If the words ‘chocolate layer cake’ aren’t enough to make you get your baking equipment out immediately, hopefully ‘matcha buttercream’ will give you that extra nudge! Introducing our easy(ish) chocolate layer cake with matcha buttercream icing. Otherwise known as heaven on a plate. ENJOY!
Makes one 20 cm / 8 inch cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 225g (8oz) butter
- 225g (8oz) caster sugar
- 4 eggs
- 175g (6oz) self-raising flour
- 60g (2oz) cocoa powder
- ½ tsp baking powder
- chocolate cake decorations (optional)
Buttercream Icing:
- 1 tbsp matcha powder
- 2 tbsp milk
- 225g (8oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 450g (1lb) icing sugar
method
- Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5. Lightly butter two 20cm (8in) cake tins and line the bases with baking parchment.
- Cream the butter and sugar in a food mixer or food processor until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, adding a little flour with each one to prevent the mixture curdling.
- Sift the remaining flour with the cocoa powder and baking powder and add to the mixture on a slow speed until thoroughly blended. If it seems too thick, you can thin it with a little milk.
- Divide the mixture between the two lined cake tins and lightly smooth the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes until well risen and the sponge is starting to come away from the sides of the tins. When you press it gently, it should spring back.
- Leave to cool for 10 minutes, before turning out onto a wire rack. When cold, remove the lining paper.
- Make the matcha butter cream icing: blend the matcha powder and milk in a small bowl until you have a smooth paste. In a food mixer or food processor, or with a hand-held electric whisk, beat the butter until soft and then gradually beat in the icing sugar with the matcha paste until the icing is thick and smooth.
- Cut each cold cake in half horizontally with a long-bladed knife. Spread the icing over three of the sponges and sandwich them together. Top with the remaining sponge layer and cover with the rest of the icing, smoothing it with a palette knife.
- If you're feeling particularly fancy, decorate the top of the cake with chocolate shards or curls, because you can never have too much chocolate.
If you fancy mixing it up slightly, add some chocolate chips to the cake mixture or 2 tbsp strong espresso coffee.
Don't forget to share your showstopper with us @teapigsus!
Fancy making something else?
- For more recipe ideas, check out the Book of Matcha
