There’s something so romantic about baking with herbs—especially when they’re unexpected. Parsley? In a tea cake?? I know, but trust me—this tea cake is the kind of Great British Bake-off passion that will bring any kitchen right to an afternoon English tea time (especially if drinking Twinnings or a similar English tea company’s tea!).
This Cherry and Parsley cake is soft, tender, and just lightly sweet. The fresh cherries add cute pockets of flavor, while the parsley brings a clean, almost grassy vibe. It’s brunch-ready, tea perfect, even picnic perfect, and it comes together easily — at least after the processing of the cherries (this took me the most time!). Post-cherries… stir, bake, and wait for your kitchen to smell like a dream.
Also, I love to mention that it uses self-rising flour—because we are fans of simplifying life! If you don’t happen to have self-rising flour around, supplement with all purpose, a little extra salt, some baking powder and a little baking soda.
Make this when cherries are at their peak in late spring, when your herb garden is bursting, or when you just need to feel like you’re the main character in an English countryside dream.
Fresh Cherry & Parsley Tea Cake
Equipment
- 8″ round cake pan or standard loaf pan
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Spatula or wooden spoon
- Parchment paper
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh cherries pitted and halved
- ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
- 1 cup granulated sugar reduce to ¾ cup for less sweet
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- ½ cup olive oil or melted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 ½ cups self-rising flour
- Optional: powdered sugar or lemon glaze for topping
Optional Lemon Glaze:
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 –2 tsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a loaf pan or 8″ round cake pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, yogurt, olive oil, vanilla, and lemon zest until smooth.
- Gently fold in the self-rising flour until just combined. Avoid overmixing for a tender crumb.
- Fold in the chopped parsley and most of the cherries, saving a few to place on top before baking.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan and scatter reserved cherry halves on top. Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden.
- Let cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool fully. Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with lemon glaze.
- Mix powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth and pourable, then drizzle over the cooled cake.
Video
@herbyeater This tea cake and that dress had me full on ready for a late spring garden party— at least inside, at my kitchen table with my favorite cup of tea. 🫖 A surprising note, cherries pair perfectly with parsley and the extra flavor layer of lemon to make a light and lovely afternoon sweet treat. I made two smaller rounds instead of a normal batch so that I could save one for later— these freeze well! Leave on its own or top with powdered sugar, it’s perfect either way. 😌 #teacake #afternoontreat #cherries #herbyeats #gardenpartyideas
♬ Gold – Myles Smith