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Favorite Matcha Cake Recipe

May 14, 2018 · In: Cake, Fall, Featured, Recipes, Seasonal, Spring, Winter

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I’ve got a major business crush on Tea Bar for a few reasons: their tea is organic and ethically sourced, the drinks they make with it are innovative (and delicious!), and their entire team is made up of strong, inspiring women. They’ve made a mark on the Portland tea market but I can easily see them taking over the world. After all, who doesn’t love a good cup of golden milk or a matcha latte? If you’re a Portlander and have never been, give them a try next time you want to meet up with a friend!

In addition to selling their fabulous teas online for drinking at home, Tea Bar offers Culinary Grade Matcha for baking that’s organic, hand picked, stone ground, and sourced from a tiny family farm in Uji, Japan. I was so intrigued that I had to try it in a cake recipe. I am so glad I did, because the results were mind-blowing! The cake itself is light and fluffy, and the Matcha powder makes it flavorful and aromatic without being over the top. Oh, and it’s pretty to look at. 

Matcha cake layers from scratch
Matcha cake by Sugar and Sparrow
Photo by Candace Molatore

I chose to pair the Matcha cake with this raspberry buttercream as filling, then topped it with an eye catching vanilla-matcha buttercream ombre and white chocolate geometric shapes. These flavors ended up being very complimentary. It was a hit with the Tea Bar ladies, and I’m sure this cake will impress all of your Matcha-loving friends!

Tea Bar Matcha cake recipe by sugar and sparrow
Photo by Candace Molatore
Matcha raspberry white chocolate cake by sugar and sparrow
Photo by Candace Molatore

You can use any Culinary Grade Matcha in this recipe, but I can say from experience that not all Matcha powders are made (or taste) alike. If you want try using Tea Bar’s, you can purchase it on their website and they’ll ship it right to your door. It’s so worth it. PS: This is not a sponsored post, Tea Bar really is my favorite Culinary Grade Matcha! 

Matcha cake by Sugar and Sparrow

Favorite Matcha Cake

5 from 1 vote
A light and airy matcha cake filled with raspberry buttercream and topped with a vanilla-matcha buttercream ombre.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time:45 mins
Cook Time:40 mins
Total Time:1 hr 25 mins

Ingredients

Matcha Cake Recipe

  • 3 3/4 cups (398g) cake flour, sifted before measuring
  • 3 Tbsp culinary grade Matcha powder
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/8 cup (254g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 1/2 cups (513g) granulated sugar
  • 5 eggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (112g) sour cream, room temperature
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups (360ml) whole milk, room temperature

Raspberry Buttercream Filling

  • 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup (5-6g) freeze dried raspberries
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp (22ml) whole milk, room temperature
  • 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar
  • 1/8 tsp kosher salt

Vanilla-Matcha Buttercream

  • 1 1/2 cups (339g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 5 cups (600g) powdered sugar
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 3 Tbsp (45ml) whole milk, room temperature
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp culinary grade Matcha powder

Instructions

Make The Matcha Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350º and prepare three 8-inch or four 6-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with baking spray and placing a pre-cut wax or parchment paper circle to fit the bottom.
  • Whisk together sifted cake flour, Matcha powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  • Cream butter on med-high for one minute. Scrape down bowl and paddle. Add sugar and beat on high for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy, scraping down bowl and paddle as needed. 
  • Turn the mixer down to low and add the eggs one by one. Scrape down bowl, turn the mixer on med-high and beat for about 2 minutes. Add the sour cream and vanilla, continue beating for 1 minute.
  • Add all of the dry ingredients at once with the mixer on low speed until just combined, then add the milk all at once with the mixer still on low. Scrape down the bowl and paddle and mix on low until it all just comes together. You might need to hand whisk at the end to get rid of some lumps, but be careful not to overmix.
  • Fill prepared cake pans ⅔ full and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Make The Raspberry Buttercream Filling

  • With a food processor, grind the raspberries into a fine powder. Sift out the seeds (if a few seeds end up in the powder that is totally ok) and set the powder aside.
  • Whip the butter using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on medium speed until it’s creamy and light in color (5-10 minutes). Add vanilla, milk, and raspberry powder and continue to mix on medium for 3 minutes.
  • Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, scraping down the bowl and paddle after each addition. Add a pinch of salt (I like about an eighth of a teaspoon) and mix on low for another 30 seconds.

