Matcha Fresh Cream Cake

As much as I’m addicted to the new song ‘My Universe’ by Coldplay x BTS these days, a good matcha dessert also ‘makes my world light up inside! ’ ^_^

If you love matcha as much as I do, this intense matcha flavored cake will surely light up your day!

Unlike traditional method where we flavor (adding matcha powder and sugar) the frosting when whipping up heavy cream, the matcha frosting here is prepared beforehand by heating matcha powder in liquid first to fully release its aroma and flavor. The heating method, together with using corn starch and butter, shorten the actual whipping time, and allow the whipped cream frosting (can also be used as pastry filling) to hold its firmness longer at room temperature.

Two additional special methods introduced in the recipe:

* 燙麵法 Cooked dough method: Adding hot oil in flour gelatinizes the starch inhibiting the development of gluten in flour batter, thus creating a more moist and soft cake.

* 水浴法 Water bath method: A pan of hot water placed in the oven to add moisture to the oven, thus help achieving a perfect cake top without cracks.

 Matcha Whipped Cream Cake 抹茶鮮奶油蛋糕:

Size: 4-layer 6” cake

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

60g cake flour

8g matcha powder

60g vegetable oil

20g milk

40g condensed milk (or honey)

4 egg yolks

1 whole egg

Additional matcha powder for sprinkling

Raspberries and blueberries for decoration

For Egg White:

4 egg white

50g granulated sugar

Matcha Whipped Cream Frosting:

15g matcha powder

35g granulated sugar

10g corn starch

45g unsalted butter

200g heavy cream (A)

355g heavy cream (B)

 * The heavy cream portions above yield extra whipped cream for additional servings and piping decoration. Having 155g (A) and 300g (B) is ok if you are skilled with frosting and intend a simple look.

Instructions:

Matcha Whipped Cream Frosting

(Start preparation at least 8hrs ahead)

1.     Sift together matcha powder, granulated sugar, and corn starch in a bowl.

2.     Add heavy cream (A) in a thick bottom sauce pan, mix in sifted matcha powder mixture.

3.     Melt the unsalted butter in the sauce pan over low heat, keep whisking until butter fully melts.

4.     Add heavy cream (B), keep whisking until incorporated evenly and the mixture starting to boil from the edge. Turn off and remove from heat when temperature reaches about 158°F (70°C).

5.     Pour into another container and let cooled, then refrigerate covered for 8 hours or overnight. (Make sure cling wrap touches the surface of matcha cream to prevent formation of milk skin).

6.     Ensure matcha cream is cooler than 39°F (40°C) before starting to whip. Whip the matcha cream on in a cold bowl on high speed for 4-5 minutes until stiff peak. (This time I chill the bowl and whisk attachments in the fridge prior to whipping, also had a bowl of ice underneath the bowl of matcha cream while whipping. I achieved stiff peak pretty quickly). Store the whipped matcha cream in the fridge for cake assembly.

L: Cling wrap covered matcha cream. R: Whipped matcha cream ready for frosting

Cake

1.     Preheat oven to 300°F /150°C. Place a container of warm water on the rack below cake rack.

2.     Line the bottom of four 6” round cake pans with parchment paper.  (I also sprayed the pan with oil)

3.     Sift together cake flour and matcha powder

4.     Microwave vegetable oil for 1 minute to reach about 140-176°F (60-82°C). Mix the oil with flour mixture.

5.     Stir in milk and condensed milk (or honey).

6.     Add in egg yolk then whole egg one at a time, incorporate well and set aside.

7.     In a new bowl, beat the egg whites on low speed until you see big bubble/ coarse foam. Add half sugar and continue beating on medium speed until foam gets finer. Add second half of the sugar and beat on high speed until reaching stiff peak.

8.     Use a whisk, gently mix in 1/3 of the egg white meringue to the egg yolk mixture to get an airy, even texture. Mix using folding method (lift the whisk up then back in), avoid mixing just in circular motion within the bowl. Pour back into the egg white bowl.

9.     Use a spatula to gently fold and mix the batter until even and smooth.

10.  Pour the batter evenly into four 6” pans. Bang the pan several times on hard counter surface to release air bubbles.

Steps 7 -10

11.  Bake at 300°F /150°C with water bath at lower rack for about 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted and comes out clean.

12.  Cool the cakes on a rack with pans and parchment papers removed.

Steps 11- 12

Assemble the Cake

1.     Position the first cake on a cake plate over a revolving cake turntable. (I always ‘stick’ my cake to the cake plate using some whipped cream so the cake doesn’t slide during frosting)

2.     Start by placing a dollop of whipped cream on a cake layer, spread it evenly with an offset spatula.

3.     Place the second layer on top of the first cake. Repeat the process until the top layer. Ensure the top layer has flat-bottom up, not domed side.

4.     Begin to crumb coat the cake with cream. Refrigerate the cake for 20-30 minutes.

5.     Continue frosting the side and top of the cake with chilled whipped cream. Use bench scraper to smooth the side of the cake.

L: Crumb coat. R: Frosted cake

6.     Dust some matcha powder over the cake top and decorate with raspberries and blueberries. Refrigerate for at least 1-2 hour before serving.