Green Tea Layer Cake

 

Do you guys know what I did on Friday night? I stayed at home and ate takeout Chinese food with my suitemates and the boyfriend. Then I baked a green tea layer cake in my pajamas. Thrilling, I know. Sadly, this is pretty typical behavior for me, and it’s a pretty big deal if I’m wearing something other than sweats and actually getting out of my apartment. As you can see,  my life is rather lame and boring.

Green tea cake, however, is not. It’s pretty fabulous. You know why? Because people are always so impressed with it and think it’s really something special, when in reality, it’s just a simple cake that’s super easy to make.  Also, it’s perfect for so many occasions; I’ve made it for birthdays, potlucks, and just for no reason at all. You can also make it into cupcakes or loaves or one large rectangular cake and it turns out great any way.

Plus, it’s pretty darn delicious, and it feels and tastes healthier than other cakes (even though it’s really not) because it’s so light and delicate. If you like green tea, you will heart this cake. I know that the combination of cream cheese and green tea might sound a little weird, but it’s just delightful. The original recipe calls for a measly amount of green tea powder and loads of sugar, so I always double the green tea and cut out 40% of the sugar, and it’s perfect.

Also, I love this cake because it’s attractive on its own due to the lovely natural green color, and doesn’t really need any other embellishments. I have no artistic ability whatsoever, and my attempts at making things look pretty often end up making them look worse (see above pictures). Luckily, the awful decorations did not deter from the deliciousness of the cake. I ate a huge slice and had to practice some serious self-control to prevent myself from devouring the entire thing 🙂

Green Tea Layer Cake

Source: adapted from allrecipes

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 tablespoons green tea powder (matcha)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the frosting:

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tablespoon green tea powder
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round pans.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking soda, salt, and green tea powder. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat together sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth. Beat in flour mixture alternately with yogurt, mixing just until incorporated. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 30 minutes before turning out of pans.

5. To make the frosting, sift together confectioners’ sugar and green tea powder. In a separate bowl, combine tea/sugar mixture with butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and milk. Beat with an electric mixture until smooth.

6. To assemble the cake, place one cooled cake layer on a serving plate and spread with a thin layer of frosting. Place the other cake layer on top of frosting and cover entire cake with remaining frosting.