Make The Vanilla-Matcha Buttercream

  • With a hand mixer or paddle attachment on your stand mixer, cream the butter on medium-high until it’s creamy and light (almost white) in color. About 7 minutes. 
  • Add the sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time, scraping down after each addition and making sure each cup is fully incorporated before adding the next one. 
  • Add vanilla, milk, and salt and mix on medium-low for another two minutes until fully incorporated. Hold off on adding the Matcha powder until you get to the assembly instructions. 

Assembly

  • Starting with your first cake layer, pipe a ring of vanilla buttercream around each layer’s edge to create a buttercream dam. Fill the middle of your vanilla buttercream ring with raspberry buttercream until it’s the same height as the vanilla ring. Level the filling with an offset spatula and place the next layer of cake on top. Repeat the vanilla ring and raspberry filling before placing the third and final cake layer on top. 
  • Divide vanilla buttercream evenly into two bowls. In one bowl, add the matcha powder to the buttercream and mix until combined. Grab a third bowl and mix together a third of the matcha buttercream and a third of the vanilla buttercream until you get a nice in-between shade.
  • Starting at the bottom of the cake, frost with the darkest matcha buttercream until you get a third of the way up the side of the cake. Continue frosting with the lighter colored matcha buttercream mixture until you get to two thirds up the side of the cake. Frost the vanilla buttercream on the top third of the cake, including the top. Smooth the cake until you achieve the perfect finish.
  • To decorate, I’ve chosen to stick some white chocolate geometric shapes (made by melting white chocolate onto parchment, sprinkling with matcha powder, and cutting out shapes with a hot knife) into the top of the buttercream cake in any pattern you desire. I also piped a few open stars using leftover matcha buttercream. Feel free to let your creativity flow with this!

Notes

*DIY Cake Flour Recipe: To make your own cake flour, spoon and level one cup of all-purpose flour and remove 2 Tbsp. Add 2 Tbsp of cornstarch. Repeat per the amount of cake flour you need, then sift the flour and cornstarch mixture 4 times (don’t skip that step!). After sifting, spoon and level to re-measure the amount of cake flour you need. 
Make ahead tips: These cakes can be baked, cooled, wrapped in plastic wrap, and left out at room temperature up to two days ahead of decorating. Unfrosted cake layers can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored in the freezer for up to two months before thawing and frosting. 
The buttercream recipes can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use, bring back to room temperature and re-whip with your stand mixer. Add whole milk, 1 tsp at a time, if it needs to be thinned to the right consistency.

By: Whitney · In: Cake, Fall, Featured, Recipes, Seasonal, Spring, Winter · Tagged: fall, matcha, matcha buttercream, matcha cake, matcha raspberry cake, portland, raspberry buttercream, tea bar, vanilla buttercream, white chocolate, white chocolate cake topper, white chocolate shapes

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Comments

  1. Rosa says

    June 30, 2018 at 8:37 pm

    Hi there! How should I change the amount of ingredients if I want to make a 4″ cake instead of 6″? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      July 1, 2018 at 9:06 am

      Hi Rosa! For a 4″ cake with 3 cake layers, you’d need to divide the recipe in half and use 2 eggs. Let me know if you have any more questions on that!

      Reply
      • Rosa says

        July 1, 2018 at 9:26 pm

        Thanks a lot! Your blog posts are very helpful!

