Alternating spoonfuls of differently flavoured batters baked into a moist and delicious marble cake. Chocolate speaks for itself, both in colour and flavour, but it goes remarkably well with both bright green matcha and a natural yellow sponge with rhubarb. The recipe contains almonds and yoghurt, both of which add flavour and structure.
Using matcha in cakes is something of a new and rather strange concept to me. Green tea is something I drink very readily and I was more than pleased when CT brought home several packets of matcha, in both leaf and powder form, from a visit to Japan a couple of years ago.
Baking With Matcha
I had no thoughts of doing anything with it except to steep it in hot water, until I came across a post on matcha cupcakes at Kitchen Butterfly. As soon as I saw this, it went straight onto my list of things to bake, but my list is rather a long one and it didn’t quite make it to the top – until now.
I have been pondering over the last couple of weeks what, exactly, I was going to make. Cupcakes seemed like the obvious choice, but a combination of seeing so many wonderful marble cakes on Mainly Baking and then coming across this cake at Scandilicious made me think again.
Chocolate, Rhubarb And Matcha Marble Cake
Of course I needed to get chocolate into the equation somehow and a marble type cake seemed like a good way to include it. Then my mother came along with some rhubarb from her garden. Well that had to go in too. Hey, why not really push the boat out and go for three flavours rather than two.
CT came up with the name chocrhutea, which is a good one. But I’m calling it a marble cake as it’s a bit more descriptive. However, I wanted solid blocks of cake so we can taste them as an entity in their own right, rather than swirled in true marble cake style.
I’d envisaged a beautiful pale green matcha cream cheese icing to spread over the top of the cake. But alas, when I came to add the matcha powder, thing went a little awry. I’d just finished off a packet of matcha powder in the cake. So I went to open my last remaining packet BUT it wasn’t powder, it was leaves. Oh no!
I ground it up as best I could in the coffee grinder, but the resulting “powder” was somewhat on the coarse side. Hey ho, I had no choice but to use it. That is why you can see a highly speckled and not super green icing in the images here.
Speckled or not, this seemed like an ideal opportunity to use one of the Japanese sugar decorations that I received as a gift from one of CT’s Japanese contacts. It’s a four leafed clover.
Chocruetea Marble Cake: The Result
Well what a revelation. I’m now sold on matcha cake. I have to admit I was, beforehand, rather dubious about how this would turn out. I thought it was just a gimmick. Now I’ve tasted it, I realise why so many have been raving about it for so long: it’s really delicious.
In an act of heresy, I have to admit that I preferred the matcha element of the cake to the chocolate one. I love the colour too, it’s an amazing shade of green. The colour is natural of course and the tea is very good for you as well.
Overall, the texture of the cake was moist and substantial without being heavy. It cut really well, holding its shape and leaving few crumbs. It’s like having three cakes in one.
All would have been great cakes in their own right, but I loved having the combination of all those different flavours together. Sometimes just a forkful of pure matcha, or rhubarb or chocolate and other times a combination of any of them or all three – wonderful!
Chocolate and matcha maybe a bit old hat as a flavour combination now, but I reckon I’m amongst a very select few who have tried it with rhubarb. Although the matcha and chocolate worked really well together, my favourite combination was the rhubarb and matcha. The sharp fruitiness of the rhubarb piercing the savoury undertones of the matcha tea.
Although the green tea cheese topping was not quite the uniform bright green I’d wanted, it didn’t take me long to get used to the speckled look. It was also a great flavour combination complementing every element of the cake most successfully.
When CT tried it, he compared it to a game of paper, scissors, stone, with each flavour trumping the other in succession depending on the proportions in each mouthful. In my humble opinion, this is a roaring success and would make a great birthday cake for someone.
Now I’ve used up all of my matcha powder, I need some more. All being well, I’m hoping to have another bash at entering this competition by making some more matcha cake next week – in time for CT’s birthday.
Other Marble Cake Recipes You Might Like
- Black bottomed cupcakes
- Butterscotch swirl brownies
- Chocolate orange marble cake
- Malted chocolate bundt cake
- Peanut butter & jelly traybake
- Rum & raisin, coconut & lime cake
Keep in Touch
Thank you for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make this chocolate, rhubarb and matcha marble cake, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Do you have any recommendations or advice for making marble cakes?
Please rate the recipe. If you post pictures of your creations on social media, use the hashtag #tinandthyme so I can see them.
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If you’d like more matcha recipes, follow the link and you’ll find I have quite a lot of them. All delicious and nutritious, of course.
Choclette x
Chocolate Rhubarb Matcha Marble Cake. PIN IT.
