Little flavor bites with a burst of citrus, almond and vanilla, this almond mini tea cake recipe is a lovely addition to any special occasion or simply to enjoy with tea. I’ve included three variations on Almond-Orange Mini Tea Cakes with Brown Butter! Quick to whip up and easy to share.

Mini Tea Cakes Recipe Inspiration

When I was in pastry school I couldn’t wait to get to quarter four. It was the fourth rotation of six, the fancy dessert and petit four section of the year and a half long program. The pastry school I attended is a fully equipped working bakery. Pastries, desserts, pies, tarts, bread and cakes made are sold in the college cafe, served in the on campus, culinary student run, restaurants and are open to the public. We even took orders for wedding cakes! The bakery is completely run by students and two teaching chefs. When I reflect back, it’s quite remarkable what came out of that bakery.

We also serviced a community high tea once a quarter. The cutest little petite fours were created especially for this event. Those little cakes that are fussed over to the nth degree, perfectly cut to square with exacting buttercream edges and detailed chocolate work.

But it was these Almond Orange Mini Tea Cakes with Brown Butter we leaned on heavily. They’re easy to make with infinite variations and they taste extra special without all the petit four fuss. And we had to have some sort of back up should something go array.

And it did.

Financier vs Friand

This almond tea cake recipe is similar to the French pastry, financier and the Australian pastry, friand. The difference is financier are traditionally baked in gold-bar like mini tea cake molds. Friands tend to be round in shape and have some sort of inclusion such as fruit, nuts, chocolate (yes, I know!) or coconut, for example.

But it’s the butter and almond flour that shine in these simple mini tea cakes, no matter what you call them. Browning the butter is completely worth the 5-7 minutes it takes to create a little something extra special. All those little specks of brown bits with their toasty-nutty notes make a fabulous addition to these little tea cakes.

Quick Guide: How to Make Almond Mini Tea Cakes

These small tea cakes come together quick, and because they’re mini, sharing is easy.

First, brown the butter. Set aside to cool.
Next, prepare the mini muffin baking pan by carefully brushing each cup with melted butter.
Then, make the batter by sifting the powder sugar, almond and all purpose flour. Whisk in the egg whites until the batter comes together. Add the cooled brown butter, orange zest and vanilla beans (or paste/extract). Whisk.
Scoop batter into prepared pan and top with either pistachios or a blueberry.
Last, bake!

Orange tea cakes store well for about three days at room temperature.

Three Flavors to Choose From

Really, the sky is the limit with flavor inclusions. But for a base tea cake of orange and vanilla, there are three ways to enjoy this recipe:

blueberry
vanilla bean (plain – but not really)
pistachio

Because of their simplicity, none of the flavors outshine the others in these mini tea cakes. They have a slight crunch on the outside with a tender and light interior. And like in most of my sweets recipes, I’ve scaled the sugar back, just a bit, so they’re not too sweet.

Almond mini tea cakes small size is good for portion control, but watch out! They’re addicting!

Traci’s Tips

I use a 24-cup mini muffin pan to bake mini tea cakes. If baking in a 12-cup pan, bake in two batches. Simply rest the remaining batter on the counter while the first batch bakes. Allow the baking pan to cool before preparing it for the next batch.
Proper pan prep is essential for an easy to release mini tea cake. Be sure to butter the rim of each cup too.
I use leftover, previously frozen and thawed egg whites. They work beautifully in this recipe.
Using a cookie scoop will make portioning the tea cakes a snap. Use a small, slightly overfilled #50 scoop. Otherwise use a heaped tablespoon, or piping bag filling each cup a little over 2/3 full.
As with all cakes, these are best the day they’re made. But, I’ve enjoyed these up to three days after baking. Reheating them in a 400F oven (a toaster oven works great) for about five minutes will freshen them up. They’re fabulous warm too!
If browning butter is a new endeavor, Food 52 has how-to video.
I enthusiastically recommend an oven thermometer for the best outcome, especially when it comes to baking.

More Cake Recipes to Love

11 comments