        Reply
  2. Rosa says

    June 30, 2018 at 9:03 pm

    May I know the best way to thaw frozen cakes? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      July 1, 2018 at 9:07 am

      To thaw frozen cakes, I always take the plastic wrap off of the cake layer, set it on a baking sheet, and leave it out at room temperature for at least an hour.

      Reply
  3. SG says

    February 27, 2019 at 5:21 am

    I don’t eat eggs, which egg substitute do you reccomend I use in this cake! Looks yummy!!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 27, 2019 at 10:20 am

      Hi there! I have never substituted eggs with anything before so I have no idea! It sounds like there are some alternatives out there like mashed banana, applesauce, etc but since I haven’t tried any of those things before I can’t recommend them in confidence that the cake will turn out. What do you usually substitute for eggs in baked goods?

      Reply
      • lucy says

        May 21, 2020 at 4:05 pm

        I was wondering if we could use a sugar substitute instead of the sugar?

        Reply
        • Whitney says

          May 21, 2020 at 4:48 pm

          Hi Lucy! I’ve never tried this recipe with a sugar substitute, but I know that the sugar substitutes that you can use for baking will have specific instructions on the package to direct you on the amount to use. In other words, it’s not always a straight amount substitute. I’m sure it will work, just not sure how it will taste. Let me know if you try it!

          Reply
  4. Rachel says

    April 28, 2019 at 10:38 pm

    Hi there, I’m excited to try this recipe out! One question: this recipe looks like your vanilla cake recipe (which I love) but multiplied by 1.5 – and of course the added matcha. However, the only ingredient that looks like it’s not 1.5x’ed is the sour cream. Is that intentional? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      April 29, 2019 at 8:45 am

      Hi Rachel! You’re right, it is my vanilla cake recipe x 1.5 with Matcha added, and the sour cream amount is intentional. It’s perfectly moist with the same amount of sour cream 🙂

      Reply
  5. Abby says

    May 2, 2019 at 9:12 pm

    Hi I really want to try this out but I need to make a 3 layer 9 inch cake instead (same height ) and I would like to lessen the butter and sugar amounts. Do you have any recommendations on how to do that while still maintaining the texture and flavor of the cake?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      May 3, 2019 at 9:12 am

      Hi Abby! This recipe is the same as my vanilla cake recipe, only with Matcha Powder added. To get the amount of batter you’ll need, I recommend doubling this recipe: https://sugarandsparrow.com/vanilla-cake-recipe/ and adding 4 total teaspoons of Matcha Powder in with the dry ingredients. I can’t recommend decreasing the amount of butter because I’ve never tried that before, but you can decrease the amount of sugar to a total of 3 cups instead of 3.5. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  6. Bel says

    June 26, 2019 at 11:02 am

    Hi! Love this recipe. Could it be used for cupcakes too?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 26, 2019 at 1:56 pm

      Hi Bel! This recipe can totally be used for cupcakes! Just fill the cupcake tins no more than 2/3 full and bake for 17 minutes at 350.

      Reply
  7. Alice says

    July 4, 2019 at 12:45 am

    I love this matcha cake recipe. the cake is so delicious, moist and matcha taste is great. Highly recommended

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      July 5, 2019 at 11:53 am

      Yay, Alice!! So happy to hear you love the recipe!

      Reply
  8. Anna says

    September 30, 2019 at 9:32 am

    Thank you so much for this recipe!!!!!

    Made it yesterday for a friend who loves matcha! Couldn’t find freeze dried raspberries, but freeze dried strawberries worked just as well. I also added a layer of strawberry jam in the cake to add some acidity.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      October 1, 2019 at 9:13 am

      Hi Anna! I’m so happy you loved the recipe and it was a hit with your friend!! I bet it tasted amazing with strawberry – I’m going to have to try that some time.

      Reply
  9. Vivi says

    December 11, 2019 at 7:11 pm

    Looks beautiful! Can you help me with the ingredients for 2 people. Thank you so much.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      December 12, 2019 at 8:40 am

      Hi Vivi. A two person sized cake would be so small I don’t even think I could convert the recipe properly! I would say half or even quarter the recipe and bake it in a 4 inch cake pan.

