Indulge in a delightful culinary journey with Grandma's Old-Fashioned Tea Cakes, a collection of delectable recipes passed down through generations. These classic treats, perfect for afternoon tea or special occasions, offer a comforting taste of nostalgia. From the melt-in-your-mouth texture of the Original Tea Cakes to the zesty kick of Lemon Tea Cakes, each recipe promises a unique sensory experience. Discover the secrets behind these timeless treasures and embark on a baking adventure that will leave you and your loved ones craving more.
Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!
OLD FASHIONED TEA CAKE
Fluffy, buttery, and shockingly tender, old fashioned tea cakes are more akin to a crossover between a biscuit and a cookie than they are to a cake. Like many of our oldest recipes, tea cakes were created out of scarcity-both in ingredients and time. Rather than the time consuming yeasted breads made for holidays or the intricate (and expensive) pastries made for celebrations like weddings and birthdays, tea cakes were more of an everyday treat to be enjoyed with a cup of tea. But seventy years ago, treats regularly baked to stock the cupboard for a surprise visit had to be made without requiring a great deal of time and without depleting the pantry of its resources. The tea cake took very little time to make and called for ingredients already laying around the kitchens of our great grandparents. While they may look like cookies, they certainly don't taste like them. Tea cakes contain much less sugar than a conventional cookie, and the main liquid ingredient is buttermilk, giving a slightly savory edge to an already mildly sweet pastry. At their most basic, tea cakes are simply flour and sugar combined with butter and buttermilk. Flavors like vanilla, cinnamon, or lemon are regularly used to add a touch of flair to the otherwise simple cakes. Our recipe calls for the zest of one lemon, adding just the right hint of citrus to the buttery tea cake.
Provided by Micah A Leal
Categories Cakes
Time 1h35m
Yield 12 tea cakes
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Combine flour, sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to mix.
- Scatter butter across surface. Pulse until butter is completely incorporated into dry ingredients. Add buttermilk and pulse a few times until the dough clumps together. Gather dough, barely kneading until you can shape the dough into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. On a well floured surface, use a floured rolling pin to roll dough into a 1/4-inch thick circle. Use a 3-inch round cutter to punch out circles from the dough; transfer circles to prepared baking sheet. Reroll scraps and cut out additional circles.
- Bake until tea cakes have puffed slightly and barely take on color, 12-14 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before removing from baking sheet.
DEEP SOUTH OLD FASHIONED TEA CAKES
Steps:
- In a large bowl cream together butter and shortening until creamy.
- Mix in sugar until well combined.
- Mix in egg.
- Mix in lemon zest and vanilla bean paste. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.
- Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk.
- Turn dough onto a smooth surface and knead until dough is soft.
- Shape into a disk and cover with plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate for 1 hour (or freeze for 30 minutes)
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Remove dough from fridge and plastic wrap.
- Knead dough to soften it.
- Roll dough to 1/4-inch thick.( I rolled the dough on parchment to prevent sticking)
- Use a round cookie cutter to cut out circle shapes.
- Place cookies on prepared pan about 2 inches apart. (see note)
- Bake for 8-10 minutes until bottoms are lightly golden. (see note)
- Remove from pan and place on cooling rack to finish cooling.
- Once cooled store in airtight container.
GRANDMA'S OLD FASHIONED TEA CAKES
A soft teacake that is best when one to two days old. You can change flavors by substituting almond or lemon extract for the vanilla. Add a few drop of food coloring to dress up the dough for special occasions.
Provided by RGA
Categories Desserts Cookies Sugar Cookies
Time 53m
Yield 24
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; stir into the creamed mixture. Knead dough for a few turnns on a floured board until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until firm.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch in thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 1/2 inches apart onto cookie sheets.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 187.8 calories, Carbohydrate 26.6 g, Cholesterol 35.8 mg, Fat 8.3 g, Fiber 0.4 g, Protein 2.2 g, SaturatedFat 5 g, Sodium 135.3 mg, Sugar 14.7 g
GRANNY'S OLD - FASHION TEA CAKES
HERE IS A TASTE OF CHILDHOOD! These will take you back to those warm summer days in Grandma's kitchen!
Provided by Darla Hill
Categories Cookies
Time 30m
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- 1. Cream butter; add sugar and well beaten egg. Add salt and flavoring. Sift flour and baking powder. Add slowly to mixture, alternating with milk until mixed. Roll 1/8 inch thick and cut with biscuit cutter. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.
MISSISSIPPI TEA CAKES
This is my mother's recipe, her mother's recipe, and so on... Basic, simple, down-home and delicious!! My grandmother's advice is to enjoy warm with a big glass of ice-cold milk!!! Poor folks' heaven!!!
Provided by prissycat
Categories Desserts Cookies International Cookie Recipes American Cookie Recipes
Time 50m
Yield 36
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
- In a medium bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda; beat into the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 72.5 calories, Carbohydrate 11 g, Cholesterol 12 mg, Fat 2.8 g, Fiber 0.2 g, Protein 1 g, SaturatedFat 1.7 g, Sodium 53.1 mg, Sugar 5.7 g
GRANDMA'S TEA CAKES
When I was a child, these golden cookies were a special treat from my grandmother, who often invited me to tea parties at her house. Now when I make these cookies. I remember those warm special times.
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Desserts
Time 35m
Yield 5-1/2 dozen.
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- In a bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs and extract; beat well. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Chill for 1-2 hours. Shape into 1-1/4-in. balls. Place 2-1/2 in. apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 11-13 minutes or until lightly browned (do not overbake). Cool 1 minute on pan before removing to a wire rack.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 150 calories, Fat 6g fat (2g saturated fat), Cholesterol 20mg cholesterol, Sodium 97mg sodium, Carbohydrate 21g carbohydrate (12g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 2g protein.
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients, especially butter, sugar, and flour. This will make a big difference in the taste of your tea cakes.
- Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature before you start baking. This will help the ingredients mix together more easily and create a smoother batter.
- Don't overmix the batter. Overmixing can make the tea cakes tough.
- Bake the tea cakes until they are just set in the center. Over baking will make them dry.
- Let the tea cakes cool completely before frosting them. This will help the frosting set properly.
Conclusion:
Grandma's Old-Fashioned Tea Cakes are a delicious and classic treat that is perfect for any occasion. They are easy to make and can be enjoyed by people of all ages. With a few simple tips, you can make sure your tea cakes turn out perfect every time. So next time you are looking for a sweet treat, give this recipe a try!
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