Earl Grey Raspberry Cake with Earl Grey Swiss Buttercream

1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Butter and line with baking paper three 18 cm cake pans.
2. Make the syrup. Bring the sugar, corn syrup, and water to a boil in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add in the tea, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let steep until cool. Strain and set aside. 
3. Heat the milk in the medium saucepan until almost boils. Add 1 1/2 tbsp tea, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it steep for additional 10 minutes. Strain and set aside.
4. In a large bowl mix together flour, baking powder, salt and the ground tea.
5. In a bowl of a stand mixer beat together  butter and the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, on at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stop the mixer and scrap down sides of the bowl.
6. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the tea infused milk in small amounts at a time. Mix in the vanilla and beat for a couple of minutes.
7. Divide the butter between prepared pans and bake for about 35 minutes or until the toothpick insert into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pans for about 10 minutes and then turn out onto a cooling wrack to cool completely.
8. Make the buttercream. Pour the egg whites and sugar into a heat proof bowl and place the bowl on the top of a sauce pan of a simmering water. Whisk constantly until the mixture reaches 65C on a candy thermometer, or it is hot to the touch. Remove bowl from the heat. 
9. Using stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat the mixture until you have medium stiff glossy peaks, about 10 minutes. Swap the whisk for the paddle attachment, and with the mixer set on medium speed beat in the butter, a little at a time. Beat for 3-5 minutes, add the syrup and vanilla, beat until combined. 
10. Assemble the cake. Place first layer on a cake plate or a board and generously brush with the 1/3 of a remaining Earl Grey syrup and spread 2 tbsp of the raspberry preserves. Repeat with the second layer. Place the last, third layer on top, cut side down, brush with the syrup. Spread the remaining frosting evenly on top and around the cake. Garnish with fresh raspberries, if desired. 
     

Store the cake in the fridge but serve in the room temperature. 

Happy baking!