Camomile & Orange Blossom Mini Cakes
Welcome to the final episode of my Bakes in Bloom series — a celebration of garden-inspired bakes, seasonal flowers, and natural flavours.
We’re ending on a beautifully delicate note with these Chamomile & Orange Blossom Mini Cakes. Light, buttery sponge infused with chamomile tea and brightened with a whisper of orange blossom — these individual cakes are as calming as they are delicious.
Whether you’re baking for a picnic, afternoon tea, or simply craving a quiet moment with something homemade, these floral treats are a soothing way to savour the last bloom of the series.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
✨ Floral & fragrant: Chamomile and orange blossom create a gentle, calming flavour that feels like a warm spring breeze.
🧁 Perfectly portioned: These mini cakes are ideal for sharing, gifting or elegant dessert platters.
🪴 Garden to oven: Inspired by herbs and edible flowers you can grow at home.
🎉 Showstopper with ease: Impressive in flavour, simple in method.
About the Flavours: Chamomile & Orange Blossom
Chamomile has soothing, honeyed notes that lend themselves beautifully to baking when steeped in warm milk.
Orange blossom water adds a light, perfumed citrus aroma — used sparingly, it transforms simple bakes into something special.
Together, these flavours make a cake that’s nostalgic, romantic, and wonderfully aromatic.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the cakes:
200g unsalted butter, softened
180g caster sugar
3 large eggs
200g self-raising flour
2 chamomile tea bags (or 1 tbsp dried chamomile flowers)
2 tbsp whole milk
2 tbsp fresh orange juice
1 tsp orange blossom water
Zest of 1 unwaxed orange
Pinch of fine sea salt
For the syrup:
Juice of 1 orange
3 tbsp icing sugar, sifted
For the icing:
100g icing sugar, sifted
A few tablespoons of water
Optional: dried chamomile and orange slices for garnish
How to Grow Chamomile at Home
Chamomile is surprisingly easy to grow in the UK. Opt for Roman Chamomile for culinary use — it’s a perennial that loves sun and well-drained soil. You can grow it in pots, borders or even a window box.
Harvest the flowers when fully open and dry them flat for teas and bakes.
🍊 Tips & Variations
No orange blossom water? Use rose water or a touch of lemon zest for a citrus-floral twist.
Make ahead: These cakes freeze well unglazed — just defrost and add the icing before serving.
Gift idea: Wrap in parchment and twine for thoughtful handmade favours.
Camomile & Orange Blossom Cakes
This series has been a journey through flavour, fragrance and edible blooms — from Lemon & Mint Loaf to Rose & Pistachio Friands, and now to these calming Chamomile & Orange Blossom Mini Cakes.
It’s a reminder that you don’t need fancy ingredients — just a few flowers, herbs, and a little inspiration from your garden.
If you’ve been baking along, thank you. If not — this is the perfect recipe to start.
Makes 9
For the cakes:
200g unsalted butter, softened
180g caster sugar
3 large free-range eggs, at room temperature
200g self-raising flour
2 chamomile tea bags (or 1 tbsp dried chamomile flowers)
40ml whole milk
1 tsp orange blossom water
Zest of 1 unwaxed orange
For the syrup:
Juice of 1 orange
3 tbsp icing sugar, sifted
For the icing:
100g icing sugar, sifted
A few tablespoons of water
Optional: dried chamomile and orange slices for garnish
Method
Warm the milk until steaming (not boiling), then add chamomile tea bags or loose-leaf camomile and steep for 10 minutes. Squeeze out the bags (if using) and let the milk cool fully. If using loose-leaf, we’ll strain it before it goes into the cake.
Preheat oven to 160C / 320F. Grease a 12-hole bottomed mini cake tin thoroughly.
Beat the butter and sugar together until pale, light and fluffy — about 2–3 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each. If it looks curdled, add a spoonful of the flour to help.
Gently fold in the infused milk, orange zest, orange blossom water, salt and sifted self-raising flour until smooth.
Spoon or scoop the mixture into your prepared tins or moulds, filling each about three-quarters full.
Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Meanwhile, make the syrup by mixing the 3 tablespoons of icing sugar and orange juice.
Once the cakes are ready, cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then carefully pour over a tablespoon of syrup while still warm. Leave to soak for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool fully.
Mix the icing sugar and water in a small bowl to create a while icing.
Drizzle over cooled cakes and decorate with dried chamomile and orange slices.
Tips & Tricks
Boosting citrus: For even more zing, add a touch of orange extract or an extra pinch of zest to the batter.
Supermarket chamomile hack: No loose chamomile? Just cut open 2 high-quality tea bags.
Make-ahead tip: The cakes freeze beautifully unglazed — add the icing fresh before serving.
