Matcha Cake with White Chocolate Mascarpone Buttercream

Ombre Matcha Cake stacks up three layers of matcha sponge cake all wrapped up in silky soft white chocolate & mascarpone buttercream. Adorned simply with freeze-dried raspberries and grated white chocolate this cake is stylish enough to serve for dessert.

Don’t miss my ombre coffee-flavoured cake or my triple chocolate cake.

When I’m not dreaming up new cocktails or healthy smoothies you can usually find me with a cup of tea close to hand. So it’s little wonder that I got rather excited when the prospect of working with Adagio Teas came along recently.   Over the last few weeks I’ve been sampling a huge variety of teas I’d never come across before and today I’m pleased to be sharing with you not only a tea inspired bake, alot of tea talk, piles of photos but also… a tea giveaway.

Hooray.

Let’s talk about the cake first of all. And given there are 3 layers to this majestic ombre Matcha Cake, there’s quite a lot to say. I don’t know about you, but when I bake a triple layer cake I like it to look special. If I’m after a quick and rustic cake I’ll stick with a classic 2 layer sponge cake, thankyou very much. But three layers demands a little extra attention. It is, after all, a show-off in cake form.

To give my Matcha Cake a bit of a visual boost I decided to vary the strength of the matcha in each layer to create an ombre effect. The top layer is only mildly infused with the flavour of matcha, but from here, I double the quantity of matcha powder in each layer.

The effect is very pretty on the eye and it notches up the flavour profile of the cake too.

But if you’re after a matcha bake that’s a little quicker to prepare how about my fudgy matcha brownies?

Matcha and white chocolate are classic partners so I’ve used a white chocolate and mascarpone buttercream to hold my Matcha Cake together. Mascarpone seems to have a way of mellowing the sweetness of regular buttercream, giving it a more grown-up taste and a silky smooth complexion.  But since I didn’t want the icing to overshadow the matcha flavour, I’ve resisted the urge to slather the entire cake in a thick layer of icing. I went for the naked look instead. I’ve also kept the adornments simple with just a light scattering of grated chocolate, along with some freeze dried raspberries to add a pop of colour to the feast.

But enough about the Matcha Cake, let’s turn our attention to tea.

Adagio Teas are very serious about the teas that they stock. To ensure the best quality and value, their teas are imported directly from the countries in which they are grown, working closely with the farmers who tender them. You can even read up about the tea farmers who grow and harvest the teas. The Adagio guys also want to share their knowledge of tea, so that we, the drinkers, can learn, experience and savour teas at their best. Their website included dedicated pages covering tea varieties, food pairings and tea preparation.

Over the last month, I’ve been working my way through a stash of teas supplied by Adagio Teas. From matcha and flavoured teas such as almond or chocolate chai, through to Oolong and Pu Erh teas. I have been astounded (and impressed) by the range of teas available. Many of which, I hasten to add, I’ve never come across before. So it’s just as well Adagio offer up a range of sampler selection packs with 4 varieties of tea to help you find your favourites.

It’s very hard to pick favourites, since I’ve been impressed with all of the teas I’ve tried so far, but for sheer originality, I’d like to draw attention to the Jasmine Phoenix Pearls and the Black Dragon Pearls. When left to steep in water these pearls of tea unfurl to release their aroma and flavour. They are intriguing as pearls and beautiful once brewed. If you are looking to impress a tea lover with a jaded palate this Christmas, I’d recommend seeking some out.

I also have another favourite I’d like to mention. When I was given the option of selecting a few items to try out, I could not resist picking the Fairy Tale Tea Collection. Each tin contains 15 teabags and have been developed specifically with children in mind. They are caffeine free, naturally flavoured and have no added sugar. They are also exceptionally pretty. It’s a win all around.

My children do enjoy a few teas, so I was eager to test these teabags out on them. They have enjoyed all 3 varieties and, I’m pleased to tell you that although these teas do contain fruit flavours any sweetness is very subtle. These teas offer a fun and enticing way to get kids into the habit of consuming less sugary drinks. And if your kids are not the princessy kind then there are several alternative, and equally gorgeous, sets of tins to pick from.

More tea-infused recipes

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