Marble Cake With Three Flavours: Chocolate, Rhubarb And Matcha
Ingredients
- 125 g unsalted butter softened
- 175 g golden caster sugar (I used homemade vanilla sugar)
- 3 medium eggs (I used two duck eggs)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract (omit if using vanilla sugar)
- 200 g flour (I used half wholemeal and half plain white)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt (I used Pink Himalayan rock salt)
- 100 g ground almonds
- 125 g Greek yoghurt
- 2 tbsp water
Marbling
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 stick rhubarb finely chopped
- 1 tbsp matcha green tea powder
Matcha Cream Cheese Icing
- 30 g unsalted butter softened
- 100 g icing sugar sifted
- 1 tbsp matcha green tea powder
- 100 g cream cheese
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. I do this by hand with a wooden spoon, but use electric beaters or a stand mixer if you prefer.125 g unsalted butter, 175 g golden caster sugar
- Beat in the eggs, one by one along with the vanilla extract, if using.3 medium eggs, ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Sift in the dry ingredients, then add the ground almonds and stir until everything is just combined.200 g flour, 2 tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda, ¼ tsp fine sea salt, 100 g ground almonds
- Stir the water into the yoghurt, then pour into the cake batter and stir until just mixed.125 g Greek yoghurt, 2 tbsp water
Marbling
- Set the oven to 180℃ (160℃ fan, 350℉, Gas 4).
- Divide the batter more or less equally between 3 bowls.
- Stir the chopped rhubarb into one bowl.1 stick rhubarb
- Add the matcha powder to another bowl and stir until just mixed.1 tbsp matcha green tea powder
- Sift the cocoa into the last bowl and stir until just mixed.2 tbsp cocoa powder
- Line a 23 cm (9inch) round cake tin or grease the same sized silicone mould. Spoon the mixtures alternately around the tin trying not to mix them up too much. Bang the tin on the counter a couple of times to level the top.
- Bake in the centre of the oven for 45 minutes or until the top is firm to the touch and an inserted skewer comes out more or less clean.
- Leave to cool for 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Matcha Cream Cheese Icing
- Whilst the cake is cooling, cream the butter with the icing sugar until soft and pale in colour.30 g unsalted butter, 100 g icing sugar
- Beat in the matcha powder, then stir in the cream cheese until everything is well mixed. But be careful not to overmix the cream cheese as it can go runny quite quickly.1 tbsp matcha green tea powder, 100 g cream cheese
- Spread the icing over the cooled cake and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Sharing
For once, I am ignoring the queue of posts I have waiting to be written and am aiming to post this on the actual day I make the cake. This is because time is running out. Catty is running a Matcha Madness competition to win some Teapigs matcha powder and the closing date is fast approaching.
Choclette says
Thank you Margaret – unusual but tasty.
Margaret says
What an unusual cake. Love the marbling as well.
Choclette says
Thank you MaryMoh. Matcha powder isn’t that easy to get here either and now I’ve run out!
MaryMoh says
Beautiful cake! Love the different colours there. Looks very moist. The cream must be so delicious…mmm. I have not seen matcha powder here. Hope to get some one day.
Choclette says
Thank you Justin
C- Thank you. The texture is a really good one and the cake is keeping well too, but that could be down to the almonds and I know you don’t eat those.
C says
That looks really tasty and really interesting too with a lovely texture! I have to confess that I’ve never had matcha, let alone baked with it, so I must rectify that situation! I love anything chocolate and rhubarb is so underused! Really glad the combo worked out well.
Justin says
that is some very creative baking
Choclette says
Freerangegirl – Thank you, I’ve certainly found it an exciting ingredient to use.
MangoCheeks – Thank you. It’s just green tea (a particular type of Japanese tea) ground down into very fine bright green powder. So if drinking, you dissolve it in hot water as you would instant coffee.
Katie – I haven’t tried to buy it over here, but suspect it’s not that easy to get hold of.
Thank you Celia – I hope so too, I need more matcha.
Wendy – As you know I tried to make powder for my icing as I’d run out of matcha and it didn’t work very well. I think you’d have to grind it for an awful long time to make it into a fine powder – but worth a go. Let me know.
Wendy@The Omnivorous Bear says
LOL… I was sitting with my first cup of green tea of the day when I opened up your blog! This is something I have GOT to do! I just have green tea leaf buds, so I will have to look for matcha…wonedr if I pulversise some buds? Would that work do you think?
Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial says
Look at those colours, Choclette! I hope you win.. 🙂
Katie says
Wow what a pretty and delicious sounding cake. i haven’t been able to find matcha where I live so have never tasted it. Looks yummy
mangocheeks says
I’ve heard of matcha, but actually have never seen it for real. And to be honest, I don’t think i’ve ever tasted it either.
You cake is very interesting to look at, a different look from every angle. I really wish I could see it for real and even more, wish i could taste it.
