How-to guide
How to Host Afternoon Tea at Home
A countdown plan from two days before to the moment you pour, with quantities from our planner.
The secret of a relaxed afternoon tea is doing almost everything in advance. The only jobs left for the last hour are baking the scones, assembling the sandwiches and making the tea. It works for a birthday, a baby shower or Mothering Sunday.
Countdown
Two days before
- Bake anything that keeps: shortbread and lemon drizzle cake both improve over a day or two.
- Make and freeze scones unbaked, if you want to bake them fresh on the day.
The day before
- Bake the sponges for a Victoria sponge; wrap them once cool.
- Make sandwich fillings (egg mayonnaise, coronation chicken) and chill them.
- Wash and check the tea set and cake stand.
On the morning
- Fill and finish the sponge.
- Set the table (see our setting guide).
One hour before
- Bake the scones.
- Assemble the sandwiches and cover them with a damp, clean tea towel.
Fifteen minutes before
- Arrange the stand, bottom tier first.
- Warm the teapot with hot water, then brew.
Plan your quantities
On the stand
Shopping & prep
How we calculate this
- Per guest: 3 / 4 / 5 finger sandwiches, 1 / 1.5 / 2 scones and 2 / 2.5 / 3 small cakes for light / normal / hearty appetites.
- One round of sandwiches (two slices) makes three fingers once the crusts are off; a large 800 g loaf gives about 20 usable slices.
- Allow 30 g clotted cream and 20 g jam per scone, 2.5 cups of tea per guest (about 200 ml a cup), 2.5 g loose tea and 25 ml milk per cup.
- These are our editorial rules of thumb. Adjust them to your guests.
Frequently asked questions
How far ahead can I make afternoon tea?
Bake keeping cakes like shortbread and lemon drizzle two days ahead, sponges the day before, and make sandwich fillings the day before. Bake scones and assemble sandwiches in the last hour.
How do I stop sandwiches drying out?
Butter the bread right to the edges, cover them with a clean, damp (not wet) tea towel and chill until serving.
How much food per person?
About four or five finger sandwiches, one or two scones and two or three small cakes per guest. Our afternoon tea planner works out exact quantities.
Recipes to go with it
Recipe · 30 min
Classic British Scones
Tall, light scones for afternoon tea or a cream tea, ready in about 30 minutes.
Recipe · 1 hr 15 min
Victoria Sponge
The classic two-layer sponge with jam and buttercream, named after Queen Victoria.
Recipe · 1 hr 30 min
Lemon Drizzle Cake
A soft lemon loaf soaked with a crunchy sugar-and-lemon drizzle while still warm.
Recipe · 30 min
Cucumber Sandwiches
The essential afternoon tea sandwich: thin, crisp and never soggy.
Recipe · 1 hr 5 min
Scottish Shortbread
Three ingredients, one ratio: pale, crumbly, buttery shortbread.