Martino's Bakery Original Tea Cakes (Copycat Recipe)
Yields 12 tea cakes
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time20 minutesmins
Cool and glaze45 minutesmins
Total Time35 minutesmins
Course: brunch, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 1tea cake
Calories: 283kcal
Author: Patty K-P
Ingredients
Tea Cake
1/4cupinstant dry milk or milk powder
3/4cupwhole buttermilk, shaken, room temperature
1 1/4cupsall-purpose flour, sifted
1 1/2teaspoonsbaking powder
1/4teaspoonsalt
6tablespoonsmargarine, cubed, room temperature
2/3cupgranulated sugar
1/4cuplight brown sugar, packed
1large egg, room temperature
1teaspoonvanilla extract
Glaze
3tablespoonsmargarine
4tablespoonswater
2tablespoonslight brown sugar, packed
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
1drop yellow liquid food color (optional)
2cupspowdered sugar, sifted
Dash of salt
Instructions
Tea Cake
Heat oven to 300°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the dry milk/milk powder in a thin layer onto the parchment paper. Heat in the oven for 5 minutes, until golden brown.
Stir the browned milk powder with the buttermilk in a small bowl until mostly dissolved.
Turn the oven up to 350°F. Line a brownie bar pan with standard round cupcake liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the margarine and sugars on medium-high speed until it resembles a soft dough, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Reduce the speed to low and add the egg and vanilla. Mix until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add about a third of the flour mixture followed by half of the buttermilk. Mix until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the second third of the flour mixture followed by the remaining buttermilk. Mix until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the remaining flour mixture. Mix until just a few streaks of flour remains. Using a rubber spatula, stir any remaining streaks of flour into the batter by hand.
Fill each cavity of the pan 3/4 full (2 fluid ounces or 4 tablespoons). Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Once cooled, make the glaze.
Glaze
In a medium saucepan, heat the margarine on medium until melted. Add the water and brown sugar and stir using a whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Do not boil.
Turn off the stove and stir in the vanilla and food coloring (if using). Whisk in the powdered sugar and salt. Glaze should be slightly thickened and shiny.
Dip the tops of the cooled tea cakes in the glaze, allowing excess to drip off. Place on a cooling rack set on top of a baking sheet to allow the glaze to set and harden.
If at any time the glaze in the saucepan begins to harden, reheat over low heat while stirring with a whisk until a thin and dippable glaze consistency is reached.