Bush Tea Heavy Cake

Bush Tea Heavy Cake brings together sturdy island-style crumb and the soothing ritual of herb tea brewing. This version is dense yet tender, meant for slow mornings and shared afternoon breaks. The cake travels well, slices cleanly, and tastes even better the next day as the aromas settle into the crumb.

About Bush Tea

Across the Caribbean, bush tea often blends household herbs such as lemongrass, mint, bay leaves, basil, and ginger gently steeped in hot water. For baking, the infusion layers a gentle fragrance into rich batters; here it echoes classic island bakes that often carry the mellow richness of coconut milk.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus a little more unsalted butter for the pan
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup strong cooled bush tea brewed from 1 1/2 cups water with 2 stalks lemongrass, 2 bay leaves, a handful of mint, a few leaves of basil, and 4 slices ginger
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
• 1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Preparation

1. Make the bush tea concentrate: In a small pot, bring the water to a gentle simmer. Add the lemongrass, bay leaves, mint, basil, and ginger. Simmer, then turn off the heat and steep for 10 minutes. Strain, discard the solids, and cool the liquid completely; you will need 3/4 cup for the batter.
2. Prepare the pan and oven: Grease a loaf pan or 8-inch square pan with a little unsalted butter and line with parchment. Preheat the oven to 325°F/165°C.
3. Cream the base: In a mixing bowl, beat the unsalted butter with the granulated sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract and lime zest.
4. Combine the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour with the baking powder, fine salt, and ground nutmeg.
5. Bring the batter together: Add the dry mixture to the creamed mixture in two additions, alternating with the cooled tea and the coconut milk, beginning and ending with the dry mixture. Mix just until combined; do not overbeat.
6. Optional fruit: Fold in the raisins until evenly dispersed.

Baking and Cooling

1. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake until a tester comes out with a few moist crumbs, about 55 to 65 minutes depending on pan and oven.
2. Set the pan on a rack and let the cake rest for 10 minutes, then turn out and cool completely for at least 1 hour before slicing.

How to Enjoy

Serve thick slices plain or with a light smear of unsalted butter. The gentle herbal notes from the tea play against the richness of coconut milk and the warmth of ground nutmeg, while soft bursts of raisins add a pleasant chew. It pairs beautifully with a warm cup of the same herbs used in your brew—more lemongrass, mint, bay leaves, basil, and ginger steeped in hot water.

Tips and Notes

• Strength matters: A robust tea delivers the best aroma, so do not rush the steep; the concentrate balances the richness of unsalted butter and coconut milk.
• Texture: Mix only until the last streaks of all-purpose flour disappear to keep the crumb tender.
• Pan check: If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil and continue baking until done in the window of 55 to 65 minutes.
• Storage: Wrap leftovers tightly; the cake stays moist for several days and the flavors from the tea and the ground nutmeg continue to bloom.