Ingredients
Matcha Sponge Cake
- 80 g cake flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 2 tsp matcha powder
- 3 large eggs (60 – 63 g each, shell weight included)
- 75 g caster sugar
- 40 g full-cream dairy milk or coconut milk
- 40 g vegetable oil
Filling and Cream
- 190 g canned sweetened red beans (yude azuki), drained
- 250 g cold heavy whipping cream (35 – 38% dairy fat)
- 125 g cold mascarpone cheese
- 62 g icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
Stabilized Matcha Whipped Cream
- 375 g cold heavy whipping cream (35 – 38% dairy fat)
- 35 g icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- 1.5 tsp unflavored gelatin
- 3 tbsp cold water
- 1½ – 2 tbsp matcha powder
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 170°C (338°F). Line the sides and base of a deep 6″ x 3″ (15 x 7.6 cm) or a 7″ (18 cm) round cake pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy release of the cake.
- Setup Bain-Marie: Fill a medium pot with about an inch of water and heat until just simmering, then turn off the heat. This will be used to gently warm the egg and sugar mixture.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: Sift together cake flour, baking powder, salt, and matcha powder into a bowl to combine and remove any lumps.
- Warm Egg Mixture: In a heatproof bowl, lightly beat the eggs with caster sugar. Place this bowl over the bain-marie and whisk continuously until the mixture reaches 33 – 36°C (91.4 – 96.8°F), warming it gently without cooking.
- Whip Eggs for Sponge: Immediately transfer the warmed egg mixture to a stand mixer or use handheld beaters. Whip on medium-high speed for 8 to 10 minutes until the mixture triples in volume, becomes pale and foamy, and reaches the ribbon stage.
- Smooth the Batter: Lower the mixer speed and whip for an additional 1 to 2 minutes until the batter looks very smooth and glossy to eliminate large air bubbles.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gently fold the sifted flour-matcha mixture into the egg batter in three additions using a rubber spatula, being careful to not deflate the batter to maintain its airiness.
- Add Milk and Oil: Fold in the milk gently until combined, then fold in the vegetable oil until the batter has an even, smooth consistency that flows easily off the spatula but doesn’t break or clump.
- Bake the Sponge Cake: Pour the batter gently into the prepared pan, tapping a skewer through to release large bubbles and knock the pan twice on the counter to level. Bake for about 40 minutes until the cake surface browns and springs back when pressed. If impressions remain, bake for a further 5 minutes and recheck.
- Cool the Cake: Remove from oven and immediately drop the pan from about 6″ (15 cm) onto the counter to minimize shrinkage. Let it sit in the pan for 5 minutes, then release and peel off parchment. Cool fully on a wire rack.
- Make Mascarpone Whipped Cream: Beat cold mascarpone cheese on medium speed for about 15 seconds. Slowly add half of the cold heavy cream and combine. Add the remaining cream and whip until faint tracks appear. Add icing sugar and vanilla extract, reduce speed, and carefully whip by hand or slow speed until thick, firm, and forms stiff peaks. Chill until needed.
- Prepare Gelatin: Sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let bloom for 5 minutes. Microwave briefly at low-medium power for 10-15 seconds to dissolve completely. Cool to room temperature.
- Make Stabilized Matcha Whipped Cream: Whip cold heavy cream, icing sugar, matcha powder, and vanilla paste in a chilled bowl on medium-high until soft peaks form. Adjust matcha for flavor and color if desired. Quickly add gelatin mixture and continue whipping until stiff peaks form.
- Assemble the Cake: Slice the cooled sponge cake into three horizontal layers. Reserve ¼ cup of mascarpone cream for crumb coating. Place one cake layer on a serving plate, spread a thin mascarpone layer, scatter half the drained azuki beans, then add another thin mascarpone layer. Repeat with the second cake layer and remaining beans. Top with final layer. Use reserved mascarpone cream to fill gaps and crumb coat the cake. Chill for 15 minutes.
- Decorate the Cake: Spread a thick layer of stabilized matcha whipped cream over the top and sides using a metal scraper or offset spatula. Pipe additional matcha cream decorations using a piping bag. Garnish with extra red azuki beans, fresh berries, mint leaves, and edible flowers if desired. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.
Notes
- Note 1: Full-cream dairy milk can be substituted with coconut milk for a non-dairy variation.
- Note 2: Sweetened canned azuki beans (yude azuki) are used, drained of excess liquid to maintain cake texture.
- Note 3: The ribbon stage means when the batter falls in ribbons from the whisk that sit on the surface for a few seconds before blending back in.
- Be cautious when whipping mascarpone cream; over-beating can cause curdling and a clumpy texture.
- Dropping the cake pan after baking helps to reduce shrinkage and keep the cake fluffy.
- Gelatin ensures that the matcha whipped cream holds its shape for better decoration and stability.
- Chilling the cake between steps is key to maintaining the structural integrity and perfect texture.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Japanese
