The bright green color of this matcha cake means that I make this cake at Christmas time, since it’s so Grinch-like. I also think the red strawberries look so pretty next to the green cake crumb. However, this cake is also good in the springtime when you want something light and fresh. The pleasant earthiness and delicate grassiness of matcha is something I happen to love. If you like my matcha tiramisu for two, you will love this cake! Since we’re a small batch dessert website, I have a trick for you to make a small layer cake! We’re going to bake this cake in an 8-inch square pan, slice it in half, and then stack the two rectangular pieces to make a loaf layer cake. With this small layer cake, you will get about 5 or 6 slices of cake. This is perfect for a dinner party, and is so much less intimidating to make than a whole layer cake!
Matcha Cake Ingredients
I really couldn’t think of an easier way to make a layer cake than to use one pan to make one layer that you then slice and stack. The ingredients to this cake are super simple, too!
Butter. We need 7 tablespoons (just shy of one stick) of unsalted butter softened for the cake and another stick for the vanilla buttercream frosting. While nearly 2 sticks of butter sounds like a lot for a small cake, remember that this cake makes 5-6 slices of cake. A regular layer cake can use up to 4 sticks (or more), if it has lots of frosting! Granulated Sugar. Just one cup of white granulated sugar. Eggs. We need two whole eggs for this matcha cake recipe. Vanilla. Pure vanilla extract compliments the green tea powder in this cake, and makes it taste like your favorite matcha latte. Matcha. Another name for matcha is green tea powder. It’s super concentrated whole green tea leaves, ground finely. You can use culinary grade matcha powder for this cake, but ensure it has a bright green color. Ceremonial matcha is going to have the brightest green color, but it also happens to be the most expensive. Just make sure it’s a vibrant green color, or else your cake will be a dark forest green after baking. Flour. The same amount of flour as sugar, one cup. Baking Powder. We’re using baking powder instead of baking soda so that the matcha stays bright green. Buttermilk. Low-fat cultured buttermilk from the store is the best thing to use here. However, you can use ⅓ cup of whole milk with ½ teaspoon of fresh lemon juice or white vinegar instead. Powdered Sugar. This sugar is for the vanilla buttercream that will top the matcha cake. Heavy Cream. A big splash of heavy cream makes our frosting nice and fluffy. Fresh Strawberries. Fresh berries are just for decoration and are completely optional, but I love the way the red strawberries and bright green cake give us Grinch vibes for Christmas.
How to Make Matcha Cake
We’re using an 8-inch square pan, also known as the standard brownie pan. This simple matcha cake makes a single layer and only requires one pan. However, after baking, we will slice the square in half to make two rectangles. We will stack the rectangles with buttercream to get a small layer cake shaped like a loaf. From this, you will get 5 or 6 regular cake slices. This is what the cake will look like, since we made a layer cake from a square pan. You have a ’loaf layer cake’, which is a term I’d like to copyright! From here, you can slice on a diagonal (in the same way you slice for my cheesecake in a loaf pan) to get 5 or 6 perfectly triangular cake slices. When serving, you can hardly tell the triangle cake slices weren’t cut from a traditional round layer cake!
Storage
This cake is best eaten within a day or two. Leftovers should be stored in the fridge, since the frosting contains butter. Before serving a cake that has been refrigerated, let it rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes to soften slightly.
Equipment to Bake Matcha Cake:
Matcha Green Tea Powder - I am linking you to my favorite matcha to buy, but please note that you can buy whatever you like, as long as its vibrant green, high-quality culinary grade and fresh! Encha is my favorite brand, but taste many and find one that you like. 8-Inch Square Pan - This is my favorite 8 inch pan, because the grooves on the bottom ensure it’s truly nonstick. Hand Mixer - This is my favorite hand mixer because it has its own carrying case.
Other matcha recipes:
Black and Matcha Cookies Matcha Marshmallows Matcha Snowball Cookies that are gluten free!
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Storage: This cake is best eaten within a day or two. Leftovers should be stored in the fridge, since the frosting contains butter.
