Old-Fashioned Tea Cake (Curly Boy Cake)
This Old-Fashioned Tea Cake is also known as a ‘curly boy’ cake. It features a rich, chocolatey cake that’s super moist and filled to the brim with a creamy filling. It’s a classic recipe you’ll love!
This tea cake is the epitome of indulgence. Its deep cocoa flavors and melt-in-your-mouth texture make it the perfect centerpiece for any celebration. And the best part? It’s easier to make than you think. Let me show you how.
If you’re a fan of this recipe, you’ll also love this chocolate Spartak cake and these Russian pom-pom cookies! They’re both authentic European recipes featuring traditional flavors.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Family Favorite: This old-fashioned tea cake recipe has been a family favorite for years. Its traditional flavors and creamy filling make it a hit with both kids and adults alike.
- Easy to Make: Despite its impressive looks, this recipe is surprisingly easy to make. With a bit of patience, you’ll have a beautiful and delicious cake ready to impress your guests.
- Burst of Flavors: The combination of rich chocolate cake, creamy filling, and deliciously sweet glaze creates a burst of flavors in every bite.
- Crowd Pleaser: It’s a crowd pleaser for birthday parties, holiday gatherings, or a casual dinner.
Key Ingredients
All you need are some simple pantry staple ingredients to make this old-fashioned tea cake recipe at home. Let’s look at them in more detail:
For a full list of ingredients and quantities, please check the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Eggs: These will help to bind our ingredients together and add structure to the cake.
- Sugar: I’m using this to sweeten the cake batter. It will also give the cake a nice, tender crumb.
- Condensed Milk: This will add a rich, creamy texture and a hint of caramel flavor to the cake.
- Sour Cream: This will make our cake moist and tender, and add a subtle tangy flavor.
- Baking Soda and Vinegar: These two will react together to give the cake some lift and make it light and fluffy.
- Flour: This is the base of our cake and will give it structure.
- Hershey Cocoa: This will give our cake a rich, chocolate flavor and a beautiful dark color.
- Hershey’s Chocolate Bar: You’ll need this to make the delicious chocolate glaze to add the finishing touch to this old-fashioned cake recipe.
How to Make Old-Fashioned Tea Cake
Making this incredible old-fashioned tea cake is easier than you think. Here’s how to make them at home step by step:
For a full list of ingredients and instructions, see the recipe card below.
Make the Cakes
Prepare the Ingredients: To start, in a small bowl, combine sour cream and baking soda activated with vinegar. Use a hand mixer to mix it well for 2 minutes. Set this mixture aside and let it stand for 15 minutes to allow it to rise.
Beat Eggs and Sugar: Next, preheat your oven to 350 F. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine room-temperature eggs with sugar. Beat this mixture on high for 10 minutes.
Add Condensed Milk: Now add condensed milk to the mixture and let it beat for another 5 minutes.
Add Sour Cream: Reduce the speed to medium and add the sour cream mixture. Let it mix for 1 minute or until well combined. Be careful not to overbeat it, as you don’t want the mixture to become very runny.
Sift in Flour: Now, it’s time to add the sifted flour. Stir the sifted flour just until it is combined.
Pour the Batter: Pour a little more than half of the batter into a well-greased 9-inch pan.
Let it Cool: Once they are done, remove the pans from the oven. Take the cakes out of the baking pans and let them cool completely.
Make the Cream
Beat the Cream: Beat heavy whipping cream just until starts to thicken, then add sour and powdered sugar and beat for another minute or until well combined. Set this cream aside.
Assemble the Cake
Cut the Cakes: Cut the white cake horizontally in half. Then, place the bottom layer onto a cake platter. Put 1 ½ cups of cream on the bottom layer, and spread it out evenly.
Layer the Cakes: Next, place the top layer on top of the cream. Put 1 ½ cup of the cream and spread it on top and sides of the cake.
Coat the Cakes: Now, break chunks of the brown cake. Coat them with the leftover cream and lay them on top of the cake. Keep breaking the chunks, coating them with cream, and forming them into a round, curly head. You should have a little cream left over to cover the sides of the cake a little more.
Make the Chocolate Glaze
Melt the Chocolate: Into a small saucepan, add 2 cups of water, and place it on the cook stove. Break the chocolate into pieces and put them into a heat-safe bowl. Then add milk to the bowl.
Use a Double Boiler: Place the bowl on top of the saucepan. After the water boils, reduce the heat and keep the chocolate mixture until it’s all melted and smooth.
Pour the Glaze: With the same spoon that you were stringing, pour the chocolate glaze in a nice stripes pattern over the assembled cake.
