Strawberry Chamomile Cake Recipe

This Strawberry Chamomile Cake is a light, summery dessert that’s as beautiful as it is delicious. Infused with gentle chamomile and topped with a swirl of cream cheese icing and fresh strawberries, it’s the kind of cake that feels right at home on any warm-weather table. Whether you're serving it after a casual dinner or bringing it to a picnic, this cake is an easy favorite for summer gatherings. **This is a 6-inch cake, so it is not meant to feed a large crowd.

Why chamomile?

I love the flavor of chamomile tea and combining this love with one of my favorite summer berries seemed a natural winner. The flavor of the chamomile will be subtle, but that is just what I was looking for. The flavor is cooked into the cake and it is also added in the chamomile simple syrup. In my mind, it is the perfect combination.

What Is Chamomile?

It is a flowering herb and is a part of the daisy family. It is harvested for tea, as we will use it when the flowers open.

Aside from all of those things, it also lends a subtle tasty flavor to baked goods!

Ingredients

• Milk – Used to steep the chamomile, adding subtle floral flavor to the cake
• Chamomile tea bags – Infuse the milk with a calming, herbal note
• Softened butter – Provides richness and helps create a soft, tender crumb
• Granulated sugar – Sweetens the cake and contributes to structure
• Lemon zest – Adds a burst of fresh citrus aroma and flavor to both the cake and the cream cheese icing
• Honey – Lends a gentle floral sweetness that complements the chamomile
• Eggs – Bind the ingredients together and add moisture and lift
• Lemon juice – Balances the sweetness and brightens the flavor
• Vanilla – Adds warmth and depth to the overall flavor profile
• Flour – Forms the structure of the cake and holds everything together
• Baking powder – Helps the cake rise for a light, fluffy texture
• Salt – Enhances and balances the other flavors
• Cream Cheese- for the creamy, tangy icing
• Fresh strawberries- for topping and center of the finished cake. 
• Fresh chamomile flowers- optional for decorating

How to make

Steeping the Tea

1. In a small saucepan, combine milk and 2 packets of chamomile tea.
2. Heat just below a boil, then remove it from the heat.
3. Cover and steep for 10 minutes.
4. Remove the tea bags and set this aside to cool.

Making the Batter

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Grease and flour a 6-inch cake pan (brush with melted butter, then dust lightly with flour).
3. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt, then set aside.
4. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy.
   Add eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix just until combined.
5. To this, pour in half the steeped milk and mix.
6. Next, add half the flour mixture and mix.
7. Repeat with remaining milk and flour, mixing after each addition.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Baking the Cake

1. Bake for at least 45 minutes. Check doneness with a toothpick or gentle press—cake should feel just slightly underdone in the center.
2. Let the cake rest in the pan for 10 minutes.
3. Invert onto a wire rack and cool. 

Chamomile simple syrup

1. Make the simple syrup by combining the sugar and water in a small pan. Heat over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. 
2. Remove the simple syrup from heat and add the tea bags. Allow it took steep for 5-10 minutes. Prick the cake lightly and brush with the simple syrup. You do not need to use all the simple syrup, if you want it less sweet, use about half the syrup. 
3. Let the cake cool completely.

Icing the Cake

1. Mix the quartered strawberries and granulated sugar in a small bowl.
2. Next, blend the ingredients for the cream cheese lemon icing.
3. Spread half the icing on the cake.
4. Top with the strawberries and decorate with fresh chamomile flowers.  

More Baked Good Ideas

• Lemon Chiffon Cake
• Peanut Butter Instant Pot Cheesecake
• Carrot Cake Cookies
• Dark Chocolate Cake Roll With Peppermint Filling
• Walnut Pound Cake With Fresh Figs
• Lemon Cornmeal Cake With Fresh Blueberries
• Double Chocolate Zucchini Cake
• Strawberry Cake With Lime Icing

• Cakes
• Baked