amy chaplin

celebrating the art of eating well

Matcha tea cake

POSTED ON May 4, 2014

tea + cake

tea + cake

Lately, Matcha tea has become part of my daily routine. I’m loving the creamy texture and rich grassy flavor—and find its perfect for a mid-morning boost. I should also add that I enjoy the extra caffeine—more than sencha but less than black tea. Matcha is known to promote a clear, calm and focused mind and unlike coffee or black tea, it provides an energy boost that doesn’t result in anxiety and nervousness.  To increase chlorophyll and create a deeper green color, the Tencha tea bushes used to make matcha are covered toward the end of their growth period. This process also enhances the levels of amino acids in the tea. Once dried matcha is stone ground to a fine, bright green powder, which is known for its high levels of antioxidants. Since the powder dissolves when whisked with hot water, you are drinking the whole leaf and receive more than triple the amount of health benefits you might from a cup of tea made from stepping tea leaves.

The process of making good quality matcha is long and labor intensive; and since you need a teaspoon to make about a 2 to 3 ounces you’ll find that it’s also expensive.

Rishi Tea came out with this Teahouse matcha green tea powder that I currently love. It’s slowly stone ground, foams well (with a bamboo whisk) and has a fresh, smooth flavor.

Now onto the cake—which I think may be the best gluten-free cake I have ever made! Flavorful, moist and velvety, this cake also holds together perfectly when sliced and enjoys a hint of texture from plenty of ground coconut. The success of this cake did not come from careful planning or recipe researching but from a tin of matcha that I purchased at the Rainbow co-op in San Francisco.  Unfortunately, it didn’t taste great so I casually tossed a very generous amount into the cake batter. I then gasped at the dark green color, doubting that it would be edible I threw it in the oven with my fingers crossed. It was late by the time it had baked, so I left it on a cooling rack and went to bed. In the morning I sliced and wrapped it to take on a car trip. Later that day (somewhere in Rhode Island), I took my first bite and was really shocked at how perfect it had turned out. Unlike many green tea desserts, the flavor of matcha really shines here and the generous amount of the powder together with the coconut milk creates a delectable, rich textured cake that I hope you’ll love as much as I do.

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matcha tea cake

cake

cake

These gorgeous photos were taken by Stephen Johnson.

Matcha tea cake

Recipe updated August 6th 2015

Makes 1 8-inch loaf

2 tablespoons chia seeds

½ cup unsweetened full fat coconut milk

Filtered water

2 tablespoons matcha tea

1 cup unsweetened dried coconut

¼ cup coconut flour

1/2 cup gluten-free oat flour

¼ cup brown rice flour

2 teaspoons aluminum free baking powder

½ cup almond meal

½ cup maple syrup

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons melted extra virgin coconut oil, plus more to oil pan

1 large egg, beaten

¼ cup mashed banana, from about ½ a banana

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon sea salt

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and oil any exposed parts of the pan.

In a medium bowl combine chia seeds with coconut milk and a ¼ cup of water, whisk until combined and set aside for 15 minutes or until thickened.

Place matcha tea into a cup or small bowl and add 5 tablespoons water. Stir until smooth and set aside.

Place coconut in a food processor and blend until fine. Add coconut flour, oat flour, brown rice flour, baking powder and almond meal, and blend to combine. Set aside.

Add the dissolved matcha tea to the chia mixture along with maple syrup, coconut oil, egg, banana, vanilla and salt and whisk to combine. Add the ground coconut mixture and stir until combine. Transfer to the prepared pan and bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow cake to cool in pan for about 15 minutes then turn out all allow to cool completely. Store any left over in the fridge for up to 4 days.


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