Blood Orange Black Tea Cake Pops : Fall Baking Recipe

One of the great things about getting into fall and holiday season is the amount of good excuses there are to bake a yummy treat. This year, add a touch of tea and whimsy to your baking with this recipe. This recipe features standard vanilla cake pops coated in white chocolate but with an unexpected twist. The cake is infused with a loose leaf black tea and herbs like honeybush, hibiscus, orange peel and marigold petals for a layer of cozy, orange flavor. 

This recipe is customizable to different teas. Think Jasmine tea and white chocolate cake pops in the summer or chamomile and lavender in the spring. The options are endless and who doesn't want to make more cake pops. 

Baking using different teas is a great way to experiment with flavors. This recipe features Organic Blood Orange Black which is a black tea base blended with herbs like honeybush, orange peel, hibiscus and more. Tea can be added to baked goods in a few different ways. 

• Infuse the tea into milk or butter 
• Finely ground tea added to dry ingredients 
• Steeped tea used as a wet ingredient 

For the Cake:

• 1/2 cup whole milk 
• 2 Tbsp Organic Blood Sugar Black Tea
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 
• 1/4 tsp salt 
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 1 Tbsp fresh orange zest 
• 2 Tbsp fresh orange juice 

For the Frosting:

• 2 oz cream cheese, softened 
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened 
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar 
• 1/2 tsp vanilla 
• Pinch of salt 

For the Decor: 

• 12 oz of white chocolate 
• 1-2 tsp coconut oil 
• cake pop sticks 
• orange zest 

Step One: Infuse the milk with tea

• Heat 1/2 cup milk in a saucepan until steaming but do not let boil
• add 3 heaping tablespoons of Organic Blood Orange Black Tea
• Steep for 10 minutes
• Strain the tea and let cool

Step two: Make the cake

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish 
• In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. 
• in a separate bow or mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in eggs one at a time. Add in vanilla and orange zest.
• Alternate adding dry ingredients and 1/3 cup of cooled tea infused milk 
• Stir in orange juice
• Pour the mixture in the pan and bake for about 22-27 minutes, checking to make sure the middle is cooked 
• Let the cake cool completely 

Step three: Make the frosting

• In a mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powder sugar, vanilla and salt. 

Step four: Form the cake pops

• When the cake is cooled, crumble it up into a bowl 
• add 1 teaspoon of frosting at a time, mixing thoroughly until the cake mix can hold the shape of a ball 
• Roll mixture into 1-inch balls and set aside in the fridge for about 30 minutes. 

Step five: Dip the cake pops and decorate 

• Melt 12 oz of white chocolate with 1-2 tsp of coconut oil 
• Dip the end of the cake pop stick into the melted white chocolate then insert half way into the cake pop. 
• Dip each cake pop completely in the white chocolate and sprinkle with orange zest before the coating hardens.
• Enjoy the cake pops on their own or with a cup of Organic Blood Orange Black Tea

These tea infused cake pops are perfect for holiday gatherings, birthdays or events like a bridal or baby shower! Serve the cake pops along side the tea that was used for an extra layer of flavor. These particular cake pops would pair well with any of the orange spiced teas below. If you are looking for a caffeine free option for this recipe, the teas below also make for great substitutes to the Blood Orange Black Tea. 

Similar Teas to Try in this Recipe: