This tea cake recipe makes a soft, moist, and fluffy homemade cake that pairs beautifully with tea or coffee. Made with simple pantry ingredients, lightly flavored with vanilla, and studded with raisins, almonds, and pistachios, this cake is easy enough for beginners and perfect for everyday baking.
What makes this recipe special is that the cake is baked without an oven, using a simple stovetop method. With the right heat control and setup, you can bake a perfectly risen tea cake at home—even if you don’t own an oven.
👉 Recipe Card below contains exact measurements, timings, and step-by-step instructions.
What Is a Tea Cake?
A tea cake is a simple butter-style cake traditionally served with tea or coffee. It’s made using basic baking ingredients like flour, eggs, sugar, and fat (butter or oil), along with a leavening agent such as baking powder to keep it light and fluffy.
In many regions, especially in India, Australia, and South Asia, tea cakes are soft sponge-style cakes baked and served warm, often topped with nuts or dried fruit.
Why This Tea Cake Recipe Works
- Uses oil instead of butter, making the cake extra moist
- Requires no oven — baked on the stovetop
- Simple whisking method (no heavy equipment needed)
- Light crumb with a soft, fluffy texture
- Customizable with nuts, raisins, or flavorings
Ingredients Overview (Quick Notes)
(Exact quantities are listed in the Recipe Card)
- All-purpose flour – sifted for a smooth batter
- Eggs – at room temperature for better emulsification
- Sugar – powdered or fine granulated
- Vegetable oil – keeps the cake moist (butter can be substituted)
- Baking powder – provides lift
- Vanilla extract – for gentle flavor
- Raisins – chopped for even distribution
- Almonds & pistachios – for topping and texture
How to Make Tea Cake Without an Oven (Overview)
This cake follows a simple batter method and is baked on the stovetop using indirect heat.
Step Overview:
- Whisk eggs and sugar until creamy
- Mix in oil and vanilla
- Fold in sifted flour and baking powder
- Add raisins
- Pour batter into a prepared pan
- Bake in a covered pan on low heat
👉 Detailed steps, timing, and heat levels are in the Recipe Card.
Baking the Tea Cake on the Stovetop (Key Method)
To bake without an oven:
- Use a heavy-bottomed pan with a lid
- Place a metal stand or spacer inside the pan
- Preheat the pan briefly before placing the cake mold inside
- Bake covered, using low and controlled heat
This method mimics oven-like heat circulation, ensuring even baking. If you’re new to this method, you can follow our detailed guide on how to bake cakes on the stovetop without an oven for the best results.
Cooling & Slicing the Cake
- Let the cake rest for 6–7 minutes after baking
- Remove from the mold only after slight cooling
- Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing
- Use a serrated knife for clean, even slices
Cutting the cake while hot can cause crumbling.
Serving Suggestions for Tea Cake
This soft and fluffy tea cake is best enjoyed fresh and warm. Its light texture and subtle sweetness make it perfect for both casual tea-time and special gatherings.
- With tea or coffee:
Serve slices of tea cake with a hot cup of tea, green tea, or coffee for a classic afternoon snack. - Lightly toasted:
Toast leftover slices lightly on a pan and spread a little butter for a fresh-from-the-oven feel. - For kids’ snacks:
Serve with warm milk or cocoa for a soft, satisfying snack that children love.
If you enjoy baking cakes on the stovetop, you may also like this fruit cake recipe baked without an oven, which uses the same pan-baking method.
Shelf Life & Storage
- Keeps well for up to 24 hours at room temperature in an airtight container
- For longer storage, wrap tightly and refrigerate for 2–3 days
- Bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture
Tea Cake Tips for Best Results
- Whisk eggs and sugar until light and creamy before adding anything else
- Sift flour and baking powder 2–3 times for a smooth batter
- Use only a few drops of vanilla extract
- If batter feels thick, add 2–3 tbsp milk
- Always cool on a wire rack to prevent overbaking
Tea Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Take the eggs at room temperature and crack them in a mixing bowl. Beat the eggs well with a wire whisk or hand mixer till the egg yolks and whites both are combined well. Operate the hand mixer at low speed.
- Now pour in the sugar powder. Whisk well till the eggs and sugar become creamy. Do not add anything to the mixture until they are creamy.
- When the mixture is creamy, mix in the yellow food color and then mix in the salt.
- After mixing the salt, whisk in the cooking oil.
- Then mix in 2 to 3 drops of vanilla essence.
- First, mix in half quantity of the sifted all-purpose flour and baking powder.
- Then mix in the remaining flour. Mix the batter with the help of a spatula. Also, clean the edges of the bowl with the help of a spatula.
- When the batter is ready include raisins (cut into half) in the batter. After mixing the raisins, pour the batter into the baking mold.
- Now grease the inside of the non-stick springform pan with cooking oil and dust it with flour. You may also grease the pan and line it with parchment paper or SAGA baking paper.
- Pour in the batter now. Tap the mold slightly to spread the batter evenly and to remove the air bubbles from inside. Use a spatula to remove the air bubbles on the surface of the batter.
- Sprinkle crushed almonds and pistachio on the batter. Now bake the cake for 40 to 45 minutes.
- Take a cooking pan and place a metal spacer inside the pan. Preheat the cooking pan on medium-high flame for 2 to 3 minutes.After heating the pan, place the baking mold on the metal spacer inside the cooking pan. To get a properly shaped cake, ensure its level is balanced.
- Now cover the pan with its lid and bake the cake on a medium-high flame for 5 minutes. Then reduce the flame to medium-low and bake it for 40 to 45 minutes.After 45 minutes, check the cake by inserting a toothpick into the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is baked through. If not, then bake the cake for some more time.
- Now take the cake pan out of the cooking pan and place it on the wire rack. To get the uniform slices, allow the cake to cool for 6 to 7 minutes before taking it out of the baking mold.Remove it from the mold and remove the baking papers. A soft and delicious tea cake is ready now.Now cut the cake pieces into uniform slices with a serrated knife and enjoy the soft and delicious tea cake with the evening tea.
Video
Notes
If you feel the batter is dense, you can use 2 to 3 tbsp of milk (at room temperature) to get the perfect batter.