As a pastry chef who’s spent years perfecting Japanese-inspired desserts, I’m thrilled to share my favorite matcha cake recipe with you. This elegant creation combines the earthy complexity of premium matcha green tea powder with the sweetness of white chocolate and the nutty crunch of pistachios. The result? A sophisticated dessert that’s sure to impress at any gathering.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
When I first developed this recipe, I wanted to create something that would capture the essence of modern Japanese patisserie while remaining accessible to home bakers. The combination of matcha and white chocolate wasn’t just a random choice – the creamy sweetness of white chocolate perfectly balances the slight bitterness of matcha, while pistachios add both texture and a beautiful color contrast.
Ingredients
For the Matcha Cake
- 2¼ cups cake flour (280g)
- 2 tablespoons premium matcha powder (12g)
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened (170g)
- 1½ cups granulated sugar (300g)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups whole milk, room temperature (300ml)
For the White Chocolate Frosting
- 12 oz white chocolate, chopped (340g)
- 1 cup heavy cream (240ml)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (227g)
- 3 cups powdered sugar (360g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For Decoration
- 1 cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped (120g)
- 2 tablespoons matcha powder for dusting
- White chocolate shavings (optional)
Special Equipment Needed
- 3 8-inch round cake pans
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Sifter
- Offset spatula
- Cake turntable (recommended)
- Digital kitchen scale (recommended)
Preparation Time
- Prep time: 45 minutes
- Baking time: 25-30 minutes
- Cooling time: 2 hours
- Decorating time: 30 minutes
- Total time: 3 hours 45 minutes
Step-by-Step Instructions
Preparing the Cake Layers
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). I’ve found this temperature provides the perfect balance for even baking without drying out the cake.
- Prepare your cake pans:
- Grease the bottom and sides
- Line with parchment paper
- Grease the parchment
- Dust lightly with flour
- Sift together the dry ingredients:
- Cake flour
- Matcha powder
- Baking powder
- Salt Pro tip: I always sift matcha powder twice to ensure no lumps remain – this makes a huge difference in the final texture.
- In your stand mixer bowl with the paddle attachment:
- Cream butter until smooth (about 1 minute)
- Gradually add sugar
- Beat until light and fluffy (5-7 minutes) Don’t skip this step – proper creaming creates the perfect cake structure.
- Add eggs one at a time:
- Beat well after each addition
- Scrape down bowl as needed
- Mix in vanilla extract
- Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk:
- Begin and end with dry ingredients
- Mix on low speed
- Stop as soon as ingredients are combined
- Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. I use a scale to ensure layers are identical in size.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes:
- Rotate pans halfway through
- Test with a toothpick
- Edges should pull slightly from pan
- Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely on wire racks.
Making the White Chocolate Frosting
- Prepare the white chocolate:
- Melt chocolate and ¼ cup cream in double boiler
- Stir until smooth
- Let cool to room temperature
- Beat butter until creamy:
- Use stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Mix on medium speed for 3 minutes
- Scrape bowl as needed
- Gradually add:
- Cooled white chocolate mixture
- Remaining heavy cream
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Beat until light and fluffy (5-7 minutes)
Assembly and Decoration
- Level cake layers if needed
- Place first layer on cake board:
- Add 1 cup frosting
- Spread evenly
- Sprinkle with chopped pistachios
- Repeat with second layer
- Place final layer top-side down
- Apply crumb coat:
- Thin layer of frosting
- Refrigerate 15 minutes
- Final coating:
- Apply remaining frosting
- Smooth sides and top
- Create texture if desired
- Decoration:
- Press pistachios around base
- Dust top with matcha powder
- Add white chocolate shavings
- Pipe rosettes if desired
Storage and Serving
Storage Tips
- Room temperature: Up to 2 days in a cake keeper
- Refrigerated: Up to 5 days
- Freezer: Up to 2 months (wrap well)
Serving Suggestions
- Serve at room temperature
- Pair with:
- Green tea
- Japanese hojicha
- Fresh berries
- Vanilla ice cream
- Whipped cream
Troubleshooting Tips
I’ve made this cake hundreds of times, and here are solutions to common issues:
- Preventing dry cake:
- Don’t overbake
- Measure flour correctly
- Use room temperature ingredients
- Achieving the right color:
- Use high-quality matcha
- Sift powder thoroughly
- Store matcha properly
- Perfect frosting consistency:
- Temperature control is key
- Don’t overheat white chocolate
- Butter must be proper temperature
Nutrition Information (per slice, based on 12 servings)
- Calories: 625
- Total Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 22g
- Cholesterol: 115mg
- Sodium: 230mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 65g
- Dietary Fiber: 2g
- Sugars: 45g
- Protein: 8g
Questions & Answers
Q: Can I make this cake ahead of time?
A: Yes! The cake layers can be baked up to 2 days in advance and stored wrapped in plastic at room temperature. The frosting can be made 1 day ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before using.
Q: What type of matcha should I use?
A: Use culinary-grade or premium-grade matcha powder. Ceremonial grade is not necessary for baking, though it will work. Avoid low-quality matcha as it can be bitter and won’t provide the vibrant green color.
Q: Can I make this cake without a stand mixer?
A: Yes, you can use a hand mixer, though you’ll need to increase mixing times by about 2 minutes for each step to achieve the same results.
Q: How can I ensure my cake layers are even?
A: I recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh the batter as you divide it between pans. Each pan should receive about 550g of batter.
Q: Can I substitute the pistachios with other nuts?
A: Absolutely! Slivered almonds or chopped macadamia nuts work beautifully. Just ensure they’re unsalted.
Q: Why did my white chocolate seize when melting?
A: This usually happens when water gets into the chocolate or it’s overheated. Use a double boiler, ensure all utensils are completely dry, and remove from heat when chocolate is 90% melted, stirring until smooth.
Recipe Variations
- Matcha Cupcakes
- Same recipe
- Bake 18-20 minutes
- Yields 24 cupcakes
- Sheet Cake Version
- Use 9×13 inch pan
- Bake 35-40 minutes
- Reduce frosting by 1/3
- Gluten-Free Option
- Use 1:1 gluten-free flour blend
- Add ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum if blend doesn’t include it
- Increase milk by 2 tablespoons
Remember, baking is both a science and an art. Don’t be afraid to experiment once you’ve mastered the basic recipe. I’ve been making this cake for years, and I still find new ways to perfect it. Happy baking!
