ½ cup (100g) of granulated sugar to a large bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to cream them together. Add 2 eggs and beat until smooth.
- Add half the dry ingredients and beat with the mixer until just combined. Add half the milk and beat until just combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients and the remaining milk, along with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat until just combined. Don’t over-mix!
Assemble the cake:
- Remove the cake pan from the refrigerator. Arrange the raspberries in concentric circles in the caramel. Pour the batter over the raspberries and smooth it out with the back of your spatula.
Bake the upside-down cake:
- Transfer the cake to the oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Let the cake stand at room temperature for 1 hour. The cake should still be warm to the touch.
Flip the cake:
- Place a large plate over the cake pan and carefully invert the cake onto the plate. Let stand for 1 hour until completely cool.
Prepare the mascarpone frosting:
- Combine 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Sift ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar into the bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
- Add 4 ounces (112g) mascarpone cheese to the bowl and beat until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to overmix. Stop mixing as soon as the mixture tightens up into a stiff, spreadable frosting, otherwise you’ll risk breaking the mixture.
- Cover and refrigerate the frosting until the cake cools completely.
Frost the cake:
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag and frost the top of the upside-down cake, or use a rubber spatula to pile the frosting on top and smooth it out. Sprinkle lemon zest on top. Slice the cake and enjoy!
Hi – this looks amazing – if I don’t have buttermilk powder, should I just sub all the milk for liquid buttermilk?
Just omit it instead! All buttermilk might be a little overpowering; it could work but I haven’t tested it with all buttermilk. I have made this cake recipe WITHOUT powdered buttermilk though, with fine results, so I would just skip it.
when it’s in the oven, is the caramel supposed to like… super bubble up around the sides of the cake? it’s making me nervous LMAO….
It can! I would put a baking sheet on the bottom shelf to catch anything that drizzles over the edges. Sometimes it depends on how much moisture is in the fruit!
Very lovely
So happy to hear that – thank you!