At LOLA’s, we love baking with Matcha – a finely ground, high-quality Japanese green tea. It has to be the real thing and shouldn’t be confused with regular green tea powder. Pound for pound, Matcha contains higher levels of antioxidants than blueberries, gojiberries and pomegranates, it boosts the metabolism and reduces cholesterol, so what’s not to love?
muffin pan lined with 12 muffin cases
MAKES 12
Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F/ Gas 4.
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, matcha powder, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
Put the butter, sugar and chocolate in a medium saucepan over low heat and heat until melted and smooth. Add 150 ml/⅔ cup water and whisk with a balloon whisk until combined. Let cool for a few minutes.
Add the egg to the saucepan and whisk in. Finally, whisk in the sifted dry ingredients and mix well.
Divide the mixture between the muffin cases. Bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes or until well risen and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.
While the cupcakes are cooling down, make the matcha buttercream.
Mix the cream and matcha powder to make a paste.
Put the butter in a bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until very soft and smooth. Sift half the sugar into the bowl, beating until incorporated. Add the second half of the sugar and beat on low speed. Add the cream-matcha paste and mix well.
Spread the frosting over the cold cupcakes using a spatula, or spoon the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large, plain nozzle/tip and pipe it on top of the cupcakes. Dust lightly with cocoa powder.
Matcha powder is not easily available but Japanese grocers and specialty tea shops will stock it.