Green Tea Drip Cake

 

My youngest wanted a green tea cake for her 6^th birthday so I made this for her. This was my first time that I tired making a drip cake. The tip I read is that the cake has to be very cold for the drips to work. Even though I put the cake in the fridge the night before, my green tea chocolate ganache was still a little too watery.

Green Tea Drip Cake (~from Chelsweets.com)

Ingredients

Matcha Cake

2/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (150 grams) - 1 1/3 sticks

2 cups granulated sugar (400 grams)

2/3 cup pasteurized egg whites from a carton, room temp (or about 4 egg whites) (155 grams)

2 1/2 cups cake flour (300 grams)

1 2/3 tsp baking powder (7 grams)

1 Tbsp of matcha powder (6 grams)

1/2 tsp salt (3 grams)

1 cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature (250 grams)

1/8 cup vegetable oil (28 grams)

1 tsp vanilla extract (4 grams)

Faux Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting (adapted from Minette Rushing's Faux Swiss Meringue Frosting)

1/2 cup pasteurized egg whites (from a carton), room temperature (117 grams)

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar (440 grams)

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature (339 grams)

1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (12 grams)

1/2 tsp salt (3 grams)

Matcha White Chocolate Drip

1 cup white chocolate chips (175 grams)

1/3 cup heavy cream (75 grams)

1/2 tsp matcha powder (2 grams)

Instructions

Matcha Cake Layers:

·        Preheat oven to 325°F. Line and grease three 6-inch cake pans with parchment rounds.

·        Add the unsalted butter and granulated sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on a high speed with a whisk attachment for a few minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as need with a rubber spatula. The mixture will become lighter in color as air is whipped into it.

·        Add the egg whites, and mix at a medium speed until they're incorporated.

·        Sift the dry ingredients (cake flour, baking powder, matcha powder, and salt) into a separate bowl.

·        Add half of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, and mix on a low speed until just incorporated.

·        Add the sour cream, oil and vanilla extract. Mix at a low speed until combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed!

·        Mix in the remaining dry ingredients on a low speed.

·        Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. I like to use a digital kitchen scale to weigh my pans, to make sure my layers will be the same height.

·        Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Rotate pans halfway through to help them bake evenly.

·        Allow the pans to cool for 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan.

·        Place cake layers into the freezer for 45 minutes, to accelerate the cooling process. Once the layers are fully cooled, carefully flip the pans and remove the layers from the pans.

·        Use a serrated knife to level the tops, and trim the sides to remove any caramelization.

Faux Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting:

·        While the cake layers bake and cool, make the fluffy buttercream frosting.

·        Place the room temperature pasteurized egg whites and powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if you plan to make with a hand mixer).

·        Mix on a low speed to combine.

·        Once incorporated, mix on medium high with a whisk attachment for 5 minutes until stiff peaks have formed.

·        Swap the whisk attachment for a paddle attachment. This will help make your buttercream be smooth once it's fully made.

·        Mix in pieces of room temperature butter on a low speed in 2 additions.

·        Once the butter is incorporated, mix on medium speed for an additional 5 minutes.

·        Add in 1 Tbsp of vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp of salt. Mix until the buttercream is fluffy and smooth.

·        If you frosting breaks in the beginning when you add the butter, don't worry! Just keep mixing it, and it should come together in a few minutes.

·        Stir for an additional few minutes by hand with a rubber spatula to get it silky smooth. Set aside.

Matcha White Chocolate Drip:

·        While the cake chills with its second coat of frosting, make the matcha white chocolate ganache.

·        Heat heavy cream in a heat proof bowl in the microwave for 45 seconds, until it's just beginning to bubble.

·        Gently pour white chocolate chips into the heavy cream, making sure they are fully covered with cream. Allow mixture to sit for 1 minute.

·        Stir slowly until the cream and white chocolate are combined. Some bits of chocolate may not be fully melted yet. Heat the mixture again for 20 seconds, and stir.

·        Repeat as necessary until all the white chocolate bits are fully melted and incorporated.

·        Mix in the matcha powder. Allow to cool until desired viscosity is reached (barely warm to the touch).

·        If it seems too thin or thick, you can add a touch more chocolate chips or heavy cream! The type of cream and white chocolate that you use can affect the consistency, so feel free to adjust as needed.

How To Assemble This Matcha Cake:

·        Stack and frost cake layers on a greaseproof cake board, using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board.

·        Add an even layer of buttercream on top of the first cake layer. Stack and frost remaining cake layers.

·        Spread a thin coat of frosting around the the cake, to fully cover the cake layers.

·        Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (30 minutes) or freezer (10 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.

·        Add a second, thicker layer of buttercream frosting to the cake, and chill the cake again in the fridge (20 minutes) or freezer (5 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.

·        Use a spoon to add the ganache drips around the cake with the white chocolate matcha ganache.

·        Place the remaining frosting into a small piping bag fit with an Ateco 869 frosting tip. Pipe dollops around the top of the cake, and dust with an extra bit of matcha powder.

Notes

Making This Cake in Advance and Storage Tips:

·        Make your cake layers in advance and freeze them: It breaks the process up and make it more approachable.

·        Make your frosting ahead of time too, or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.

·        Make this ganache drip recipe ahead of time or save leftovers! Once it's made, wrap the bowl with plastic wrap or cover the top of the plastic bottle and store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

·        To use chilled ganache, heat the bottle or bowl in to the microwave for 10 second intervals until it reaches the right consistency

·        A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a month. The buttercream locks in all the moisture, keeping the cake fresh and delicious!

·        If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store in the fridge for up to a week.