This matcha cake is a bit denser than a layer cake yet still moist and extremely flavourful. It's the kind of cake best served with a a cup of tea or coffee to get you through the lull of the afternoon. Top with luscious coconut frosting and a dusting of matcha powder.
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For years now, I've been pretty enamoured by matcha. In a drink, in a dessert - either way, I am totally intrigued. The allure of matcha is real - the bright green beacons us to give it a taste.
The cake itself stays moist and tender with a combination of real butter, coconut oil, and coconut milk.
I had a feeling that matcha and coconut would go well together, but I was pleasantly surprised by how amazing the combination ended being. The mound of fluffy coconut frosting is literally the icing on the cake.
What Is Matcha?
Matcha is a shade grown, stone-ground powdered green tea. It is usually available in three grades: ceremonial, premium, and culinary grade.
While matcha seems like a more modern ingredient, the powdered green tea has been around for centuries. Now that it is more readily available to the home cook, you can find it in smoothies, cakes, lattes, and of course, cookies!
What Does Matcha Cake Taste Like?
This matcha cake has a mild matcha taste. If you are new to matcha, then this recipe is a great place to start incorporating the green tea powder into your food.
Matcha has a vegetal, sometimes grassy taste that lends a nutty, earthy flavor to baked goods. It can sometimes be a bit bitter, but welcoming and similar to the way that bitter dark chocolate is savory and decadent.
For this cake, the matcha and coconut flavors are almost equals. Using unrefined or virgin coconut oil produces more of a coconut flavor than refined coconut oil that has a neural taste.
Want the matcha to shine more? See variations for subbing out the coconut.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Kosher salt
- Unsalted butter
- Coconut oil
- Granulated sugar
- Large eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Coconut milk
- Matcha powder
- Icing sugar
See recipe card for quantities.
Tools and Equipment
- Stand mixer
- 9X4.5-inch loaf pan or equivalent
- Large rubber spatula
- Offset spatula
- General kitchen tools (measuring cups, spoons, etc.)
Instructions
This cake starts with your basic creaming method - using parts butter and part solid (but soft) coconut oil.
Cream the butter, coconut oil, and sugar together until fluffy and pale in color, 2 to 4 minutes.
Add the eggs, one at a time, allowing each to combine before adding the next.
Alternate adding in the dry ingredients with the liquids for a smoother batter.
Add the coconut milk and matcha tea and fold to combine.
Step for Making Matcha Cake
This cake is super easy to make. The batter for the cake comes together in one bowl. Use a hand or stand mixer to make sure the butter and sugar get nice and fluffy.
- Mix the matcha - stir the matcha with hot water to dissolve and set aside
- Mix the batter - start by creaming the butter and soft coconut oil
- Bake!
- Make the frosting - whip together until fluffy
- Ice the cake - dust with matcha, if desired
Serving and Storage
Store the cake at room temperature. Loosely cover with plastic wrap or tent with foil.
The cake is best served within 3 days.
Freeze the unfrosted loaf by wrapping in plastic and piping in a zip-top bag. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator.
Variations
Vanilla Matcha Cake - Skip the coconut in both the cake and frosting. Instead, use equal parts butter for the coconut oil and whole milk for the coconut milk.
Cream Cheese Matcha Cake - Frost the cake with cream cheese icing.
What Grade of Matcha to Buy?
Use premium or a higher-end culinary grade matcha for homemade lattes and desserts. They tend to be better at retaining the vibrant green color after baking.
Cheaper culinary grade matcha can be bitter when baked and may turn brown after an increased time in the oven.
Recipe FAQs
Matcha has a vegetal, sometimes grassy taste that lends a nutty, earthy flavor to baked goods.
Use premium or a higher-end culinary grade matcha for homemade lattes and desserts. They tend to be better at retaining the vibrant green color after baking.
Cheaper culinary grade matcha can be bitter when baked and may turn brown after an increased time in the oven.
