Mini Matcha Cake (4-inch)
Matcha cake with a tender crumb, a beautiful green color, and silky vanilla bean buttercream for sweetness. This soft and moist cake is eye-catching for any occasion! This recipe makes a 3 layer, 4-inch cake.
Matcha has a grassy flavor with a sweet finish. It adds a unique earthy flavor to baked goods and dyes the cake a beautiful green color! By pairing a matcha cake with vanilla bean buttercream, you have a perfect balance of earthy and sweet flavors.
Matcha Powder
Matcha powder is a fine green powder made by grinding down tea leaves. There’s actually two different grades of matcha powder, ceremonial and culinary grades. Ceremonial is higher quality, which is used for tea ceremonies and is better for drinking. Culinary grade is used to add to baked goods. This is the brand that I buy for baking!
Prices can range between brands, but typically matcha powder is expensive. I like to buy matcha powder in small batches anyway since it starts oxidizing once opened. It’s best to use it within the month.
If you want your matcha cake to be a vibrant green color, use fresh, unopened matcha. Expired matcha powder can turn dull in color and it can lose its flavor over time.
What Does Matcha Cake Taste Like?
Like a sweet matcha latte! (If you’re a matcha latte fan, check out my matcha latte recipe!)
The matcha cake is tender, with a delicate earthy taste. Good quality matcha shouldn’t leave a bitter taste. The cake sponges are not sweet which is why pairing it with a vanilla bean buttercream compliments it and makes it delicious!
Check Out These Cake Recipes!
Does Matcha Cake Have Caffine?
Yes. Matcha powder contains whole ground down tea leaves. This means you get more antioxidants, nutrients, and caffeine. Caffeine amounts vary based on the brand anywhere from 40-180g. The caffeine doesn’t “bake out” during the baking process.
Although eating a slice of matcha cake has never made me jittery (and I’m super sensitive to caffeine!).
How To Make A Matcha Cake
Gather your ingredients and make sure they’re all at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃).
I like to prepare my cake pans by tracing around the bottom of the cake pan on parchment paper, then cutout the circles. You can buy precut circles (which is a time saver, I love them and they’ll last awhile).
Spray the sides of the pans with cooking spray or butter. Then place the parchment circle on the bottom (shown in the image above). The cakes will turn out perfect every time!
In a bowl, add flour, matcha powder, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together and set aside.
With a stand mixer equipped with a paddle attachment or a hand held mixer, beat the butter on high speed for 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Scraping the bowl will ensure everything is mixed thoroughly.
Add vanilla extract and the eggs and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl (I do this each time I’ve added more ingredients!)
Add half of the dry ingredients and half of the whole milk. Mix on low speed until mostly incorporated. If using a hand mixer, note it may splash a little! This is why you should divide the wet and dry ingredients into 2 parts. Add the remaining dry ingredients and whole milk. Mix on low until fully incorporated.
Pour the batter equally into the prepared cake pans. I like to bang the pans a few times to release air bubbles. Place a dish towel down because banging the pans is loud!
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Transfer the pans to a wire cooling rack. After 5 minutes, use a knife to gently release the sides of the cake for the pan. Turn out the cake using oven mitts (the pans will still be hot). Discard the parchment paper and let the cakes cool completely before icing.
Vanilla Bean Buttercream
Make sure the butter is soft!
Add the softened butter to the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or use a hand mixer. Beat the butter on high speed for one minute.
Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and mix on low for 30 seconds. Once incorporated, add the remaining cup and mix on low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
Add the salt, vanilla bean paste, and whipping cream. Whip everything on medium speed for two minutes. Then, change the speed to low and mix for 5 minutes. If the buttercream is too stiff, add 1 tbsp of additional whipping cream and mix on low.
To test if the buttercream is ready, dip a spatula into the frosting. Pull it out and look for slight curl at the top. If the frosting stands up straight, add about 1 tsp of heavy whipping cream and mix until you get a slight curl.
