Matcha Pound Cake

Ingredients

• 3½ ozWheat floursifted together with the baking powder
• ⅓ ozMatcha powdersifted, provides colour and flavour
• 2½ ozsugaradded in batches
• 2Eggat room temperature, beaten
• 1 tspBaking powdermixed with the flour
• 1¼ ozOilneutral oil as the fat in the batter
• 3½ ozbutterunsalted, softened; alternative to the oil (optional)
• 1⅓ tbspMilkloosens the batter
• 3 tbspMaple syrupsweetens and flavours the batter (optional)
• 2⅛ ozAlmond flourstabilises the batter while the eggs are added (optional)
• 2¾ ozSweet simmered black soybeansfolded in at the end (optional)

Method

1. Prepare the oven and tinHeat the oven to 355 °F and line a loaf tin with baking paper.
2. Sift the dry ingredientsSift the wheat flour, baking powder and matcha together into a bowl, so the matcha is evenly distributed and no lumps remain.
3. Beat the eggs and sugarBeat the room-temperature eggs with the sugar until pale and thick, adding the sugar in batches. For the butter version, cream the softened butter with the sugar instead, then work in the beaten eggs a little at a time.
4. Stir in the oil and milkFor the oil version, stir in the oil gradually until it is fully absorbed, then add the milk; for the butter version, leave out the oil and just add the milk.
5. Fold in the flourFold in the flour mixture in several additions, mixing only until no dry flour is visible.
6. Add syrup and soybeansIf you like, briefly stir through the maple syrup and the sweet simmered black soybeans.
7. Fill the tin with batterPour the batter into the tin, smooth the top, and make a shallow lengthwise dip down the middle so the cake rises evenly.
8. Bake and test for donenessBake at 355 °F for about 30 to 40 minutes. Test the centre with a wooden skewer: if no wet batter clings to it, the cake is done.
9. Cool on a rackLift the cake out of the tin, peel off the baking paper, and let it cool on a rack.

Tips and variations

For a quicker version, use pancake mix in place of the flour and baking powder; the sweetness then comes mostly from the maple syrup. The classic version is made with butter and almond flour and keeps most of the batter plain: only a quarter of it is coloured green with matcha, then drawn roughly through the plain batter, which gives a marbled pattern. For a moister crumb, use oil instead of butter, with sweet simmered black soybeans in the batter. Instead of baking at a steady 180 °C, you can give the cake 20 minutes at 180 °C and then another 20 minutes at 170 °C. At a steady 180 °C it is sometimes done after around 30 minutes, so it pays to test it with the skewer early in the baking time. Slice only once the cake has cooled completely, so the crumb holds together.