📖 Instructions

1. Prepare the Earl Grey Cake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk infused with Earl Grey tea, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
2. Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
3. Make the Earl Grey Infused Frosting: While the cake is baking, prepare the frosting. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Stir in the brewed Earl Grey tea and vanilla extract. Add more tea, one teaspoon at a time, until the frosting reaches your desired consistency and flavor strength. Seriously, taste it as you go—it's worth it.
4. Crumble and Combine: Once the cake is completely cool, crumble it into a large mixing bowl. Add about three-quarters of the Earl Grey infused frosting to the crumbled cake. Mix with your hands until the mixture is moist enough to hold its shape when pressed together. Add more frosting if needed, but be careful not to add too much, or the cake pops will be too sticky.
5. Shape the Cake Pops: Roll the cake mixture into small, even-sized balls, about 1 inch in diameter. Place the shaped cake pops on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Insert a cake pop stick into each ball, dipping the end of the stick into melted chocolate first to help it adhere to the cake pop. This keeps them from falling off, trust me.
6. Chill the Cake Pops: Place the baking sheet with the cake pops in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to chill thoroughly. This will help them hold their shape when dipped in the chocolate.
7. Melt the Coating Chocolate: While the cake pops are chilling, melt the coating chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth. If the chocolate is too thick, add a teaspoon of coconut oil or shortening to thin it out.
8. Dip the Cake Pops: Remove the chilled cake pops from the refrigerator. Dip each cake pop into the melted chocolate, swirling to ensure it's fully coated. Gently tap off any excess chocolate.
9. Decorate the Cake Pops: Immediately decorate the dipped cake pops with sprinkles, crushed freeze-dried raspberries, or any other desired toppings. The chocolate will set quickly, so work fast! If you are adding larger decorations, you may need to hold the pop upside down briefly until the chocolate starts to set.
10. Let the Chocolate Set: Place the decorated cake pops back on the parchment-lined baking sheet or insert them into a cake pop stand. Allow the chocolate to set completely at room temperature or in the refrigerator for about 15-20 minutes.