I do not own a teapot.
One could argue I have plenty of other useful skills: I can correctly address a formal letter to the Italian Consulate in New York, remove stubborn sauce residue by boiling a little water with baking soda, and even bake booze into desserts for an unforgettable party trick. Still, there’s something definitive about owning your own teapot — a small but meaningful sign of domestic adulthood.
Perhaps it’s my Scottish roots, but tea is taken seriously in my family. They prefer it freshly brewed in a royal blue teapot, always with milk and sugar — small details that come down to personal taste. Fancy cups, matching saucers, tiny spoons, lidded sugar bowls, creamers: all the accessories make tea drinking feel like an event. That’s part of the charm.
My mom demonstrates this love of the ritual down to the smallest detail — she even owns a tiny lemon-shaped sponge that fits over the spout to catch drips. Practical, a little whimsical, and undeniably useful: it keeps the table free of rings and adds a touch of charm. I, meanwhile, am collecting tiny spoons, waiting for the day a teapot joins my cabinets.
In the meantime I’m perfectly content to bake with tea and enjoy it one cup at a time. This loaf cake is a simple, everyday treat — not overly sweet, with a base of black tea steeped in milk. A generous spoonful of yogurt keeps the crumb moist, while toasted sliced almonds add a pleasant crunch.
Serve this easy cake warm in thick slices for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or a late-night indulgence when no one is watching.
Earl Grey Almond Yogurt Cake
Makes one 8×4 loaf
3 bags (6 grams) earl grey tea leaves
1/4 cup (60 ml) milk
1 1/4 cup (156 grams) all-purpose flour
1 cup (100 grams) almond flour
2 teaspoons (9 grams) baking powder
1 teaspoon (2 grams) salt
1 cup (215 grams) sugar
zest and juice of one lemon
1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
2/3 cup (160 grams) yogurt
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/4 cup (22 grams) sliced almonds, toasted
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter an 8×4 loaf pan, line it with parchment, and butter the paper. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, combine the milk and tea leaves (I cut open the tea bags and emptied the leaves into the pan). Heat over low, stirring occasionally, until the milk is warm and fragrant with tea. Remove from heat and let the tea steep while you prepare the other ingredients.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and lemon zest. In a separate bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk the oil, yogurt, lemon juice, and vanilla until combined. Stir the cooled tea-infused milk into the yogurt mixture. In a small bowl, lightly whisk the eggs, then add them to the wet mixture and beat until smooth.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and fold together with several quick strokes until just combined — avoid overmixing. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, sprinkle the top with toasted sliced almonds, and bake for 45–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
