Little flavor bombs with a burst of citrus, almond and vanilla, this 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.
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 then, and continues today.
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 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.
How to Make Almond-Orange Mini Tea Cakes with Brown Butter
These mini 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!
These 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.
Mini tea cakes small size is good for portion control, but watch out! They’re addicting!
A Few Recipe Notes
- 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! I’ve baked in commercial bakery and home ovens, old, lightly used and brand new ovens – they all have their own personalities with temperature variations and fluctuations. Knowing the temperature of your oven is important for the best outcome, especially when it comes to baking.
the recipe
Almond-Orange Mini Tea Cakes with Brown Butter
Ingredients
- 14 Tbs (200g / 7oz) Unsalted Butter cut in pieces, for brown butter
- 1 Tbs Unsalted Butter melted, for preparing the pan
- 3/4 C + 1 Tbs (110g) Powder Sugar
- 1 C (115g) Almond Flour
- 1/3 C + 2 Tbs (75g) All Purpose Flour
- 3/4 C (180g) Egg Whites* (see note) room temperature, about 6 eggs
- 2 tsp Orange Zest
- 1 Vanilla Bean seeds scraped, or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
Options to Include:
- 24 Blueberries fresh or frozen
- 3 Tbs Raw Pistachios rough chopped
Instructions
Brown the Butter:
- In a medium sauce pot, add 14 Tbs of butter and heat on medium-low. Swirl the pan occasionally to melt the butter. Take your time here. Cook on medium-low for about 6-7 minutes. Notice it will bubble and sputter. Swirl again. The solids will begin to sink to the bottom and brown. It's ready when the butter and solids are a golden brown. But watch it! It burns easily, so adjust the heat as needed. Quickly remove the brown butter from the heat and pour it into a heatproof jar (you want to stop the cooking) - include all the brown solid (nutty/tasty) bits. Set aside to cool. Food52 has a video that shows how to brown butter if needed. Preheat oven to 400F (204C) and set rack to center of oven.
Prepare the Pan:
- In a muffin pan, using a pastry brush, brush the the entire cup and top rim with melted butter. Pop the pan in the refrigerator so the butter firms up. This will make it easier to remove the little cakes. If you need to bake in two batches, the remaining batter can rest on the counter. Allow the baking pan to cool before preparing it for the next batch.
Make the Cake Batter:
- In a large mixing bowl, sift in the powder sugar, almond and all purpose flour. Whisk in the egg whites until the batter comes together and there are no dry patches. Add the cooled brown butter, orange zest and vanilla beans (or paste/extract). Whisk until the batter comes together.
- Scoop the cake batter using a slightly overfilled #50 scoop or heaped tablespoon (1 1/4 Tbs) to portion each tea cake. Top with one blueberry each (nestle the blueberry in just a smidge), and/or a sprinkle of pistachios and/or leave plain.
- Bake tea cakes at 400F (204C) for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375F (190C) and bake for an additional 8-9 minutes, until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes clean. Cool for 10 minutes on a cooling rack, then remove the cakes from the pan. If they need a little nudge, gently slide a pairing knife between the cake and the pan. Cool completely before storing them at room temperature in a lidded container.
I am making my second batch of these beauties as I’m rating this recipe. I tasted them and they’re delicate and delicious. However, I feel there’s too much butter, I can feel the grease. Can I reduce it?
Hi Vassa! That’s the nature of Friands… they’re very buttery. I’ve not tried making these with less butter, so I can’t say whether or not it’s okay to reduce it. If you give it a go, please let us know how it works out!
I got 2 thumps-ups today, I don’t want to modify the recipe. I’ll say I learned something new! Thanks again!
So happy to hear, Vassa! Thank you for your note!
Wheres the orange in the recipe?
Hi Person…. it’s orange zest, 2 tsp. I hope this helps!
Hi, so, this looks really amazing – I love the classy flavor combinations + the fact it doesn’t look overly sweet. I was wondering however, if I could just adapt the recipe somehow to use a standard size muffin tin (12 muffins)?
Cheers!
Marta
Hi Marta! Thank you for your note and kind words… I formulate most of my recipes by reducing the sugar and/or using natural sweeteners. You could try giving this recipe a go using a standard muffin tin! It should be just fine. Just follow the directions as per the recipe. You’ll need to bake them longer, however. By how much, I’m not sure… maybe an additional 4-5 minutes (I’m guessing). Use a toothpick or cake tester to test to see if the cakes are done. I hope this helps and you enjoy the recipe!
I am such a sucker for anything with almond flour and these might be the cutest almond flour cupcakes I have ever seen in my life. Seriously, they are so cute. I can only imagine how yummy they taste.
I love it so much when you create your knowledge with us Traci. You are such a great teacher and I learn so much every time I read your posts.
Oh and as always, GORGEOUS photos. <3
I know, me too Aysegul! Almond flour, brown butter, orange… oh my! Thank you for your encouragement xo
I’m not much of a baker, Traci – but these look so delicious. I love that they are petite tea cakes versus giant muffins (which is usually just too much muffin for me). And I love all the different flavor options – a bit of something for everyone. The pastry school community high tea sounds great – that is something that I would love to go to with my mom!
Thank you Geraldine! Little bite size treats… problem is I can’t keep up with how many I pop in my mouth! LOL! And I love high tea…. with my mom too! xo
These are such perfect little tea cakes, I adore the brown butter (of course!).
