Matcha rice cake with a simple whipped buttercream frosting is a new delicious way to have cake. Matcha powder gives this cake a delicious aroma and a beautiful green color. This rice cake is also gluten-free!
Our matcha rice cake with whipped buttercream recipe
We absolutely loved the way this cake turned out. It’s beautiful and so tasty! Plus, it’s an easy gluten-free cake option! We took rice flour, matcha powder, and a few other ingredients to make this tasty cake. Making this cake batter is super easy. There’s really no way you can mess it up if you follow our directions.
We also made an easy whipped buttercream frosting to layer between the two round rice cakes. You can choose to add the whipped buttercream frosting or make just the rice cake without the frosting. It’s delicious either way!
Optional whipped buttercream frosting
The whipped buttercream is optional. We loved adding the bit of extra sweetness and creaminess the whipped buttercream added to this cake. If you decide not to use the whipped buttercream frosting, the matcha rice cake is still delicious by itself.
If you add the whipped buttercream frosting, this cake will hold up fine at room temperature if frosted the day before an occasion. Just make sure to place the cake in an airtight container. It’s best to eat this cake within two days of making it. However, if you need to refrigerate it to store it longer, then make sure you allow it to come to room temperature before serving. You want the dense rice cake to warm up and soften along with the whipped buttercream frosting.
Ingredients needed for this matcha rice cake
- Sweet/Glutinous rice flour – The chewy texture of glutinous rice flour is what makes it so popular. It’s a frequent element in a variety of dumplings and dessert dishes. Short-grain glutinous rice, often known as “sticky rice,” is used to make sweet rice flour. Don’t be fooled by the fact that it’s labeled “sweet” rice – it has a light, almost milky flavor that isn’t too sweet. This flour is sold in Asian markets under the name Mochiko.
- Matcha powder – Matcha is a green tea powder produced from finely ground dried tea leaves in Japan. It has a faint bitterness, vegetal/earthiness flavor profile, and a vivid green color due to the high chlorophyll content in the leaves.
- White sugar
- Large eggs
- Unsalted butter
- Baking powder
- Milk
For the buttercream frosting (optional):
- Unsalted butter
- Confectioner’s sugar
- Heavy cream
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
Serving this matcha rice cake
Rice cake, in general, is much denser than traditional white flour cakes, so serving this cake at room temperature is best. Cut this cake any way you prefer. We actually cut half of our round matcha cake into traditional triangle slices, and the other half we cut into smaller bite-sized rectangle pieces.
How to store this frosted rice cake
If you are using whipped buttercream frosting:
This matcha rice cake can be frosted the day before an occasion and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. If you need to store it longer than a day, then store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Remember that butter melts at temperatures between 90°F and 95°F. If your home or location is going to be around that temperature range, then it is best to keep the cake in the refrigerator until about an hour before serving. Let the frosted rice cake come to room temperature before serving. Allowing it to come to room temperature before serving will allow the cake and frosting to warm up and soften back up.
If you are not using whipped buttercream frosting:
You can store plain matcha rice cake overnight in an airtight container at room temperature. If you need to store it longer than a day, then store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. When ready to serve, heat the piece of cake in the microwave in 10-second intervals until softened to your liking.
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Matcha Rice Cake with Whipped Buttercream
Matcha rice cake with a simple whipped buttercream frosting is a new delicious way to have cake. Matcha powder gives this cake a delicious aroma and a beautiful green color. This rice cake is also gluten-free!
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups sweet/glutinous rice flour
- 1 Tablespoon matcha powder
- 1 ½ cups white sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 ½ Tablespoons baking powder
- 2 cups milk
- For the buttercream frosting (optional):
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
- ¼ cup heavy cream cold
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. If you want the whipped buttercream in the middle of the cake, then spray two round 8" cake pans lightly with a nonstick spray like Pam or cooking spray. Note: If you’re foregoing the whipped buttercream, then you can just bake the rice cake in a 9x13 pan. Or you can frost the top of the 9x13 cake instead of layering the frosting in the middle of two round cakes.
- First, let’s mix the butter and sugar together. Add in the eggs. Mix together well.
- Next, add the sweet rice flour, matcha powder, baking powder, and milk to the bowl with the butter, sugar, and eggs. Mix together well and until it is a smooth batter.
Split the batter into the two round pans (or baking pan of your choice). - Bake for 45 minutes. It will rise slightly and have a spongy texture when you touch it. Stick a toothpick in the center to see if it's done. The toothpick should come out clean. If the toothpick doesn’t come out clean after 45 minutes, continue cooking at 5-10 minute intervals until done. Remove the matcha rice cake from the oven and let it cool completely before frosting.
- For the whipped buttercream (optional): Add room temperature butter to a large mixing bowl and beat with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) until creamy, about 1 minute. Slowly add the confectioner's sugar and mix in well. Then whip for 2-3 minutes on high speed, or until light and fluffy. Add in the heavy cream, salt, vanilla extract and whip on high speed for 3-4 minutes more, or until light and fluffy. As needed, add more heavy cream if it’s too stiff. Spread frosting on top of one layer of cooled matcha rice cake. Place the other round cake on top (frosting will be in the middle of the two cakes).
- Slice and serve! Cut this cake any way you prefer. We actually cut half of our round matcha cake into traditional triangle slices, and the other half we cut into smaller bite-sized rectangle pieces. Enjoy!
Notes
Butter melts at roughly 90°F to 95°F and this is whipped BUTTERcream frosting. If the temperature in your area is approaching this level, keep your baked products refrigerated until an hour before serving. It is okay to refrigerate frosted baked goods, however, they should be allowed to come to room temperature before serving.
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