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Matcha Chocolate Cake

Alternating layers of chocolate and matcha cake are sandwiched with creamy matcha ganache with Swiss meringue buttercream
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time55 minutes
Total Time2 hours 30 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cake, chocolate, chocolate cake, matcha, tea
Servings: 12

Ingredients

Matcha Cake

  • 1 ½ cups cake flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoon matcha powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoon canola or grapeseed oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract optional
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
  • ¾ cup whole milk

Classic Chocolate Cake

  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • cup canola or grapeseed oil
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract optional
  • ¾ cup whole milk
  • ½ cup hot coffee or hot water

Matcha Ganache

  • 12 oz white chocolate chopped, by weight
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon matcha powder

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

  • 3 large egg whites
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ cups unsalted butter softened
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • gel food coloring optional

Instructions

Matcha Cake

  • Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour two 6-inch cake pans and set aside.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium until smooth.  Add the sugar and mix until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add the oil and mix until combined.
  • With the mixer on low, add in the vanilla, almond, eggs, and egg yolk – one at a time.  Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl.
  • With the mixer on low, add in half of the dry ingredients.  Stream in the milk and mix until combined.  Add in the rest of the dry ingredients and mix on medium-low for no more than 30 seconds or until everything in incorporated.
  • Evenly distribute the batter between the two pans.  Bake for 24 to 27 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing the cakes from their pans.
  • Recipe may be doubled and baked in three 8-inch pans.  Bake time may vary.

Classic Chocolate Cake

  • Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour two 6-inch cake pans and set aside.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the oil and sugar together until combined.
  • With the mixer on low, add in the vanilla, almond, egg, and egg yolk – one at a time.  Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl.
  • With the mixer on low, add in half of the dry ingredients.  Stream in the milk and mix until combined.  Add in the rest of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.  Stream in the hot coffee and mix until the batter is smooth.
  • Evenly distribute the batter between the two pans.  Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing the cakes from their pans.
  • Recipe may be doubled and baked in three 8-inch pans.  Bake time may vary.

Matcha Ganache

  • Place the chocolate in a heat-safe container and set aside.
  • Place the cream in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.  Slowly bring the cream to a simmer.  Remove from the heat and whisk in the matcha.
  • Pour the cream mixture over the chopped chocolate.  Let sit 30 seconds, then whisk until smooth and the chocolate has melted.
  • Allow to completely cool and thicken until ready to use.  When done, the ganache should be spreadable. 
  • To speed things up, the ganache may be refrigerated, but remember to stir often or it will harden.  If made in advanced, gently reheat in the microwave until a spreadable consistency.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the egg whites and sugar.  Whisk briefly by hand until combined.
  • Fill a saucepan with a few inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Place the mixer bowl on top of the saucepan to create a double-boiler.  Stirring intermittently, heat the egg mixture until it reaches 150 to 160 on a candy thermometer.
  • Once hot, carefully return the mixer bowl to the stand mixer.  Fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg white mixture on high until stiff peaks, about 8 minutes.  When done, the outside of the mixer bowl should return to room temperature.
  • Stop the mixer and swap the paddle for the whisk.  With the mixer on low, add in the vanilla and butter, a couple tablespoons at a time.  Once all of the butter has been added, turn the mixer up to medium-high and mix until smooth.  If the mixture looks curdled, just keep mixing until it is smooth (this could take up to about 5 minutes).  If it appears soupy, place the mixer bowl in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes, then mix until smooth.  Tint with gel food coloring, if desired.
  • Recipe may be doubled to frost and decorate a larger cake.

Assembly

  • Once the cakes are completely cooled, trim the tops so that they are level.  Alternating between matcha and chocolate cakes, spread on ⅓ of the ganache between each layer.
  • For the star pattern, simply pipe rows of stars using a #21 tip all over a thinly frosted cake.