Chill and Serve: Refrigerate the cake overnight. It’s best if the cake is refrigerated for at least 24 hours, that way the cake becomes very soft. Enjoy!
Tips for Making the Best Old-Fashioned Tea Cake
- Choose the Right Pan: For this old-fashioned cake recipe, it’s best to use a 9-inch pan. If you don’t have one, you can use a similar-sized pan, but make sure to adjust the baking time accordingly.
- Prep Your Ingredients: Before you start, make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature. This will help the batter to mix evenly and the cakes to bake consistently.
- Don’t Overbeat the Batter: Once you’ve added the sour cream mixture and the flour, mix until just combined. Overbeating can make the batter too runny, which will affect the texture of your cakes.
- Let the Cakes Cool Completely: Before assembling the cake, make sure both the white cake and the cocoa cake are completely cool. This will make them easier to work with and will help the cream set.
- Chill the Cake Before Serving: The recipe recommends refrigerating the cake overnight, or at least for 24 hours. This time in the fridge helps the flavors to meld and the cake to become very soft, making it the perfect dessert to prepare in advance for a special occasion.
Serving Suggestions
- As a Side: Serve this old-fashioned tea cake with a side of fresh berries and a dollop of whipped cream. The light, sweet flavor of the cake pairs perfectly with the tartness of the berries, making it a refreshing end to a meal.
- Hot Drinks: For a sweet afternoon snack, pair this old-fashioned tea cake with a cup of hot chocolate. The rich chocolate flavor of the cake compliments the creamy, comforting drink.
Recipe Variation Ideas
This delicious old-fashioned tea cake recipe is absolutely perfect as is, but if you’re looking to change things up, here are a few variation ideas you can try:
- Nutty: If you’re a fan of nutty flavors, this variation is perfect for you. Simply add a cup of finely chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter. The nuts will add a delicious crunch and a rich, nutty flavor to the cake.
- Fruity: For those who love a burst of fruitiness, you can add half a cup of dried fruits like cranberries or raisins to the cream filling. The dried fruits will add a sweet and tangy flavor that contrasts beautifully with the rich chocolate and creamy filling.
- Coffee-Infused: If you’re a coffee lover, you can easily infuse this old-fashioned tea cake with coffee flavor. Simply add a shot of espresso to the cream filling. The coffee flavor will enhance the overall flavor of the cake.
Frequently Asked Questions
For the chocolate glaze, a good quality dark or semi-sweet chocolate is recommended. These types of chocolate provide a rich, deep flavor that compliments the sweetness of the cake. However, you can use any type of chocolate you prefer.
To make sure that the batter doesn’t become too runny, be careful not to overbeat it. When adding the sour cream mixture and the flour, mix until just combined. Overbeating can make the batter too runny, which can affect the texture of the cake.
To properly cut the cake without it crumbling, use a long piece of string. Place the string horizontally around the cake, crossing the ends over the top, and pull the ends to make a clean cut through the cake.
The cake is best if refrigerated for at least 24 hours. This allows the flavors to fully develop and the cake to become very soft, making it absolutely delicious. The overnight refrigerating time also helps the cream and cake layers to set, resulting in a perfect, sliceable cake.
If you don’t have a 9-inch pan, you can use a pan of a similar size. Just make sure to adjust the baking time accordingly. The important thing is that the pan is well-greased to prevent the cake from sticking.
How to Store Leftovers
- Storing: Once you’ve enjoyed this delicious old-fashioned tea cake, you can store any leftovers by placing the cake in the refrigerator. Cover the cake with a cake keeper or wrap it in plastic wrap to keep it fresh.
- Freezing: This old-fashioned tea cake is not suitable for freezing due to the creamy and delicate nature of its layers. Freezing can alter the texture and consistency of the cake and cream, so I recommend enjoying it fresh or storing it in the refrigerator for a few days.
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Old-Fashioned Tea Cake (Curly Boy Cake Recipe)
Ingredients
For the European Tea Cake
- 4 large eggs
- 1½ cups sugar
- 1 can condensed milk
- 16 oz. sour cream
- 1 tbsp. baking soda
- 1 tbsp. vinegar
- 4 cups flour
- 3 tbsp. Hershey cocoa
For the Cream
- 4 cups heavy whipping cream 40% fat consistency
- 24 oz. sour cream
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
For the Chocolate Ganache Glaze
- 6.8 oz. chocolate bar
- 4 tbsp. whole milk
Instructions
Make the Cakes
- Prepare the Ingredients: To start, in a small bowl, combine sour cream and baking soda activated with vinegar. Use a hand mixer to mix it well for 2 minutes. Set this mixture aside and let it stand for 15 minutes to allow it to rise.
