This Chamomile Cake with Chamomile Buttercream recipe yields fluffy vanilla chamomile cake filled with chamomile buttercream, fresh strawberries and lemon curd. You don't need special cake pans for this recipe, because the cake is baked in a 9x13 pan, then trimmed and stacked for an impressive-looking cake that is actually easy to make!
When I originally developed this delicious cake in 2022, I only flavored the buttercream with chamomile, but I've since updated the recipe to flavor the cake with chamomile too. In the original cake I flavored the buttercream with chamomile tea bags, but this time I used loose leaf dried whole chamomile flowers. Whether you go the herbal tea bags or loose-leaf chamomile tea route, you'll end up with a moist and fluffy cake with a beautiful delicate floral flavor. The cake base is originally adapted from Recipe Tin Eats. The chamomile buttercream is an ermine frosting, or "boiled milk" frosting, meaning you make a pudding of sorts with milk, flour and sugar and beat that cooled mixture into whipped room temperature butter.
This delicious cake is also filled with lemon curd and fresh strawberries to add brightness to uplift the whole flavor profile. I used store-bought lemon curd, but if you want to make your own I have instructions with my passion fruit cake, and you can replace the passion fruit pulp with more lemon juice. If you're looking for an even easier chamomile cake, try my lavender honey chamomile tea cake. It's a single layer and the frosting is a super easy honey glaze.
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why You'll Love This Recipe
- The chamomile flavor is potent and customizable. Use more or less, depending on your tastes.
- The cake is plush, and stays moist for days.
- Strawberry and lemon are complementary to chamomile.
Ingredients
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- All-purpose flour gives the cake a tender crumb.
- Baking powder gives rise to the cake layers.
- Eggs bring structure to the cake.
- Granulated sugar sweetens the cake and the buttercream.
- Unsalted butter brings richness to the cake, and flavor to the buttercream.
- Whole milk brings moisture to the cake and the buttercream.
- Vanilla and kosher salt round out the overall flavor.
- Vegetable oil emulsifies the cake batter and helps it stay moist longer.
- Chamomile flavors the cake and buttercream. You can use chamomile tea bags or dry loose leaf chamomile flowers.
- Cream cheese flavors the buttercream. It is optional, but it complements the chamomile flavor.
- Sliced strawberries bring freshness to the cake.
- Lemon curd brings brightness and tang to the cake. I used store-bought, but you can also use homemade.
- White chocolate flavors and helps emulsify the frosting.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
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Substitutions and variations
- Honey soak — a great way to make this a honey chamomile cake would be through a simple syrup cake soak. Combine equal parts honey and water (for ex. ½ cup honey to ½ cup water) in a saucepan over medium-low and stir until completely combined. Use a pastry brush to generously brush it on the cake layers before assembling.
- Swiss meringue buttercream — if you prefer a Swiss meringue buttercream, try my buttercream recipe from this white cake. It still has cream cheese and is flavored with optional almond.
- Jam — in lieu of fresh fruit, fill the cake with raspberry jam, or another fruit jam.
- Olive oil — swap the oil in the cake for olive oil, for even more flavor.
- More strawberry — add 1 oz of ground and sifted freeze-dried strawberries to the finished buttercream to make this a strawberry chamomile cake.
This recipe has not been tested with any substitutions or variations. If you try any, please let me know how it turned out by commenting below!
How To Make Chamomile Cake With Chamomile Buttercream
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x12 rectangle baking pan and line with parchment. Whisk together flour, salt and baking powder until thoroughly combined and set aside. Crack eggs into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat the eggs on medium speed for 1 minute. With the mixer running, slowly stream the sugar in. When the sugar is completely in, turn the speed to high and beat for about 7 minutes. The mixture should be light and fluffy.
Step 2: Combine the milk and butter in a saucepan and gently heat until completely melted. Do not let it overheat or simmer. Set aside but do not let it cool off too much (do not do this ahead of time).
