Chocolate and matcha bundt cake

A classic bundt cake with the addition of Japanese matcha green tea. It gives the cake its vibrant green colour and a delicate tea aroma. This chocolate and matcha bundt cake is soft, very moist and finished with a rich chocolate glaze. Absolutely delicious!

Ingredients for the chocolate and matcha bundt cake:

• 2 cups plain flour (remove 2 tablespoons and replace with potato starch or cornflour)
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 225 g butter
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 4 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup milk
• 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2½ tablespoons matcha powder

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a mixer and beat until pale and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully combined. Add the vanilla extract and mix again. Sift the flour, potato starch and baking powder directly into the mixture, add the milk and gently mix with a spatula just until combined. Divide the batter into two equal portions. Add the sifted cocoa powder to one half and the sifted matcha powder to the other, mixing each just until incorporated.

Grease a 29 × 11 cm loaf tin (or a similar-sized tin) with butter and dust lightly with flour, shaking out the excess. Spoon the batters alternately into the tin – green matcha batter and cocoa batter. Once filled, swirl the batters gently with a fork to create a marbled pattern.

Bake at 170°C for about 60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven, allow to cool and decorate with chocolate glaze.

Ingredients for the chocolate glaze:

• 100 g dark chocolate
• 40 g butter

Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat, add the chopped chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Leave the glaze to thicken slightly before pouring over the cake.

Note: Matcha comes in different grades, and the colour of the baked cake depends on the type used. Sometimes matcha can turn slightly brown during baking instead of staying bright green. For baking, it is best to use “baking grade” or “cooking grade” matcha.

Enjoy!