Recipe: Matcha white chocolate cake from Atlanta micro-bakery Lonely Sweets

This week, we’re sharing a recipe for the matcha white chocolate cake from Atlanta micro-bakery Lonely Sweets. The recipe also includes two frosting variants: white chocolate ganache and vanilla bean Swiss meringue buttercream.

Lonely Sweets founder Loan Ly recommends sourcing ingredients for the cake from local mom-and-pop shops, farmers markets, or anywhere offering organic dairy products. Ly personally purchases her eggs, butter, and milk at local farmers markets each week. For this recipe, Ly encourages using premium white chocolate, matcha, and vanilla pastes or extracts.

Related: Atlanta is in the midst of a matcha craze

“I always use Ghirardelli white chocolate for my baking because it’s the most affordable with the best quality taste. Naoki makes premium matcha at a lower price point and is my go-to for anything matcha flavored in my baking,” she said. “Always, always, always use real vanilla — not imitation — paste or extract. I use Nielsen Massey, which can be on the pricier side, but Trader Joe’s has a bourbon vanilla paste that is a strong equivalent for a quarter of the cost.”

You’ll need two 8-inch cake pans, a stand or hand mixer, parchment paper, baking spray, and a wooden skewer or toothpick to make this cake. The white chocolate ganache will require a hand mixer, stand mixer, or immersion blender. Use a stand mixer, heat-proof bowl, and a candy thermometer to make the buttercream frosting.

Ingredients

Cake
Makes one 8-inch, 2-layer cake

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp matcha powder, preferably ceremonial grade
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 sticks salted butter, room temperature
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole milk
• Baking spray

Make either the frosting or buttercream below to decorate your cake.

Frosting

• 6 cups white chocolate, chopped
• 1 to 2 tsp matcha powder, preferably ceremonial grade
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream

Buttercream
Makes about 7 cups

• 8 egg whites, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 6 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature (softened)
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt

Directions

1. Make the ganache (optional): Bring heavy whipping cream to a low simmer and immediately remove from heat. Pour heavy whipping cream into bowl of chopped white chocolate. Let sit for a few minutes.
2. After 2 to 3 minutes, gently mix white chocolate into the cream. Add matcha powder.
3. Note: If cream has cooled down, or the chocolate hasn’t completely melted, microwave in 10-second intervals until everything is fully incorporated.
4. Let cool and cover bowl with plastic wrap, with the plastic wrap resting directly on top of the ganache. Refrigerate overnight to set.
5. The next day, reheat ganache frosting in 10-second intervals until you’re able to easily mix. A hand mixer, stand mixer, or immersion blender will yield the best results.
6. Make the buttercream (optional): Fill a medium saucepan with about 1 inch of water and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.
7. In a clean, heat-proof bowl, combine egg whites and sugar. Set the bowl over the pan of simmering water, making sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Heat the mixture, whisking constantly, until it reaches 130 degrees F, or 3 to 4 minutes.
8. Transfer mixture to a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whip on high speed until stiff peaks form, or 8 to 10 minutes. Switch to the paddle attachment.
9. Start adding butter in small batches and beat on medium-high speed, scraping the bowl as needed, until all the butter has been added. Beat on high speed until the buttercream is fluffy and has air bubbles.
10. Add the vanilla and salt and beat on low speed until fully combined for another 30 seconds.
11. Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cover cake pans with baking spray or oil, then line the bottoms with parchment paper.
12. Sift all dry ingredients into a bowl. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the butter on medium-high until pale and smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Add the vanilla and beat for about 30 seconds to incorporate.
13. Scrape the bowl and adjust mixing speed to low. Add flour mixture with the milk and mix until combined. Do not overmix.
14. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans, filling each just slightly more than halfway.
15. Bake until the cakes are lightly golden on top and a skewer or toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
16. Remove cakes from pan immediately. Remove parchment paper, and wrap in plastic wrap carefully. Freeze your cake layers until ready to decorate.
17. Decorate with preferred frosting as desired and serve.