      Reply
  10. Donald Pham says

    December 22, 2019 at 12:51 am

    Hey! I’m really interested in making this cake for my boss’ birthday and I was wondering how much could I reduce the sugar? And how can I adjust this recipe to fit a 3 layer 8 inch cake? I also read online that it’s best to whip your egg whites separately and fold them in after everything else is fixed to get a fluffy cake, should I do that? Thanks! Sorry for all the questions.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      December 26, 2019 at 10:33 am

      Hi Donald, I would not recommend whipping the egg whites separately in this recipe. That’s a popular technique for cakes like genoise sponge, but this is a different method and I suggest following the recipe instructions. You can reduce the sugar by 1/2 Cup but any more than that will alter the chemistry of the bake. This recipe will actually be enough for a 3-layer 8 inch cake as is (it makes quite a lot of batter), just be sure to fill the pans evenly, no more than 2/3 full, and bake at the same temp for 35-40 min. Hope it’s a hit with your boss!

      Reply
  11. Ravello says

    February 4, 2020 at 1:31 pm

    Oh, this looks so yummy! I hope i won’t lazy this weekend and I will try to repeat it. I have to

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 5, 2020 at 9:13 am

      Excited for you to make this, Ravello!

      Reply
  12. Yi says

    August 10, 2020 at 5:00 am

    Hi Whitney,

    This cake looks amazing! How do I alter the measurements to fit a 3x6inch cake tins?

    Many thanks 🙂

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      August 10, 2020 at 8:52 am

      Hi Yi! To make three 6-inch layers from this recipe, you’d need to scale it down by 1/4. The math gets kindof complicated, as you’d need to multiply each ingredient by 0.75 to get the perfect amounts. If you’d rather not bother with the math, I recommend making this recipe as-is and having an extra layer.

      Reply
  13. WY says

    October 18, 2020 at 6:11 pm

    Hi can i just confirm that it is 3 tablespoons of matcha? not 3 teaspoons?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      October 19, 2020 at 9:21 am

      Hi there! Yes that’s correct – 3 Tbsp of matcha

      Reply
  14. Tiffany says

    December 9, 2021 at 10:30 am

    Hello! I am really excited to try this recipe as matcha is one my favorite flavors! I was just wondering if you think I could divide one recipe of the batter between two 8” x 3” round pans so I can split them after baking for a 4 layer cake.

    Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      December 14, 2021 at 7:40 am

      Hi Tiffany! I definitely think this recipe will work for splitting the batter between two 8×3 inch pans and then splitting the layers after baking. Just be sure to fill the pans no more than 2/3 full so they don’t overflow in the oven and keep in mind that they may need a 5-10 extra minutes to bake since the pans are deeper. Enjoy!

      Reply
  15. Danielle says

    February 5, 2022 at 2:18 pm

    5 stars
    Bummer the discount code doesn’t work anymore at Tea Bar! Amazing recipe thank you for sharing.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 6, 2022 at 8:34 pm

      So happy you love this recipe, Danielle! Thanks so much for letting me know! Sorry about the discount code, I will take that out of the post since it’s expired.

      Reply

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  1. Reflecting On My Cake Journey + Lessons Learned - Sugar & Sparrow says:
    July 25, 2018 at 8:01 am

    […] It was so fun to meet the whole team and share a slice of cake (PS if you have yet to try my Matcha Cake Recipe, I can promise you it’ll be a true crowd […]