Decorate
If you want to pipe a design with lots of swirls and borders, double the buttercream recipe on the recipe card below.
Once the cakes have cooled, level the tops with a serrated knife. Chill cake layers in the freezer for 5 minutes to avoid crumbs.
Add buttercream between the layers and frost the sides. Using an offset spatula will help!
Optional: Add buttercream swirls! I used a Wilton 1M tip for the largest swirls, an Ateco 22 tip for the medium stars, and a Wilton 16 tip for the mini stars. Dust with more matcha powder.
Store
The cake is good up to 3 days when covered in an airtight container at room temperature.
You can freeze the cake for 1 month in an airtight container or wrap the cake completely in plastic wrap.
You can freeze cake layers by wrapping each individual cake layer in plastic wrap while still warm. Then place the wrapped matcha cake layers in a a freezer bag and place in the freezer in a spot where it won’t get crushed.
When you need the cake layers, take them out and let them thaw for about 30 minutes.
RECIPE CARD
Matcha Cake Small Batch (4-inch)
Equipment
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment or hand mixer
Ingredients
Matcha Cake
- ½ cup unsalted butter (room temperature) (113g or 1 stick)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour (180g)
- 2 tbsp matcha powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ⅛ salt
- ¼ cup + 2 tbsp whole milk (3oz)
Vanilla Bean Buttercream
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (113g or 1 stick)
- 2 cups powdered sugar (312g)
- pinch salt (i use kosher salt)
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 tbsp heavy whipping cream (or whole milk) (use more if your frosting is too stiff)
Instructions
Matcha Cake
- Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Butter or spray the sides of the cake pans with cooking spray. Cutout a parchment circle. Or prepare pans how you prefer.
- In a bowl, add flour, matcha powder, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together and set aside.
- With a stand mixer equipped with a paddle attachment or a hand held mixer, beat the butter on high speed for 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add vanilla extract and the eggs and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add half of the dry ingredients and half of the whole milk. Mix on low speed until mostly incorporated. Then add the remaining dry ingredients and whole milk. Mix on low until fully incorporated.
- Pour the batter equally into the prepared cake pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Transfer the pans to a wire cooling rack. After 5 minutes, use a knife to gently release the sides of the cake for the pan. Turn out the cake using oven mitts (the pans will still be hot). Let the cakes cool completely before icing.
Vanilla Bean Buttercream
- Add the softened butter to the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or use a hand mixer and a large bowl. Beat the butter on high speed for one minute.
- Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and mix on low for 30 seconds. Once incorporated, add the remaining cup and mix on low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
- Add the salt, vanilla bean paste, and whipping cream. Whip everything on medium speed for two minutes. Then, change the speed to low and mix for 5 minutes. If the buttercream is too stiff, add 1 tbsp of additional whipping cream and mix on low.
Decorate
- Once the cakes have cooled, level the tops with a serrated knife. Chill cake layers in the freezer for 5 minutes to avoid crumbs.
- Add buttercream between the layers and frost the sides.
- Optional: Add buttercream swirls to the top of the cake and lightly dust with more matcha powder.
Notes
- Matcha Powder: I use this matcha powder in my matcha cakes. To get a vibrant green color, always use fresh matcha. Expired matcha dulls in color and flavor. Buy in small quantities to avoid this.
- Tools: Electric mixers whip up buttercreams to a smooth and creamy texture. A stand mixer with a paddle attachment is very helpful, or a handheld mixer with whisk attachments.
- Vanilla Bean Buttercream: This recipe makes about 2 cups of frosting and is adapted from my easy American buttercream recipe. If you want enough buttercream to make lots of extra piping designs, double the recipe.
- Substitutes: Use pure vanilla extract if you don’t have vanilla bean paste. I buy my vanilla extract in a large quality since I do a lot of baking and it’s cheaper!
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Unsalted butter, milk, and eggs will incorporate better when at room temp. Don’t skip this!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, and should be used as an approximation.