- Beat Eggs and Sugar: Next, preheat your oven to 350 ℉. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine room-temperature eggs with sugar. Beat this mixture on high for 10 minutes.
- Add Condensed Milk: Now add condensed milk to the mixture and let it beat for another 5 minutes.
- Add Sour Cream: Reduce the speed to medium and add the sour cream mixture. Let it mix for 1 minute or until well combined. Be careful not to overbeat it, as you don’t want the mixture to become very runny.
- Sift in Flour: Now, it's time to add the sifted flour. Stir the sifted flour just until it is combined.
- Pour the Batter: Pour a little more than half of the batter into a well-greased 9-inch pan.
- Let it Cool: Once they are done, remove the pans from the oven. Take the cakes out of the baking pans and let them cool completely.
Make the Cake Cream
- Beat the Cream: Beat heavy whipping cream just until starts to thicken, then add sour and powdered sugar and beat for another minute or until well combined. Set this cream aside.
Assemble the Cake
- Cut the Cakes: Cut the white cake horizontally in half. Then, place the bottom layer onto a cake platter. Put 1 ½ cups of cream on the bottom layer, and spread it out evenly.
- Layer the Cakes: Next, place the top layer on top of the cream. Put 1 ½ cup of the cream and spread it on top and sides of the cake.
- Coat the Cakes: Now, break chunks of the brown cake. Coat them with the leftover cream and lay them on top of the cake. Keep breaking the chunks, coating them with cream, and forming them into a round, curly head. You should have a little cream left over to cover the sides of the cake a little more.
Make the Chocolate Glaze
- Melt the Chocolate: Into a small saucepan, add 2 cups of water, and place it on the cook stove. Break the chocolate into pieces and put them into a heat-safe bowl. Then add milk to the bowl.
- Use a Double Boiler: Place the bowl on top of the saucepan. After the water boils, reduce the heat and keep the chocolate mixture until it’s all melted and smooth.
- Pour the Glaze: With the same spoon that you were stringing, pour the chocolate glaze in a nice stripes pattern over the assembled cake.
- Chill and Serve: Refrigerate the cake overnight. It’s best if the cake is refrigerated for at least 12 hours, that way the cake becomes very soft. Enjoy!
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This recipe was originally posted on November 27, 2014 (original picture below), and updated for a better user experience. The post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure.
Hi Valya,
I can’t seem to locate the instructions on how to make the chocolate batter. Do I split the better in half and add cocoa powder to one part or make a separate batch?
Hi Ina. Yes, you split the better in half, and then add cocoa powder to the second half. I’ll check the instruction once more and correct that if I missed it. Thanks for asking!
Hello! Is there a way to make the cream chocolate? Can I add a few tablespoons of cocoa powder to make it chocolate? Thank you!
Yes, that should be fine.
Hi! Does this use just regular condenced milk or sweetened condensed milk? Thank you!
Regular, uncooked condensed milk.
Hello, I just want to make sure that 1 tablespoon of baking soda is correct here. Just seems more than usual. Thanks.
Yes, it is correct. Some recipes call for 1 tsp. baking soda and 1 tsp. baking powder combo, and you don’t need to use vinegar. In this case you only use baking soda and requires to be activated it with vinegar. I know, this is not an American cake recipe and can be confusing. I hope this helps.
Wow this cake looks divine!! Thanks for this awesome photo tutorial 😉
You are very welcome! Picture worth a thousand words. It help very much with cooking or baking, especially for beginners. I speak from experience. Thanks Olivia for stopping by and commenting! 🙂
this is SO pretty! the chocolate on top is just mouthwatering!
It is. Thank you Michele! 🙂
This cake looks fantastic, Valya! I love the step by step pictures that you provided. And I’m sure it tastes incredible, too. Love this!
Thank you Gayle! It tastes just as good! It was gone in one day! Every one loved it 🙂
Valya, My 6-year old picky eater and I totally agree that this is a very beautiful and super yummy cake. For those who never made it, It may seem like a lot of steps, but its not and comes together very easy. Awesome pictures Valya you’re becoming a Pro!!!! Keep up the great work!
You right, it is very easy to make this cake. It’s beautiful and tastes very good. This is a big cake and guess what?…..it’s all gone! Thank you for your warm and encouraging words Tatyana! I really appreciate it! 🙂
Beautiful and what a great tutorial. I can see why this is a winner!
Thank you Chris! 🙂