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BANANA BISCOFF CARAMEL CAKE 🍌🎂 these flavors BANANA BISCOFF CARAMEL CAKE 🍌🎂 these flavors are so warm and cozy together: layers of my favorite extra-moist banana cake, Biscoff cookie butter frosting, gooey salted caramel, and crushed Biscoff crumbs. Top it with a salted caramel drip + a Biscoff sprinkled buttercream rope border to go the extra mile. It’ll be worth it imo! ✨ ⁣⁣
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This is one of four EXTRA EXCLUSIVE bonus recipes you’ll get when you preorder my book, Anyone Can Cake! Click the “Anyone Can Cake: Bonus Recipes” link in my bio for all the info ⁣⁣
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#biscoffcake #lotusbiscoff #bananacake  #saltedcaramel #caramelcake #buttercream #bakedfromscratch #frosting #bananacaramel #bake #anyonecancake #cakesofinstagram #cake #layercake #cakedecorating
4-INGREDIENT OREO TRUFFLES ✨These bite-sized no- 4-INGREDIENT OREO TRUFFLES ✨These bite-sized no-bake desserts are completely irresistible, super easy to make, and perfect for Valentine’s Day (or any day!)⁣
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OREO TRUFFLES⁣
Yield: 30⁣
⁣⁣
INGREDIENTS⁣⁣
36 Oreo cookies⁣⁣
8 Oz cream cheese, brick-style not the spread⁣⁣
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract⁣⁣
10 Oz (284g) Ghirardelli melting wafers (dark, milk, or white chocolate)⁣⁣
⁣⁣
INSTRUCTIONS⁣⁣
1. Place the Oreo cookies into a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs.⁣⁣
2. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (a hand mixer works fine too!), beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Set aside 2 Tablespoons of the Oreo cookie crumbs, then add the rest to the cream cheese. Add the vanilla and mix on low speed until well combined.⁣⁣
3. Roll the Oreo mixture into 1 inch balls and place on a lined baking sheet. Freeze for at least 15 minutes.⁣⁣
4. Coat the Oreo balls with @ghirardelli melting wafers or tempered chocolate. Garnish with cookie crumbs immediately after coating, while the chocolate is still wet.⁣⁣
5. Serve after the chocolate coating has set or store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.⁣⁣
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Full recipe is linked in my bio! ✨⁣⁣
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#oreos #truffles #chocolate #chocolatelover #nobake #oreo #baking #dessert #bakersofinstagram #easydessert #bakinglove #bakedfromscratch
TODAY! Watch me make this pretty pink ombré funfe TODAY! Watch me make this pretty pink ombré funfetti cake from the cover of my book LIVE on @talkshoplive at 12PM PT/3PM ET 🥳 I’ll be chatting all about Anyone Can Cake and answering all your questions while I decorate, so don’t miss it! You can even grab a SIGNED COPY of the book while you’re there ♥️ livestream link is in my bio + Story and I can’t wait to connect with you all 🫶🏽 ⁣
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This Raspberry Buttercream (recipe below!) 😍♥ This Raspberry Buttercream (recipe below!) 😍♥️ I LOVE using freeze dried raspberries for the most authentic flavor + just look at that natural color! It’s silky smooth, ideal for decorating cakes and cupcakes, and perfect for your Valentine’s Day bakes.⁣
⁣
RASPBERRY BUTTERCREAM⁣
Yield: 3 Cups⁣
⁣
INGREDIENTS⁣
1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature⁣
3/4 Cup (18g) freeze-dried raspberries⁣
3 Tbsp (45ml) whole milk, room temperature⁣
1 tsp pure vanilla extract⁣
3 Cups (360g) powdered sugar⁣
pinch of salt⁣
⁣
INSTRUCTIONS⁣
1. With a food processor, grind the raspberries into a fine powder. Sift out the seeds (if a few seeds end up in the powder that is totally ok) and set the powder aside.⁣
2. Whip the butter using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until it’s creamy and light in color, about 5 minutes. Add the vanilla, milk, and raspberry powder and continue to mix on medium until fully combined.⁣
3. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time and mix on low speed, scraping down the bowl and paddle after each addition. Add a pinch of salt and mix on low speed until fully combined and smooth, 1-2 minutes.⁣
⁣
Click the “Raspberry Buttercream” link in my bio for the full recipe + flavor pairing ideas ✨⁣
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