Do you have a good pound cake recipe in your baking repertoire? Today, I’ll show you how to make one of my favorites—Matcha Marble Pound Cake (抹茶マーブルパウンドケーキ). This Japanese pound cake is buttery, tender, and bursting with a unique green tea flavor. Its striking emerald swirls make it feel like a luscious, special-occasion treat. Whether you’re making it for a Sunday afternoon treat or to take to a party, this Japanese-inspired pound cake will be a keeper!
What is Japanese-style Pound Cake?
There are a few key differences between a Japanese-style pound cake and a typical pound cake found in the US.
What is Matcha?
Unlike regular green tea, matcha (抹茶) is made from shade-grown tea leaves to prevent direct sunlight. This slows down growth and stimulates an increase in chlorophyll level, which turns the leaves into a darker shade of green. Only the most delicate tea buds are hand-picked, removing the veins and stems. The buds are then stone-ground to the fine, bright green powder. While green tea is an infusion of tea leaves, matcha powder incorporates the entire leaf, resulting in a more concentrated source of nutrients and caffeine. You can read more about matcha on my site.
Use Matcha for Baked Goods
With its earthy and slightly bitter undertone, matcha has been used as a mainstream key flavoring in making all kinds of sweets, pastries, and baked goods in Japan. I personally love the flavor of matcha. It’s especially great in baked goods as it keeps the flavor from tasting too sweet. Another beauty of baking with matcha? The bright green hue lends to the final good that is sure to make an impression.
Ingredients for Matcha Marble Pound Cake
unsalted butter – at room temperature sugar large eggs – at room temperature cake flour – weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale baking powder Diamond Crystal kosher salt milk – at room temperature matcha (green tea powder)
Substitution for Matcha (Green Tea Powder)
If you do not like matcha or do not want to use it, you can substitute it with pure cocoa powder in this recipe.
What To Look for When Buying Matcha
Vibrant green color – It should not be yellowish or brownish green. No additives – Sugar and natural flavorings should not be included in the ingredients. Grown in Japan – Look for the country of origin for any matcha product. Check the expiration date Culinary vs. ceremonial grade – For making desserts and baking, you can use “culinary grade” but the color of green will not be as beautiful as “ceremonial grade.” They also have slightly different flavor profiles. Package size – Consume matcha within 2–3 weeks of opening. I recommend a package of 1 oz (30 g)—the standard size in Japan. Resist the urge to buy a large package even if it seems like a better deal as you probably won’t use it up before the quality degrades.
Where To Get Matcha
Ippodo Tea ($35) – It’s my favorite! Naoki Matcha ($23) – I used it in this recipe. I previously collaborated with them for giveaways on the blog and I like their matcha. Maeda-en ($11) – It’s decent quality for this price range. Japanese grocery stores like Nijiya Market, Mitsuwa Market, and Marukai Market
Use Cake Flour for Japanese Pound Cake
Many American recipes ask for all-purpose flour when making pound cake, but in Japan, cake flour (薄力粉) is always used to make a pound cake. It makes the pound cake extra tender.
How To Make Matcha Pound Cake
5 Tips for Making the Cake Batter
Follow these tips to make sure that the pound cake rises properly and won’t end up with a tough texture.
How to Create the Marble Effect for Pound Cake
There are two ways to make a marble effect: I personally prefer the second method because I can see how the two colors are combined before pouring into the pan. With this approach, I feel that the swirls look more dynamic and you can control the balance of the colors.
Create a Beautiful Crack on Matcha Marble Cake
Did you know the pound cake is supposed to crack on the top? Pound cakes are denser than most cakes, and the exterior starts to bake first. As the heat that is released from the still-baking batter reaches the center of the cake, it needs to expand through the top of the cake since all sides have set. That’s why a pound cake is defined by this rustic crack. However, the crack doesn’t usually appear perfectly centered in the cake. If you wish to achieve a perfectly cracked pound cake where the rupture sets right in the middle, there are two tricks you can do:
Trick 1: After 12–15 minutes of baking, insert a knife into the top of the cake batter in the pan and score a straight line. Do it quickly so you won’t lose the oven heat.
Trick 2: Before putting the cake pan into the oven, cut a very thin strip of cold butter and lay it on top of the cake batter. Or put softened butter into a plastic bag and squeeze it out from a small tip to create a line on the cake batter.
See this image if you need a visual guide. I use Trick 1 as it’s easy to do, but both tricks work beautifully. Since pound cakes are supposed to crack, it’s nice to know how to control the cracking so you get the best-looking pound cake possible.
Other Matcha Recipes
I hope you enjoy this Matcha Marble Pound Cake recipe as much as my family does! It also makes the most gorgeous edible gift if you are thinking of making someone smile today.
Matcha Latte and Iced Matcha Latte Matcha Cookies Matcha Basque Cheesecake Matcha Ice Cream Matcha Swiss Roll Matcha Gateau au Chocolat
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