Japanese Matcha Pound Cake With Subtle Sweetness Recipe

I perfected a Japanese Green Tea Cake and I’m sharing the one small technique that makes the recipe reliably successful.

I love how this Japanese Green Tea Cake feels like a small, deliberate surprise. The matcha green tea powder gives a sharp, grassy note that keeps the sweetness from getting cloying, and the texture stays unexpectedly tender because I use plenty of unsalted butter.

It’s elegant in a quiet way, the kind of Green Tea Pound Cake you slice slowly to see how the color changes in the light. Sometimes I mess up the timing and it still turns out interesting, which says a lot.

Take a bite and you might find it’s simple, strange, and strangely memorable.

Ingredients

• Rich butter gives moist crumb and tenderness, adds fat and subtle dairy flavor.
• Granulated sugar sweetens gently and helps with browning and fine crumb.
• Eggs bind, add protein, structure and a little richness to the cake.
• Low protein flour keeps texture tender and soft not heavy or dense.
• Matcha brings vegetal bitterness and delicate aroma, plus antioxidants and green tea taste.
• Splash of milk or cream smooths batter and adds gentle richness.
• Vanilla rounds flavors, softens matcha edges and enhances overall sweetness.
• Powdered sugar gives a pretty finish and a tiny extra sweetness.

Ingredient Quantities

• 200 g unsalted butter, softened (about 7 oz)
• 180 g granulated sugar (about 3/4 cup plus 3 tbsp)
• 4 large eggs (about 200 g) room temp
• 200 g cake flour (about 1 2/3 cups) or substitute 180 g all purpose flour + 20 g cornstarch
• 15 g matcha green tea powder (about 2 tbsp), preferably culinary grade
• 1 tsp baking powder (about 4 g)
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 30 ml milk or heavy cream (2 tbsp)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (5 ml)
• 1 to 2 tbsp powdered sugar for dusting, optional

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F) and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan, line with parchment so you can lift the cake out easy later.

2. Sift together the cake flour (or AP plus cornstarch), matcha powder, baking powder and salt into a bowl so there are no lumps and the matcha is evenly distributed.

3. In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes with a hand mixer or 5 to 7 with a stand mixer. scrape the sides once or twice.

4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition so the mixture stays emulsified. if it looks like it might split, add a tablespoon of the dry mix or a splash of milk to bring it back together.

5. Stir the milk (or cream) with the vanilla, then using a spatula fold the dry ingredients into the butter-egg mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions of the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry mix. fold gently, dont overmix.

6. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and tap the pan a few times on the counter to remove large air bubbles and level the top. if the batter seems too thick add a tiny splash more milk.

7. Bake on the center rack for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the top is set and a skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. if the top browns too fast, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 to 15 minutes.

8. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then lift out on the parchment and cool completely on a wire rack. cooling fully helps you get clean slices.

9. Once cool, sift 1 to 2 tablespoons powdered sugar over the top if you like; it makes the green color pop and adds a subtle sweetness.

10. Store wrapped at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge up to 5 days. bring to room temp before serving, and enjoy with a cup of green tea.

Equipment Needed

1. 9×5 inch loaf pan, greased and parchment lined
2. Parchment paper (for easy lift out)
3. Mixing bowls, at least one large and one medium
4. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
5. Fine mesh sieve or sifter (for dry mix and powdered sugar)
6. Rubber spatula for folding and scraping
7. Kitchen scale or measuring cups and spoons
8. Wire cooling rack and a skewer or toothpick to test doneness

FAQ

Japanese Matcha Pound Cake With Subtle Sweetness Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Unsalted butter: swap for salted butter, same weight but cut the recipe salt to 1/8 tsp; or use 180 g neutral oil plus 20 g melted butter for a moist crumb if you gotta avoid too much butter.
• Cake flour: use 180 g all purpose flour plus 20 g cornstarch (gives the lighter crumb); or use 200 g plain all purpose if you don’t mind a slightly denser cake; for gluten free use a 1 to 1 GF baking blend and add 1/2 tsp xanthan gum.
• Eggs (4 large): for vegan or egg-free try flax “eggs” 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg (mix, let sit 5 min), or use 60 g unsweetened applesauce per egg for moisture, but expect a bit denser texture.
• Milk / heavy cream: swap 1 to 1 with unsweetened plant milk like oat, soy or almond; if you replace heavy cream with milk add 1 tsp melted butter or 1 tbsp cream cheese to keep richness, or use 30 ml buttermilk for a tangy lift.

Pro Tips

1. Sift the matcha together with the dry stuff and if you can, bloom a tablespoon of it in a tiny bit of warm milk before you fold it in, it makes the color pop and stops gritty clumps from showing up in the cake.
2. Make sure the butter is soft not melted, and add the eggs slowly, one at a time, cause if it starts to look curdled just stop and add a spoon of the dry mix or a splash of milk till it comes back together.
3. Ovens are weird, check the cake a few minutes before the shortest time, rotate the pan if your oven has hot spots, and if the top is getting too dark loosely tent with foil for the last part of baking.
4. Cool completely before slicing, or pop the loaf in the fridge for 20 minutes to get cleaner slices, and use a long sharp knife warmed under hot water then wiped between cuts for neat pieces.
5. Matcha strength varies a lot so taste as you go, if your matcha is very bitter cut sugar a tiny bit less or use a slightly milder matcha, and store unused matcha in a cool dry place so it stays bright and fresh.