Step 3: Add the dry ingredients mixture in three parts to the egg mixture just mixing until almost combined. If you still see flour, finish mixing by hand by folding the batter with a rubber spatula. Add vanilla and oil to the milk-butter mixture and whisk to combine. Remove two large spoonfuls of batter and add it to the milk-butter mixture and whisk to completely combine. This tempers your milk mixture so that it does not cook your egg mixture. Pour the milk mixture into the rest of the egg mixture with the beaters running on low. Scrape the sides of the bowl and continue beating just 10-15 seconds more until combined. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool completely.
Step 4: Warm the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Turn off the heat and add the chamomile tea bags. Let steep for at least 10 minutes. Combine flour and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk and cook for about 2 minutes to toast the flour. Slowly add the chamomile tea milk, whisking to combine, and turn heat to medium-high. Bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking continuously for 3-5 minutes until it is thick and pudding-like.Transfer to a heat-proof bowl. Cover with plastic wrap so that it is touching the surface without any air bubbles in between to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. Alternatively, Spread the mixture onto a sheet pan (covered with plastic) and put it in the freezer for 30 minutes to cool it down faster. Ensure the mixture is completely cool, otherwise it will melt the butter.
Step 5: Add the room temperature butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on high until very light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. In a separate bowl, whip cream cheese with a whisk or hand beater for a few seconds to get out any lumps. Add it to your butter and whip on high until incorporated. Add the cooled flour mixture gradually, by the spoonful, while still beating. Incorporating the mixture slowly ensures a smoother consistency. Add vanilla and salt, and mix until fully incorporated. Stream in the melted and cooled white chocolate with the mixer running on low.
Step 6: With the long side towards you, slice the cake in thirds. Each section should be 4 inches wide. Put a small dollop of buttercream on a serving plate or board (this will help the cake stick and not slide around). Place the first layer of cake on top. Cover the top of the first layer with a thin layer of buttercream with an offset spatula. Then pipe a border around the edge. I used a large star tip. Remove a bit of excess buttercream in the middle to make room for the strawberries. Place a single layer of strawberries in the middle of the cake. Spoon small dollops of lemon curd over the strawberries. Smooth the curd into the cracks with a small offset spatula. Place the second layer of cake on top. Repeat the previous steps for filling. Finally, place the third layer of cake on top. This time, pipe the border of buttercream first, then pipe a straight line of buttercream down the middle. Add a few dollops of lemon curd. Make swoops and swirls with a small spoon or with the end of the offset spatula. Top with strawberry slices and chamomile flowers, if using.
Top Tips
- The buttercream’s flour milk mixture can be made ahead of time, but do not make the frosting as a whole until the day of. It pipes better fresh.
- For easier decorating, place the cake in the freezer after frosting each layer before placing the next one on top to firm up the buttercream.
- Be sure to use room temperate ingredients unless otherwise specified. It helps the ingredients blend together easier.
Lastly, if you make this Chamomile Cake with Chamomile Buttercream recipe be sure to leave a comment or give it a rating. I love to see when people make my recipes, so please tag me @youthsweets on Instagram if you post!
📖 Recipe
Chamomile Cake with Chamomile Buttercream
Ingredients
Vanilla bean cake
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3-5 chamomile tea bags (5 tablespoon or 9g whole chamomile flowers)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (300g)
- ½ cup unsalted butter (115g)
- 3 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- 3 teaspoon oil (12g) avocado, vegetable or canola
Chamomile buttercream
- 1 ⅕ cups whole milk (360g, 12 oz)
- 3-5 chamomile tea bags (5 tablespoon or 9g whole chamomile flowers)
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (300g, 10.5 oz)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (65g, 2.25 oz)
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 12 oz butter (340g, 3 sticks) softened
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
Filling and garnish
- fresh sliced strawberries
- lemon curd I used store bought to save time
- chamomile flowers
Instructions
Do ahead
- Warm the milk for the cake gently on the stove. Add the chamomile and let steep overnight in the refrigerator. Repeat with the milk for the frosting.
- The flour milk mixture for the buttercream can be made ahead of time as it needs to cool completely before being added to the butter.
Make the cake layers
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 9x12 rectangle baking pan and line with parchment.
- Whisk together flour, salt and baking powder until thoroughly combined and set aside.
- Crack eggs into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat the eggs on medium speed for 1 minute. With the mixer running, slowly stream the sugar in.
