Vanilla Matcha Butter Cake

Aug 17, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Cakes cupcakes Origin: Tahitian Vanilla: Extract Medium

This classic butter cake has a tender crumb, clean vanilla flavor, and enough structure for layering or frosting. Matcha adds a smooth, earthy green-tea note balanced by vanilla. Best with Tahitian vanilla (floral, cherry, anise); any pure vanilla works.

Prep 25 min

Cook 30 min

Cooling 45 min

Total 1 hr 40 min

Servings 10

Diet —

Ingredients

1 ⅞ cups (225.0 g)all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups (300.0 g)granulated sugar
¾ cup (170.0 g)unsalted butter, softened
3.0 (150.0 g)large eggs
1.0 cup (240.0 ml)whole milk
2.0 tsp (8.0 g)baking powder
½ tsp (3.0 g)fine sea salt
2 ¼ tsp (11.25 ml)VanillaGoods vanilla extract
2.0 tbsp (12.0 g)culinary matcha powder, sifted

Make it at home

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Instructions

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment, and grease the parchment.
Beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 to 4 minutes. The mixture should be pale, fluffy, and visibly increased in volume.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla. If the batter begins to look curdled, add a spoonful of the measured flour.
Whisk the reduced amount of flour, sifted matcha, baking powder, and salt together. Add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions, beginning and ending with the dry mixture. Mix on low and stop as soon as the batter is smooth; overmixing dulls both cake tenderness and matcha color.
Divide the batter evenly between the pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes. The cakes are done when the tops spring back lightly and a tester inserted near the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them onto a rack and let them cool completely before filling or frosting.

Tips

Vanilla bean paste swaps 1:1 for the extract and adds visible vanilla seeds; for a whole bean, use the seeds of 1 bean in place of 2 teaspoons of extract.
Best vanilla for this: Tahitian (floral, cherry, anise), or Madagascar (rich, creamy, classic). Any pure vanilla works.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make vanilla matcha butter cake?

Plan on 25 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of cooking, plus 45 minutes to rest, chill, or cool. It makes 10 servings.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Vanilla bean paste swaps 1:1 for the extract and adds visible vanilla seeds; for a whole bean, use the seeds of 1 bean in place of 2 teaspoons of extract.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 10 servings this recipe makes.

360 Calories / serving

16.3g Fat

49.0g Carbs

5.4g Protein

31.5g Sugar

Whole recipe (10 servings): ~3600 cal · 163g fat · 490g carbs · 54g protein · 315g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.

Per serving · 360 calories

What it takes to burn one serving

Brisk walking 68 min·4.0 mi·~7950 steps
Walking uphill or incline treadmill 49 min·2.5 mi·~4900 steps
Moderate cycling 37 min·7.4 mi
Swimming laps 50 min
Jogging 35 min·2.9 mi·~5600 steps
Stair climbing 33 min·~2950 steps
Dancing 59 min
Bodyweight circuit training 37 min
Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 84 min

Rough estimates for one serving, based on standard MET values at about 155 lb. Your own burn depends on body size, effort, and fitness. Shown for context only — food is not something you have to earn.