Georgian Black Tea and Honey Walnut Cake
A moist spiced cake soaked in a Georgian Black tea syrup and layered with honey and walnuts, echoing the malty, nutty harmony of the tea itself.
This cake takes its cue from gozinaki, the honey-walnut brittle eaten across Georgia, and folds those same flavors into a soft, tea-soaked sponge. Brewing the tea strong and reducing it into a syrup concentrates its malty character so it survives baking instead of disappearing into the batter.
Walnuts are folded into the cake batter itself and scattered between layers, giving the crumb a gentle crunch and echoing the tea's own faint nuttiness — the two ingredients were practically made to share a plate.
Soaking the baked layers in the warm tea syrup right out of the oven is the key step: it keeps the cake moist for days and lets the malty, slightly toasty tea flavor permeate every bite rather than sitting only on the surface.
Finish with a honey glaze and a final scatter of toasted walnuts. Serve in thin slices with a fresh cup of the same Georgian Black tea — the cake and the cup were built to taste like the same idea twice.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup neutral oil
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
- 1 cup strong-brewed Georgian Black tea, hot
- 1/3 cup honey
- 2 tbsp honey, for the glaze
- Extra toasted walnuts, for garnish
How to make it
- 1Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F) and grease a 9-inch round cake pan.
- 2Whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat sugar and eggs until pale, then mix in the oil and yogurt.
- 3Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, then fold in the chopped walnuts. Pour into the prepared pan and bake 30–35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- 4While the cake bakes, simmer the hot tea with 1/3 cup honey for 5 minutes to make a syrup.
- 5While the cake is still warm, poke holes across the top with a skewer and slowly spoon the warm tea syrup over it until fully absorbed.
- 6Once cooled, drizzle with the remaining honey and scatter toasted walnuts on top before slicing.
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