Vegan Matcha Loaf Cake, No Eggs or Milk

For a matcha loaf cake you can slice, pour one plant-based batter into a loaf pan. It combines 7 oz (200 g) flour, about 5 tsp (10 g) matcha, and 3/4 cup (180 ml) soy milk. Allow 1 hour 25 minutes for preparation, baking, and cooling, for eight slices.

We stop mixing as soon as the flour disappears so the crumb stays less dense. If you'd like to try other pans, our matcha baking recipes range from simple cakes to layered desserts.

• Prep 15 minutes
• Bake 50 minutes
• Cool 20 minutes
• Total 1 hour 25 minutes
• Yield 8 slices
• Equipment 9-inch (22 cm) by 4-inch (10 cm) loaf pan, parchment paper, two bowls, sieve, kitchen whisk, and spatula

The basic batter contains neither eggs nor dairy milk. It isn't meant to be marbled. Sifting the matcha with the flour distributes it before the dry ingredients meet the liquids.

Ingredients for a plant-based matcha loaf cake

• 7 oz (200 g) wheat flour
• About 5 tsp (10 g) matcha
• About 2 1/2 tsp (10 g) baking powder
• 4.2 oz (120 g) sugar
• 6 tbsp (90 ml) sunflower oil
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) plain, unsweetened soy milk

Make the batter and bake the loaf

1. Preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C) with conventional heat.
2. Line a 9-inch (22 cm) by 4-inch (10 cm) loaf pan with parchment paper.
3. Mix the 3/4 cup (180 ml) soy milk, 4.2 oz (120 g) sugar, and 6 tbsp (90 ml) oil in one bowl.
4. Sift the 7 oz (200 g) flour, about 5 tsp (10 g) matcha, and about 2 1/2 tsp (10 g) baking powder into a second bowl.
5. Pour the dry ingredients over the liquid ingredients.
6. Mix with a spatula until no dry flour remains.
7. Pour the batter into the lined pan.
8. Bake for 50 minutes at 340°F (170°C), until a knife inserted in the center comes out without raw batter.
9. Leave the loaf in the pan for 10 minutes.
10. Remove it from the pan and place it on a rack.
11. Let it cool for another 10 minutes before slicing.

If pockets of flour remain, give the batter a few more turns with the spatula, then stop. A knife inserted in the center will tell you whether your oven needs a few extra minutes. We wait until the loaf has cooled on a rack before cutting so the crumb holds together better.

Lemon, yuzu, or berries: which variation?

For lemon, replace 2 tsp (10 ml) soy milk with 2 tsp (10 ml) juice and add the finely grated zest of half a lemon to the liquids. For yuzu, use 2 tsp (10 ml) of its juice instead of lemon, removing the same amount of soy milk.

For raspberries or blueberries, add 2.1 oz (60 g) well-drained fruit just before pouring the batter into the pan. Check the center after 50 minutes: the fruit's moisture may call for a few extra minutes in the oven. We'd try one fruit at a time so the matcha still comes through in each slice.

If you'd like to use a single pan but change the shape, a matcha Bundt cake forms a ring.

Which matcha works in a baked loaf?

The sugar and baking in this plant-based loaf lead us to choose our Matcha Essence. For a cup made with water, we'd choose according to the drink rather than this cake. Sift the powder with the flour to avoid concentrated green spots in the crumb.

Our tip. Cut the first slice after the loaf has cooled on the rack; the warm crumb doesn't hold together as well.

Allergens. This cake contains wheat (gluten) and soy.