Matcha Yogurt Cake: A Simple Round Cake

One round pan, a yogurt batter, and no cream to whip: this matcha cake keeps things simple. You'll need 5.6 oz (160 g) flour, about 4 tsp (8 g) matcha, and 4.2 oz (120 g) yogurt. Allow 1 hour 5 minutes, including cooling, for eight servings.

Try a plain slice before choosing fruit or chocolate. Yogurt keeps the cake tender, though it's denser than sponge cake. For another shape to bake, other matcha baking recipes include loaf cakes, rolls, and tarts.

• Prep 15 minutes
• Bake 30 minutes
• Cool 20 minutes
• Total 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield 8 servings
• Equipment 8-inch (20 cm) round pan, parchment paper, bowl, whisk, sieve, spatula, small saucepan, and cooling rack

This version makes one round cake without layers or filling. Test the center with a knife; an oven that runs cooler may need a few more minutes than the time given.

Ingredients for a round matcha cake

• 5.6 oz (160 g) wheat flour
• About 4 tsp (8 g) matcha
• About 2 tsp (8 g) baking powder
• 3.9 oz (110 g) sugar
• 2 medium eggs, about 3.5 oz (100 g) without shells
• 4.2 oz (120 g) plain yogurt
• 2.5 oz (70 g) butter, melted and cooled until warm

Make the yogurt batter and bake the cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with conventional heat.
2. Line an 8-inch (20 cm) round pan with parchment paper.
3. Melt the 2.5 oz (70 g) butter in a small saucepan.
4. Let the butter cool for a few minutes until warm.
5. Beat the 2 eggs with the 3.9 oz (110 g) sugar for 2 minutes in a bowl.
6. Add the 4.2 oz (120 g) plain yogurt.
7. Pour the warm butter into the mixture.
8. Sift the 5.6 oz (160 g) flour, about 4 tsp (8 g) matcha, and about 2 tsp (8 g) baking powder over the batter.
9. Fold in the dry ingredients with a spatula until the batter is even.
10. Pour the batter into the lined pan.
11. Bake for 30 minutes at 350°F (175°C), until a knife inserted in the center comes out without raw batter.
12. Let the cake cool for 20 minutes in its pan on a rack.
13. Remove the cake from the pan.
14. Cut the cake into eight servings.

We keep plain yogurt in this batter to make it tender without frosting. Let the melted butter cool until warm before mixing it with the eggs. Testing the center with a knife matters more than a browned surface alone.

Dark chocolate or kiwi when serving?

For chocolate, fold in 1.1 oz (30 g) dark chocolate chips just before pouring the batter into the pan. The cake remains one simple round. For kiwi, place 1.4 oz (40 g) thin slices on the cooled cake just before serving; the fruit would dampen the surface if left for long.

We'd add fruit or chocolate only after tasting the plain version, to decide how much space to leave for the tea.

Which matcha holds up in a baked cake?

We use our Matcha Essence for this sweet batter that goes in the oven. For a cup made with water, choose according to the drink's flavor instead. Sifting about 4 tsp (8 g) matcha powder with the flour prevents concentrated green spots in the crumb.

Our tip. Wait the full 20 minutes of cooling before adding kiwi: its slices quickly lose their shape on a warm cake.

Allergens. This cake contains wheat (gluten), eggs, and milk.