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Recipe
Matcha Cake
Ingredients
Matcha Cake
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 rounded tbsp matcha powder
- ¼ cup coconut oil softened
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
- ½ + ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 6 tablespoon coconut milk
For the Coconut Frosting
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
- 1 ½ to 2 cups confectioner's sugar
- 2-3 tablespoon coconut milk solids
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- matcha for dusting
Instructions
Matcha Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line a 9X4.5-inch loaf pan (or equivalent) and set aside.
- Sift together the dry ingredients and set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, place the butter and coconut oil. With the mixer on medium, mix until combined. Add the sugar and mix on medium for about 3-5 minutes, or until creamed.
- Add in the vanilla and eggs, mixing well in between. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- With the mixer on low and working in alternating batches, add in the flour mixture and coconut milk - starting and ending with the flour mixture.
- Mix on medium for no more than 30 seconds or until combined.
- Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in to the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before removing cake from its pan.
- For the frosting, mix the butter with electric beaters until creamy
- Carefully add in the confectioner's sugar, coconut milk, and vanilla until combined.
- Mix on medium until frosting until fluffy, 2 to 3 more minutes.
- After the cake has completely cooled, swirl on the coconut frosting and use a mesh sieve to dust with matcha powder, if desired.
June Burns
What a lovely cake! Big fan of matcha in baked goods, this iteration sounds terrific 🙂
Tessa
Thank you so much!
Christina @ The Beautiful Balance
Did you buy ceremonial matcha to drink? Anything else tastes like grass to me but DoMatcha is my go-to for drinking-matcha. Other than that I save a few bucks by buying culinary grade matcha to bake with. Anyway, I am totally swooning over this matcha cake. I have always been a tea drinker and matcha is my all time favorite but I went through a coffee phase/addiction where I thought I couldn't live without it. I'm so happy that is over with, at least until I have kids 😉
Tessa
Hmmm, maybe it was the type of tea after all. I am not sure what kind I have - but it did go well in the cake, so I am happy. I should look into the DoMatcha for drinking - thank you!!
Heather (Delicious Not Gorgeous)
This sounds like a yummy combo! And I love the way that coconut is interweaved into the cake too (coconut milk is always delicious).
Tessa
I thought they would go well together - but it turned out even better than I thought! Yumm!
molly yeh
mmmm matcha and coconut are a total match made in heaven!!! this loaf cake looks awesome!!!!
Tessa
Yes! A match(a) made in heaven, lol. Did I really just type that? Thank you!!
Amber Canning
Love your blog! Try blueberry matcha, it's delicious!
Tessa
Thank you, Amber! That flavor combo sounds amazing!!
Csenge
Wow, this is perfect! I love coconut and I love matcha! Combining these two is the best idea ever.I'm definitely gonna try this recipe, thank you <3 Kisses fron Hungary xoxo
http://www.csengespoint.blogspot.hu
Gabija
Hello! I have stumbled along this blog a few times before and when I realized I had all of the ingredients for this cake, I began my midnight matcha baking session. It's in the oven and the batter tastes like velvety decadence but I had one little problem with the recipe/directions. There is NO loaf pan big enough in my repertoire to fit all the batter that this recipe makes! I had to use a 9 x 13 baking dish. Other than that, looks promising. Will tag ya on instagram when it's complete!
Tessa
I am so glad you tried the recipe! I must have an unusually large loaf pan... I thought there was a note to only fill the pan up to a certain point (I will double check), and you can always bake off leftover batter in a smaller cake pan. Perfect for snacking =)
matcha green tea bundt cake |
[…] adapted from here (also for american measurements) ingredients for the cake: 3 cups flour 3 tsp. […]
Aryani Sumoondur
Hi, I'd like to try this recipe but can't find it on here?
Morgan
So delicious! I baked this yesterday and WE ATE IT ALL
Brian B
Just an absolutely incredible recipe. I’ll definitely be baking this matcha cake again.
Cassie
This was AMAZING. My kids were skeptical (not huge tea lovers) but the beautiful color won them over. And the coconut frosting OMG
JP Nash
This is so tasty!!! I've had a lot of matcha desserts, but this one...TAKES THE CAKE