Matcha Sponge

This matcha sponge recipe is just one component of a recent cake endeavor (recipe coming soon, stay tuned 😀 ) but it gets a gold star and deserves its own post. Raised by both whipped egg whites and baking powder, this sponge is fluffy, light, and moist, with a distinctive matcha flavor (and color!).

Basically (and #basic ally), I’m on the matcha bandwagon. It tastes vaguely like grassy earth and that, somehow, works. Matcha lattes were my salvation before I proudly matured into a coffee drinking adult a long three months ago. But given the huge Matcha latte and matcha ice cream trend, matcha cakes are surprisingly hard to come by:

So let’s bake one instead.

The Sponge

  • 225g butter
  • 180g sugar
  • 3 eggs, separated
  • 140g flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1.5 Tbs. matcha (to taste. more if layered with a strong-flavored filling)
  • 2 Tbs. milk
  1. Preheat conventional oven to 190 degrees Celsius
  2. Beat butter and sugar until creamy
  3. Beat in the egg yolks one by one
  4. Separately sift together the flour, baking powder, and matcha
  5. Fold the combined dry ingredients and the milk into the egg yolk and sugar mix
  6. Separately beat the egg whites to soft peaks
  7. Fold egg whites into the mix
  8. Spread into desired cake pan lined with baking paper and buttered. I use a 35 x 22 cm pan for a three layer 16 cm diameter cake. Should you use a smaller pan, adjust baking time accordingly
  9. Bake for 16 minutes or until toothpick inserted into centre comes out clean
  10. Cut the cake into rings as desired. For a three layer cake, cut two complete circles and patch the third layer out of the remaining sponge (see below)

Milk Soak & Assembly

  • 100ml whole milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • and a filling or cream of your choice!

As a neat little trick to keep your layer cake sponge moist, brush a few tablespoons of vanilla-flavored milk onto each sponge layer as you assemble your cake.

In addition to more traditional matcha pairings of red bean or black sesame, matcha’s earthy flavor pairs well with the freshness of lemon or raspberry. This matcha sponge recipe isn’t overly sweet so works well with milky white chocolate frosting or a simple creme pat/diplomat. If you have the time to spare, construct a more elaborate matcha lemon raspberry cake (picture below, recipe coming soon!).