Matcha Carrot Cake with Carrots and Cream Cheese Frosting

Want to keep a carrot cake's soft crumb while adding matcha? This version mixes 7 oz (200 g) grated carrots into the tea batter, then adds cream cheese frosting. Allow 2 hours 10 minutes, including cooling, for eight slices.

• Preparation 30 minutes
• Baking 40 minutes
• Cooling 1 hour
• Total time 2 hours 10 minutes
• Makes 8 slices
• Tools an oven, an 8-inch (20 cm) round pan, parchment paper, a grater, two bowls, a fine sieve, a whisk, a spatula, a rack, and a knife

We put Matcha Essence in the batter, where carrots and walnuts leave room for it without asking it to carry the whole cake. To give everyone an individual cake instead of slicing this one, choose a smaller format from our recipes for matcha cakes.

Matcha carrot cake ingredients

• 7 oz (200 g) grated carrots
• 6.3 oz (180 g) wheat flour
• 4.2 oz (120 g) sugar
• About 3 1/3 fl oz (100 ml) neutral oil
• 2.1 oz (60 g) chopped walnuts
• About 4 tsp (8 g) matcha
• About 2 tsp (8 g) baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 5.3 oz (150 g) plain cream cheese for the frosting
• 1.1 oz (30 g) powdered sugar for the frosting

How to make matcha carrot cake and frosting

1. Preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C).
2. Line the bottom and sides of the round pan with parchment paper.
3. Whisk 2 eggs and 4.2 oz (120 g) sugar for 2 minutes in a bowl.
4. Pour in about 3 1/3 fl oz (100 ml) neutral oil.
5. Sift 6.3 oz (180 g) flour, about 4 tsp (8 g) matcha, and about 2 tsp (8 g) baking powder into a second bowl.
6. Fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture.
7. Add 7 oz (200 g) grated carrots.
8. Fold in 2.1 oz (60 g) chopped walnuts.
9. Pour the batter into the pan.
10. Bake for 40 minutes at 340°F (170°C), until the center is set.
11. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
12. Turn the cake out onto the rack.
13. Cool for another 45 minutes.
14. Mix 5.3 oz (150 g) cream cheese with 1.1 oz (30 g) powdered sugar.
15. Spread the frosting on the cooled cake.
16. Cut eight slices with a knife.

Grate the carrots fairly finely for a neat slice; larger pieces weigh more heavily in the crumb. A coarser grater gives more texture. Either way, wait until the cake is cold before spreading the frosting.

Which matcha goes with carrots and walnuts?

Carrots and walnuts would make a tea chosen for drinking less noticeable here, so we choose Essence for the batter. Save that tea to drink with water.

Why is this still a carrot cake?

Carrots stay in the batter, and walnuts give it texture. Matcha flavors the cake without replacing that pair. Kura-ge sells a marble cake; this recipe keeps a carrot cake's structure rather than becoming a plain matcha cake.

Our tip. Gently squeeze the grated carrots if they release a lot of juice. Leave them moist for the crumb; completely wrung-out carrots change the cake.

Allergens. Wheat, eggs, milk, and tree nuts from the walnuts.