- When the sugar is completely in, turn the speed to high and beat for about 7 minutes. The mixture should be light and fluffy.
- Combine the strained chamomile milk and butter in a saucepan and gently heat until completely melted. Do not let it overheat or simmer. Set aside but do not let it cool off too much (do not do this ahead of time).
- Add the flour mixture in three parts to the egg mixture just mixing until almost combined. If you still see flour, finish mixing by hand by folding the batter with a rubber spatula.
- Add vanilla and oil to the milk-butter mixture and whisk to combine.
- Remove two large spoonfuls of batter and add it to the milk-butter mixture and whisk to completely combine. This tempers your milk mixture so that it does not cook your egg mixture.
- Pour the milk mixture into the rest of the egg mixture with the beaters running on low. Continue beating just 10-15 seconds more until combined.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool completely.
Make the frosting
- Combine flour and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk and cook for about 2 minutes to toast the flour.
- Slowly add the strained chamomile milk, whisking to combine, and turn heat to medium-high. Bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking continuously until it is thick and pudding-like. Once simmering, cook for an additional minute.
- Transfer to a heat-proof bowl. Cover with plastic wrap so that it is touching the surface without any air bubbles in between to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. Alternatively, Spread the mixture onto a sheet pan (covered with plastic) and put it in the freezer for 30 minutes to cool it down faster. Ensure the mixture is completely cool, otherwise it will melt the butter.
- Add the room temperature butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on high until very light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, whip cream cheese with a whisk or hand beater for a few seconds to get out any lumps. Add it to your butter and whip on high until incorporated.
- Add the cooled flour mixture gradually, by the spoonful, while still beating. Incorporating the mixture slowly ensures a smoother consistency.
- Add vanilla and salt, and mix until fully incorporated. Stream in the melted and cooled white chocolate with the mixer running on low until completely mixed in.
Assemble the cake
- With the long side towards you, slice the cake in thirds. Each section should be about 4 inches wide. Level the tops and trim off the toasted sides, if desired.
- Put a small dollop of buttercream on a serving plate or board (this will help the cake stick and not slide around). Place the first layer of cake on top.
- Cover the top of the first layer with a thin layer of buttercream with an offset spatula. Then pipe a border around the edge. I used a large French star tip.
- Remove a bit of excess buttercream in the middle to make room for the strawberries and curd.
- Place a single layer of strawberries in the middle of the cake. Spoon small dollops of lemon curd over the strawberries. Smooth the curd into the cracks with a small offset spatula.
- Place the second layer of cake on top. Repeat the previous steps for filling.
- Finally, place the third layer of cake on top. This time, pipe the border of buttercream first, then pipe a straight line of buttercream down the middle. Add a few dollops of lemon curd. Make swoops and swirls with a small spoon or with the end of the offset spatula.
- Top with strawberry slices and chamomile flowers, if using.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published 7/6/2022. Updated 4/6/2026.
Can I use a hand-held mixer for this recipe? And also, what is the difference between vanilla bean paste and extract?
Hi Abby! Yes, you could totally use a hand-held mixer for this recipe. Vanilla bean paste is just a thicker vanilla paste with real vanilla bean seeds in it (black specks) and vanilla extract is just a liquid vanilla. Either will work for this recipe! Happy baking. 🙂
Sorry, one more question, what temperature should the lemon curd be?
I used a jar of lemon curd that was in the fridge! So room temp or cooled would be perfect. 🙂
I love the way my cake came out, the frosting I was really excited for, but I did have an issue with it. It came out really clumpy, almost the texture of cottage cheese. I've tried twice with the frosting, but I couldn't get it as smooth as it should be. Am I doing something wrong?
Hi, Mariana! Thank you so much for letting me know. Are the clumps in the frosting specks of unincorporated butter? Or something else? If they are specks of butter, your butter may not have been room temperature enough or you may have not beat it long enough to get it smooth before adding the pudding mixture. If the clumps are from the pudding mixture you may need to whisk more aggressively during the flour toasting process and/or when you add the milk. Let me know if that helps or if you have more questions. And thank you again so much for taking the time to give feedback!