*This sweet and tangy delight makes a wonderful platform for a playland of edible flowers, berries, and herbs.*

Do you love a beautifully decorated cake but sort of lack (or don’t have time for) fondant skills? This easy tea cake is your solution. Mix up the batter and bake, then whip up the frosting and cover with your favorite berries, pansies, and herbs. It was inspired by Must Love Herbs beautiful Orange Dream Cake.

This is a lovely tea cake that pairs beautifully with Harney & Sons Paris Tea Blend.

Orange & Flora Tea Cake

Oven Preheated to 350 F

Combine Dry Ingredients:

2 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 tsp of Baking Soda
1 tsp of Baking Powder
1/4 tsp of Salt

Combine Wet Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons Orange Zest
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup of whole milk yogurt
1/4 cup honey

Beat these together, starting with butter then adding the others in this order:

1/4 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 egg
3/4 cup of sugar
1 ripe banana

Add in the Wet Ingredients and mix till combined. Then add the dry gradually, being careful not to overmix or allow for lumps.

Pour batter into round cake pan of your choice. I used a 9” pan, but an 8” or smaller would be fine as well. Be sure to grease, or use baking spray. You can also line the bottom with parchment paper to ensure easy removal after cooling.

Bake for about 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Remove from oven when completely baked and let cool for 15 minutes before removing to serving stand or dish. Let cool completely before frosting.

Then make the frosting:

4 oz. cream cheese (room temperature)
1/4 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
1/4 cup honey
2 cups of confectioners sugar

In a large bowl combine the cream cheese and butter and beat with an electric mixer on on low, mixing thoroughly until smooth, then shifting to high to cream. Add honey, and beat again, then add confectioners sugar 1/2 cup at at time until you achieve a fluffy spreadable consistency. I ended up using less than 2 cups. You can chill in refrigerator for about 5-10 minutes if the cake isn’t cool enough to frost.

Decorate with Clementine Oranges (I used Halos, which are easy to peel), herbs, edible flowers like pansies or nasturtiums, berries. I copied Herbs idea of using whole peeled Mandarins on top, but you can also arrange them in sections among the flowers and berries so that cutting and serving is a little easier if you’re making this for a group.