White Chocolate & Matcha Cake with Matcha & White Chocolate Shards
Ingredients
Bark:
- 200g (7 oz) white chocolate
- 1 teaspoon matcha
- Sparkly decorations (optional)
Cake:
- 185g (6½ oz) white chocolate
- 113g (½ cup) butter (softened)
- 150g (¾ cup) sugar
- 4 eggs
- 250ml (1 cup) sour cream (see note 1)
- 250g (2 cups) flour (see note 2)
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt (if your butter is unsalted)
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar (or extract)
Frosting:
- 50g (¼ cup) butter
- 200g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) cream cheese
- 200g (7 oz) white chocolate
- 1 tablespoon matcha
- 150-250g (around 2 cups) icing sugar
Instructions
Bark:
- Melt the chocolate. Take out around 1-2 tablespoons of chocolate and put it in a separate bowl, mixing in the matcha powder. Set to one side.
- Using a palette knife, spread the other chocolate thinly over a large, flat baking tray lined with grease-proof (baking) paper, shaping it into a rough rectangular shape.
- Take the retained chocolate and matcha mixture and using a knife, swirl it through the chocolate you've already spread out. Sprinkle with decorations (if using) and then place in the fridge to set.
Cake:
- Pre-heat the oven to 175ºC (350ºF). Grease and line the bottoms of two 8 inch cake tins. Melt the white chocolate and set to one side.
- Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating between each egg. Add the melted chocolate and sour cream (gräddfil), and mix to evenly combine.
- Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt (if using), baking powder and vanilla sugar. Gradually mix into the wet ingredients a bit at a time.
- Divide evenly between the two cake tins and bake for around 25-30 minutes until the tops bounce back when gently pushed and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool for a while in their tins then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Frosting:
- Melt the chocolate and set to one side. Beat the butter and cream cheese together until nice and smooth. Add the white chocolate and mix in. Combine the matcha with one cup (130g) of icing sugar and stir in to the wet ingredients. Continue to add more icing sugar until the frosting is sweetened to your personal taste.
Assembly:
- Place one cake top side down and spread around 1/4 of the frosting over the flat side. Place the other cake on top. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides. If you make it a "naked" cake like mine, you will have a little frosting left over.
- Snap the chocolate bark into shards (it helps if one edge is "sharp") and push through the frosting into the cake. Sprinkle with any other decoration you are using and place in the fridge to harden the frosting, allowing the the bark shards to stay in place. If you keep the cake in the fridge, remove it an hour or two before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can replace the sour cream with Greek yoghurt.
- You can use spelt or regular flour for this recipe (just use the same amount).
Disclaimer:I have converted grams to cups/ounces/tablespoons using online converters. Although I have no reason to believe they are inaccurate, please be aware that I have not made the recipe with imperial measurements.In addition, many ingredients are different in Europe compared to North America. I do all I can to offer possible alternatives and to ensure the best possible outcomes for everyone. However, results cannot always be guaranteed if you have not used the same ingredients, measurements or methods as me.Lastly, I do everything I can to ensure that my recipes (and instructions) are accurate and easy to follow. However, I am human, and don't always get it right. If you notice anything strange, a mistake, or even a typo, please let me know in the comments.