I usually don't drink a lot of green tea, but for some reason, I love matcha, the most green of all teas. The first time I ever heard of this tea was in a Japanese restaurant, and it was an option as an ice cream flavor. From there, I learned about the obsession with matcha and the rituals that go along with making this nutrient-dense tea.
When you buy matcha, you can typically buy it in the form of a powder, so it can easily be added to recipes--not just used for tea. It can be tossed into smoothies, pancake batter, ice cream, or anything really.
In this recipe, I added matcha powder to a cake batter spiced with ginger and cinnamon. I once had a smoothie made with matcha and banana, and the flavors tasted smooth and sweet together, so the egg substitute I chose was banana. The banana tastes very subtle while the matcha and ginger flavors are bolder.
YIELDS
12 cupcakes
PREP TIME
COOK TIME
TOTAL TIME
- 1 1/4 cup unbleached flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon matcha powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 mashed banana
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 6 tablespoons boiling water
- For the Buttercream Icing
- 1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons vegan butter
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake sheet with cupcake liners.
2. Pour the almond milk and vinegar into a bowl and set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
3. Add some water to a tea kettle to boil.
4. Mix the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl- the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, matcha, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
5. In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients- the mashed banana, oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk in the almond milk cider mix you had set aside.
6. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well. Add in the boiling water from the tea kettle and whisk in.
7. Add the batter to the cupcake pan and bake for about 20 minutes.
8. To make the buttercream frosting, add all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl and use a mixer to whip until a frosting forms.
9. Remove from oven, let cool, and top with frosting and matcha powder.
2. Pour the almond milk and vinegar into a bowl and set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
3. Add some water to a tea kettle to boil.
4. Mix the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl- the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, matcha, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
5. In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients- the mashed banana, oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk in the almond milk cider mix you had set aside.
6. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well. Add in the boiling water from the tea kettle and whisk in.
7. Add the batter to the cupcake pan and bake for about 20 minutes.
8. To make the buttercream frosting, add all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl and use a mixer to whip until a frosting forms.
9. Remove from oven, let cool, and top with frosting and matcha powder.
Also by Lauren: Pistachio Rose Water Belgian Waffle
Related: Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes
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Photos: Lauren Sacerdote
