Matcha Cake

This matcha cake recipe is made with matcha cake layers & fluffy buttercream frosting! It's a deliciously light dessert that has just a hint of sweetness!!

📝 Ingredients

• 2/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (150g - 1 1/3 sticks)
• 2 cups granulated sugar (400g)
• 2/3 cup carton egg whites or 4 large egg whites, room temperature (160ml)
• 2 1/2 cups cake flour (300g)
• 1 3/4 tsp baking powder (7g)
• 1 Tbsp matcha powder (6g)
• 1/2 tsp fine salt (3g)
• 1 cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature (255g)
• 2 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil (30ml)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (4ml)
• neon green gel food coloring (optional)
• 1/2 cup pasteurized egg whites, room temperature (from a carton, room temperature (120ml))
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar (440g)
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature (339g)
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (12ml)
• 1/2 tsp fine salt (3g)
• 1 cup white chocolate chips (175g)
• 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature (80ml)
• 1/2 tsp matcha powder (2g)
• Whisk attachment
• Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
• Greaseproof Cake Board
• Spinning Cake Stand
• Large Offset Spatula
• Bench Scraper
• Small Sifter
• Ateco 869 Frosting Tip

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Matcha Cake Layers: ---
2. 2Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line and grease three 6-inch cake pans with parchment rounds.
3. 3Add the unsalted butter and granulated sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on a high speed with a whisk attachment for a few minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula. The mixture will become lighter in color as air is whipped into it.
4. 4Add the egg whites, and mix at a medium speed until they're incorporated.
5. 5Sift the dry ingredients (cake flour, baking powder, matcha powder, and salt) into a separate bowl.
6. 6Add half of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, and mix on a low speed until just incorporated.
7. 7Add the sour cream, oil, and vanilla extract. If you want the layers to have a more vibrant green color, you can add a bit of neon green gel food coloring too. Mix at a low speed until combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed!
8. 8Mix in the remaining dry ingredients on a low speed.
9. 9Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. I like to use a digital kitchen scale to weigh my pans, to make sure my layers will be the same height.
10. 10Bake for 34-37 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Rotate pans halfway through to help them bake evenly.
11. 11Allow the pans to cool for 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around the perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan.
12. 12Place cake layers into the freezer for 45 minutes, to accelerate the cooling process. Once the layers are fully cooled, carefully flip the pans and remove the layers from the pans.
13. 13Use a serrated knife to level the tops, and trim the sides to remove any caramelization.
14. 14--- Faux Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting: ---
15. 15While the cake layers bake and cool, make the fluffy buttercream frosting.
16. 16Place the room temperature pasteurized egg whites and powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if you plan to make it with a hand mixer).
17. 17Mix on a low speed to combine.
18. 18Once incorporated, mix on medium high with a whisk attachment for 5 minutes until medium peaks have formed (stiffer than soft peaks, but not quite stiff peaks).
19. 19Swap the whisk attachment for a paddle attachment. This will help make your buttercream be smooth once it's fully made.
20. 20Mix in pieces of room temperature butter on a low speed in 2 additions.
21. 21Once the butter is incorporated, mix on medium speed for an additional 5 minutes.
22. 22Add in 1 Tbsp of vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp of salt. Mix until the buttercream is fluffy and smooth.
23. 23If your frosting breaks in the beginning when you add the butter, don't worry! Just keep mixing it, and it should come together in a few minutes.
24. 24Stir for an additional few minutes by hand with a rubber spatula to get it silky smooth. Set aside.
25. 25--- Matcha White Chocolate Drip: ---
26. 26While the cake chills with its second coat of frosting, make the matcha white chocolate ganache.
27. 27Heat heavy cream in a heat proof bowl in the microwave for 45 seconds, until it's just beginning to bubble.
28. 28Gently pour white chocolate chips into the heavy cream, making sure they are fully covered with cream. Allow the mixture to sit for 1 minute.
29. 29Stir slowly until the cream and white chocolate are combined. Some bits of chocolate may not be fully melted yet. Heat the mixture again for 20 seconds, and stir.
30. 30Repeat as necessary until all the white chocolate bits are fully melted and incorporated.
31. 31Mix in the matcha powder. Let the mixture cool until desired viscosity is reached (barely warm to the touch).
32. 32If it seems too thin or thick, you can add a touch more chocolate chips or heavy cream! The type of cream and white chocolate that you use can affect the consistency, so feel free to adjust as needed.
33. 33--- How To Assemble This Matcha Cake: ---
34. 34Stack and frost cake layers on a greaseproof cake board, using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board.
35. 35Add an even layer of buttercream on top of the first cake layer. Stack and frost remaining cake layers.
36. 36Spread a thin coat of frosting around the cake, to fully cover the cake layers.
37. 37Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (30 minutes) or freezer (10 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.
38. 38Add a second, thicker layer of buttercream frosting to the cake, and chill the cake again in the fridge (20 minutes) or freezer (5 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.
39. 39Use a spoon to add the ganache drips around the cake with the white chocolate matcha ganache.
40. 40Place the remaining frosting into a small piping bag fit with an Ateco 869 frosting tip. Pipe dollops around the top of the cake, and dust with an extra bit of matcha powder.