I know you do, Laura! xo
Almond cake is probably my favorite treat. I love that you used brown butter and made these bite-sized!
Thank you Karen!… oh the brown butter and bite sizes :o!
These are SO darling! A beautiful set of photos here and makes me want to get in the kitchen to bake. All of those variations too- the perfect tea cakes, Traci! I would love to hear more about your pastry school adventures someday. Sounds like a dream, although I am sure it was such hard work!
Ahhhh, looking at images of flour, butter, and eggs always makes me want to bake too… Such a meditative experience (when one’s not rushed – lol!). Hard work, indeed! OMGeee and SO many dishes! xo
You had me at brown butter! That sounds like such a fun pasty school and such a wonderful experience! I could definitely benefit from some pasty classes haha. These are so cute and I’m pretty sure I could eat the entire basket :)
It’s so nutty, right? And yes, the entire basket! I get it Izzy! LOL!
Pastry school seems like a dream school! These little tea cakes are so nice and I’d probably eat a ton of them, but think they’d also make a perfect snack for my kids too. I love this idea!
Hi Aimee! It was a dream, yes, but a lot of work. I took theory classes too (the chemistry of baking and bakery management)… but the rest was hands on. I’d say 1/4 of that time I was in the dish pit cleaning dishes :o . I admit, I ate a lot of these little bites, but had Rob (my hubs) take most to work! Too tempting to keep in the house! I hope you and your kiddos enjoy the recipe!
Okay, pastry school sounds like the most incredible experience! I would prob gain at least 10 pounds a week, haha! Especially with goodies like these mini tea cakes. The almond-orange combo sounds so flipping delicious. I could not be trusted with them!
It was such an incredible experience… so many fond memories. I really had to resist all the sugar, and it wasn’t too hard. We sold just about every thing we made with a nibble or two to sample to make sure it tasted great! I love almond orange too! I don’t want orange season to end! Boooo!
These little babes look just perfect. Almond-orange is a combination that makes me swoon too. I love hearing about your pastry school days – what an experience! xoxo
Thanks, girl! I know a 1 to 1 GF flour could be used here too :D . Oh yes, almond orange is a favorite. I’ve been craving cake with that combo… and these just HIT ME! lol !
Your journey in life sounds as beautiful as these little cakes are…. So pretty and delicious! What time’s tea? xo
Tea time, my dear, anytime! Come on over!
Awesome! I’m always looking for something to do with the stash of eggwhites in my freezer (leftover from ice cream making) that isn’t meringues or angel food cake. These will be perfect for Easter, thanks so much for the recipe!
No doubt, they pile up from ice cream making – and for me, mostly, Pots de Cream (OMG!)! I always save mine too because like you said, meringues! And then theres buttercream, macaroons, coconut macarons and little brown butter tea cakes! SO many things! I hope you enjoy the recipe Katie! Thank you for stopping by!
I love your recipes
I m from Greece and some of the ingredients are not easy to found there
Thank you, you are the best, I’m following you!!
Hi Meni! Thank you for your note, and following! I hope you’re able to locate the ingredients for these little cakes!
I LOVE Tea cakes, I think those are my favorite things to bake! I LOVE YOUR little tea cakes, and the flavor is seriously a BOMB here. Pastry school sounds so much fun, I really wish I get a chance to go , even if I am old :) LOVE your shots as always…. they are always so mesmerizing and calming for some reason :) I am not kidding!!!
Agreed.. little pop in your mouth this time. SO tempting! You’re NEVER too old to go to Pastry School Amisha! You’ve got some really nice choices around where you live, too! Thank you for your encouragement xo
beautiful little cakes Traci! and anything brown butter, always. X
Hii Thalia! Thank you so much… indeed… brown butter :D
Love hearing about your pastry school experience and your connection to this recipe. These little cakes probably make the house smell so good while they are baking. I may just have to nestle a few of these into some Easter baskets, especially the pistachio ones!
What a treat for those Easter egg hunters! Thank you Jean… the pistachios add such a nice crunch!
Pastry school sounds like such fun Traci. Wish I could fit that in somehow! I’m absolutely loving these little tea cakes. So perfect for spring. The burst of citrus, the almond flour for a nice fine crumb, and the browned butter all make for one spectacular little treat. A pretty basket filled with these for Easter brunch, Mother’s Day or any spring party would be perfect!
Fun, yes, but too a lot of work. There’s also the dreaded dish pit! Can you imagine the dishes with all the baking? I’d wanted to go for so long and the timing was right after leaving my career – in-between careers – I’m glad I did it. Oh yes, the citrus, the crumb! You know the magic of almond flour! A nice little bite for spring festivities!
Pastry school sounds so fun! No wonder your treats always look delicious! These are perfect for Easter or Mother’s Day brunch. OR an after school snack for the kiddos…
It was fun, but a lot of work – 7 hours a day, on your feet, hands on work – indeed a working bakery. Too, with all that baking, there’s the dreaded dish pit. I washed millions of dishes (lol)! It was part of the gig! Snacks, brunch, Easter, all of the above, Karen!
I would just love to go to pastry school some day. You know, when there is free time (lol – what’s free time!). These little cakes are adorable and seem perfect for brunch. I just love cooking with almonds/almond flour. Adds such great texture and flavor! I think the blueberry would be my fav!
Lol – right? I squeezed it in after I left teaching. It’s something I wanted to do for so long, and somehow it worked out – just good timing! You’d love it Liz, given your love of baking. Almond flours texture in baked recipes is the best! I love it too!