This vegan matcha cake is fluffy and moist with an amazing whipped matcha frosting. It’s easy to make and has a delicious, subtle matcha flavor. It's a family favorite!
We absolutely love the earthy flavor of this cake. The matcha flavor is not overwhelming and it has the perfect level of sweetness.
Since this cake has a beautiful green frosting, it’s great to serve on St. Patrick’s Day. If you’re looking for other recipes to make for the holiday, try out my Irish soda bread and traditional Irish brown bread. You can also check out these 35 vegan Irish recipes for the holiday.
Looking for cabbage recipes for the holiday? Try my vegan colcannon soup, sauteed cabbage and onions, and Instant Pot potatoes and cabbage.
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Why You’ll Love This Vegan Matcha Cake
- Matcha flavor: This cake has an earthy flavor but the matcha is not overpowering.
- Easy to make: It takes only minutes to put this matcha cake together.
- Beautiful color: The light green frosting gives this cake a fun color. I love making it for spring holidays. Another beautifully colored treat are my vegan ube cookies which are a vibrant purple.
What Is Matcha?
Matcha is basically green tea powder made from a special type of green tea from Japan, which is why matcha cakes are also known as green tea cakes. It’s made by grinding green tea leaves into a fine powder. It has an earthy and slightly grassy flavor.
Are you a fan of matcha? Check out my super light and fluffy vegan matcha pancakes.
Ingredient Notes
- Apple cider vinegar: If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, you can substitute with regular white vinegar or lemon juice.
- Non-dairy milk: Use your favorite plant-based milk. I bake with unsweetened soy milk but almond milk and oat milk both work very well in this recipe.
- Vegan butter: My favorite brands to bake with are Country Crock Plant Butter and Earth Balance. Both come in stick form so it’s easier to measure.
- Matcha powder: Make sure you buy 100% matcha powder and not a matcha latte mix.
Please see the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and amounts needed.
How To Make Vegan Matcha Cake
Step 1: First, preheat the oven to 350°. Spray two 8" cake pans with non-stick oil spray. You can also line the bottom of the cake pan with parchment paper before spraying if you want to make absolutely sure it won't stick.
Step 2: Stir the apple cider vinegar into the vegan milk and set aside for about 3 minutes. This will make a vegan buttermilk.
Step 3: Next, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, matcha powder, baking soda and salt.
Step 4: Add the milk mixture, oil and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Do not over mix.
Step 5: Pour the cake batter into the 2 cake pans evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-37 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, it’s done.
Step 6: When they are finished baking, let the cakes rest in the pans for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Step 7: Meanwhile, prepare the vanilla matcha frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a bowl with a handheld mixer, cream the softened vegan butter and matcha powder.
Step 8: Add in 1 cup of the powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of non-dairy milk. Mix on low until combined and then turn the speed up to high for 1 minute. This will make the frosting light and fluffy.
Repeat 2 more times, adding in a total of 2 more cups of powdered sugar and 2 more tablespoons of non-dairy milk. Mix in vanilla extract.
Step 9: Frost the cooled cakes and serve! I like to add some strawberry slices to the top of the cake as well but that's optional.
Expert Tips
- Do not overmix the batter or your cake will become dense.
- Make sure your butter is softened at room temperature to get the light, whipped frosting.
- The matcha in the frosting is mostly there for color. If you want a stronger matcha flavor, you can increase the amount of matcha to 1 tablespoon.
- If your frosting is too thin, add a little powdered sugar. If it's too thick, add a little non-dairy milk.
Why Is My Vegan Matcha Cake Brown?
Matcha powder can lose its bright green color and turn brown when it's exposed to air and heat. When I take my cakes out of the oven, they are usually green. As I leave them to cool, that color changes to brown.
It can also depend on the matcha powder. I have tried several kinds of matcha powder, decreased baking time, and made sure my cakes aren’t overbaked. They still turn brownish. Perhaps I let them cool too long before adding the frosting?
Regardless, the cake tastes amazing and no one seems to mind that the inside of the cake isn’t very green.
If you're looking for a vegan baking recipe that turns out more green, try my vegan spinach muffins.
Storage and Recipe FAQs
Store this cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. You can also store it in the fridge but it might dry the cake out a bit.
Yes, but you’ll need to decrease the baking time to about 25 minutes. The bigger cake pans will produce a flatter cake though.
I buy mine on Amazon where there are many different brands but you can also usually find it in the grocery store in the tea section.
For best taste, you want to find a high-quality matcha. Make sure it’s from Japan and I highly recommend organic. There are 3 grades of matcha powder with ceremonial grade matcha being the best (and most expensive) and culinary grade matcha powder being second best. You’ll want to buy one of those. Also, make sure it’s 100% matcha powder without any sugar or anything else like in a matcha latte powder.
I don't recommend using coconut oil in this recipe as the coconut flavor will compete with the subtle green tea flavor.
More Vegan Dessert Recipes
If you tried this Vegan Matcha Cake Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Recipe
Easy Vegan Matcha Cake With Frosting
Equipment
- stand mixer or electric hand mixer
- 2 8" cake pans
- cooling rack
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 ½ cups non-dairy milk soy, almond, oat
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 ⅓ cups sugar
- 2 tablespoon matcha powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting
- 1 cup vegan butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoon non-dairy milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon matcha powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Spray two 8" cake pans with non-stick oil spray.
- Stir the apple cider vinegar into the vegan milk and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, matcha powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add the milk mixture, oil and vanilla extract and stir until combined. Do not over mix.
- Pour the cake batter into the 2 cake pans. Bake for 35-37 minutes. Test for doneness with a toothpick.
- When they are done baking, let the cakes rest in the pans for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, prepare the vanilla matcha frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a bowl with a handheld mixer, cream the softened vegan butter and matcha powder.
- Add in 1 cup of the powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of non-dairy milk. Mix on low until combined and then turn the speed up to high for 1 minute.
- Repeat 2 more times, adding in a total of 2 more cups of powdered sugar and 2 more tablespoons of non-dairy milk.
- Mix in the vanilla extract. If your frosting is too thin, add a little powdered sugar. If it's too thick, add a little non-dairy milk.
- Frost the cooled cakes and serve!
- Store in an airtight container like a cake carrier at room temperature. It should last about 3-4 days. You can also store it in the fridge but it might get a little dry.
Notes
- Do not overmix the batter or your cake will lose its light and fluffy texture.
- Make sure your butter is softened at room temperature to get the light, whipped frosting.
- The matcha in the frosting is mostly there for color. If you want a stronger matcha flavor, you can increase the amount of matcha to 1 tablespoon.
- If your cake is brown instead of green, that's completely normal. Matcha is powdered green tea leaves and they oxidize when exposed to heat and air. My cake always turns brownish as it cools. The brand of matcha you use can also affect the color.
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