Looking for the perfect sweet treat to share or gift? This vibrant Matcha Pound Cake is one of the most brilliant, versatile recipes to have in your baking repertoire. In contrast to delicate frosted desserts, it travels beautifully and doesn’t require immediate refrigeration. Additionally, its deep, earthy notes pair exceptionally well with afternoon tea.
Ingredients for Matcha Pound Cake
Matcha Cake:
- Unsalted Butter: 1 stick (4 oz / 113g), softened to room temperature
- Granulated Sugar: ⅓ cup (66g)
- Inverted Sugar or Honey: 1 tbsp + 1 tsp (28g)
- Whole Eggs: 2 large eggs (100g), room temperature
- Cake Flour: ⅔ cup (93g)
- Premium Matcha Powder: 3 ½ tsp (6g)
- Baking Powder: ⅓ tsp (1.3g) — a generous ¼ tsp works perfectly
- Optional Mix-ins: 3 tbsp candied black beans (kuromame), 3 tbsp chopped candied chestnuts (kuri)
Rum Syrup:
- Simple Syrup: ⅓ cup (80g) (1:1 ratio of sugar and water, boiled and cooled)
- Dark or Amber Rum: 2 tbsp + 2 tsp (40g)
Decoration:
- Melted white chocolate
- Additional candied black beans and chestnuts
How to Make Matcha Pound Cake
1. Prep the Oven and Pan
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line the bottom and sides of a standard 8” x 4” loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang on the sides for easy removal later.
2. Sift the Dry Ingredients
Sift together the cake flour, premium matcha powder, and baking powder twice. Sifting is crucial here—it removes stubborn lumps from the matcha and ensures an even, vibrant green distribution throughout your cake batter.
3. Prepare the Rum Syrup
In a small bowl, whisk together your room-temperature simple syrup and dark rum. Set this aside for later.
4. Cream the Butter and Sugars
In a large mixing bowl, beat the single stick of unsalted butter until smooth and creamy. Next, add the granulated sugar and inverted sugar (or honey), then beat on medium-high speed for 3 to 4 minutes until light and fluffy.
5. Emulsify the Eggs
In a separate bowl, lightly whisk your two room-temperature eggs. Gradually add the eggs to the creamed butter mixture in 3 or 4 separate additions, beating thoroughly after each addition. Meanwhile, ensure your eggs are truly room temperature to prevent the emulsion from curdling.
6. Combine the Batter
Add the sifted dry ingredients to your butter-egg mixture. Switch to a flexible rubber spatula and gently fold the ingredients together just until combined and no flour pockets remain. Do not overmix. Gently fold in the candied black beans and chopped chestnuts now, if using.
7. Bake the Loaf
Pour the smooth batter into your prepared loaf pan and level the top with your spatula. Place the pan in the oven and immediately drop the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C). Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the exact center comes out completely clean.
8. Soak and Rest
While the cake is still hot from the oven, generously brush the top and sides with your prepared rum syrup.
*Please note that this makes an easy-to-measure batch, so you do not need to use all of it for this single loaf—just coat it well without over-saturating.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Once warm but manageable, lift it out, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and place it in the refrigerator overnight. Resting overnight redistributes the moisture and matures the complex matcha flavor beautifully.
9. Decorate and Serve
Before serving, bring the cake back to room temperature. Drizzle elegantly with melted white chocolate and garnish with extra candied black beans and chestnuts. Slice cleanly and enjoy!
Ceremonial vs. Culinary Matcha for Baking: Which is Best?
Matcha was originally celebrated as a ceremonial beverage during traditional Japanese tea ceremonies. Today, its distinct flavor profiles are loved worldwide in everything from iced lattes to ice cream.
When baking, you will typically see two grades available: culinary grade and ceremonial grade.
- Culinary Grade: More robust, slightly more bitter, and reasonably priced. Because the baking process subjects the powder to high heat, a high-quality culinary-grade powder is usually perfectly fine and cost-effective.
- Ceremonial Grade: Delicately ground from young tea leaves, offering a vibrant green color and a smooth, mellow aroma.
While I usually save the investment of ceremonial matcha for drinking, I actually prefer using high-quality ceremonial or premium-grade matcha for this pound cake. The heat of the oven can dull the color of lower-grade powders; using a premium grade ensures the final cake boasts a stunning, vibrant emerald hue.
How to Properly Store Matcha Powder
Matcha powder is an incredibly delicate ingredient that requires careful handling. To preserve its quality, please make sure to keep it at a suitable temperature and location. This is because its brilliant color and flavor are easily ruined by exposure to light and ambient heat. Most importantly, you must store the powder in an air-tight container, as oxygen is its number one enemy.
- Keep it airtight: Oxygen is matcha’s number one enemy. Always seal the container tightly immediately after use.
- Chilled is best: Store your matcha in the refrigerator or freezer to prolong its freshness. Just ensure it reaches room temperature before opening the container to prevent condensation from forming inside.
Matcha Pound Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 1 8” x 4” loaf pan
Ingredients
For the Matcha Cake:
- 1 stick unsalted butter (4 oz) (softened to room temperature)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ tbsp inverted sugar (or honey)
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- ⅔ cup cake flour (AP flour)
- 3 ½ tsp premium matcha powder
- ½ tsp baking powder
- Optional Mix-ins: ¼ cup candied black beans kuromame, ¼ cup chopped candied chestnuts (kuri)
For the Rum Syrup:
- ⅓ cup simple syrup (1:1 ratio of sugar and water, boiled and cooled)
- 2 ¼ tbsp dark or amber rum
For the Decoration:
- Melted white chocolate
- Additional candied black beans and chestnuts
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line the bottom and sides of loaf pans with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang for easy removal.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, matcha powder, and baking powder twice. This removes lumps from the matcha and ensures an even, vibrant distribution throughout the batter.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the room-temperature simple syrup and dark rum. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), beat the unsalted butter until smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar and inverted sugar (or honey). Beat on medium-high speed until light, fluffy, and pale.
- In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the room-temperature eggs. Slowly add the eggs to the creamed butter mixture in 4 separate additions, beating thoroughly after each addition. Tip: Ensure the eggs are truly room temperature to prevent the batter from curdling.
- Add the sifted dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Switch to a flexible spatula and gently fold the ingredients together just until combined and no flour pockets remain. Do not overmix. Gently fold in the candied black beans and chopped chestnuts, if using.
- Gently fold in the candied black beans and chopped chestnuts, if using.
- Pour the smooth batter into your prepared loaf pan and level the top with your spatula. Place the pan in the oven and immediately drop the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C). Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.
- The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the exact center comes out completely clean.
- While the cakes are still hot from the oven, generously brush the tops and sides with the rum syrup. However you do not need to use every last drop for this single loaf cake.
- Allow the cakes to cool in their pans on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Once warm but manageable, lift them out, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. Resting overnight distributes the moisture and matures the matcha flavor beautifully.
- Before serving, bring the cake back to room temperature. Drizzle with melted white chocolate and garnish with extra candied black beans and chestnuts. Slice and enjoy with a fresh cup of tea!