Choclette says
Emmalene – thank you, I’m very happy with the patchwork theme
CityHippy – thank you. You are all so good at being supportive. Actually the speckled effect has been growing on me. Just had a piece and it’s just getting better.
Joanna – I hadn’t heard of Squint, but I’ve just been over and had a look. Had to laugh, I now understand what you mean. Thanks.
Thank you Mary
freerangegirl says
Wow – this is the first time i’ve heard of Matcha – Now i’ve seen it used im really intrigued, that cake looks and sounds delicious!
Mary says
What a lovely cake. I never would have though to combine those ingredients, but they obviously work. I imagine this is delicious. I hope you are having a great day. Blessings…Mary
Joanna says
Your cake looks beautiful. Do you know Squint, who upholster sofas and chairs? I dream of having one of their sofas and to be able to sit on it and eat your cake would be Heaven indeed! Absolutely brilliant! I hesitate to say the ritual I want to put this on my list, but I do!
squintlimited.com in case you/re curious
cityhippyfarmgirl says
Oh yum thats looks amazing. The green colour is such a great contrast. Looks lovely and moist too. I like the crushed leaves icing look- much more organic looking than say a bright pink icing! Goes with the rest of the cake perfectly.
Choclette says
Gotchocolate – Well to be fair, the only reason I’d heard of matcha was because of a recent Japanese connection. Thanks for your interest – I don’t think chocolate taking a back seat is likely to be a permanent thing!
Thanks Nicisme – I loved the colours in this cake too. Not actually sure where you can buy matcha powder here, apart from Teapigs of course.
Thanks Dominic – I have to say, I am rather proud of this one.
Johanna – yes I’ve seen an amazing picture of matcha macarons somewhere, but like you they sound far to scary to actually make (at least I assume that’s your reason).
Thanks Gill – yes, it’s definitely more pronounced than a tea loaf type of cake (which are the only ones I’ve had until now, although earl grey has been on my list of things to try at some point). Putting in the actual ground up leaves as opposed to making a tea and just using the liquid is quite a difference in strength. This was about right for me, I’ve noticed some people put a lot more in and although you’d get a stronger green, it would be too strong for my taste I think.
Oh Kath, don’t tempt me. It would be such fun to have loads of differently themed blogs. It’s the librarian in me which just wants to collect and categorise. Matcha cake might be a bit passe now, but matcha and rhubarb is a brand new kid on the block. Will pass on good wishes to CT – thank you.
Ananda – you must indeed try a marble cake. Normally, you have two different flavours and colours and sort of swirl them through each other. At least it seems like you have lots of cake to keep you going through these trying times.
Thanks Lucie – this blog has just been great at getting me to try all sorts of things I would never have done otherwise.
Hazel – I’m very pleased I finally managed it.
Mrs Portions – rhubarb certainly makes a lovely drink.
CC – glad you are with me on the patchwork effect.
Chele – this is why we need to get our challenge going, give us a chance to try a few new things. Though, to be fair, you are always trying new things and all of them look to be delicious.
Emmalene says
Wow! This looks somehow traditional- like a patchwork quilt handed down over generations! And it is sooo impressive!
The Caked Crusader says
Love the patchwork of colours – so much prettier than marbling!
Mrs Portions says
I adore rhubarb – just used the last of the garden rhubarb in a liqueur…which should be ready February 2011! Hope I am that patient!
Chele says
Love the colours in your cake. Very pretty. I’m not sure of I should admit to you that I have never tried matcha … either as a drink or in food. I feel like I am missing out now though so I may just have to be brave and pluck up the courage to try some.
Hazel says
WOW! Interesting combo! I have seen so many food bloggers use matcha, I simply must get on this!
Lucie says
Matcha is a new one on me…. this looks a wonderful bake – very unusual. Thanks for sharing.
Ananda Rajashekar says
Never heard of marble cake, lovely and innovative combination…Last pic of cake-lip smacking 🙂 And thanks Chocolate, for good wishes on me completing my thesis 😀
Kath says
Shall we be reading the MatchaLogBlog next then? I have never tried matcha, so I am gutted to hear that it is already old hat – I am sooo behind the times it seems. I love marble cake and yours looks delicious. Happy Birthday to CT.
Gill the Painter says
Is macha more pronounced than say tea in a cake, Choclette?
I’ve put “early grey” in teacakes and enjoyed the taste, but it’s not that obvious unless you know it’s in there.
Excellent looking cake there too. It looks stunning!
Johanna GGG says
best marble cake ever – love the combo – never used matcha but it always intrigues me – matcha macarons with ganache centres is what I think I would love to see made with it (of course I can’t make macarons so just need to admire others)
belleaukitchen says
i’m the same… never heard of it but it looks so good… love love love marble cake x
Nicisme says
I’ve never seen matcha powder anywhere so not tried it before. The cake looks really good though, and a great colour!
GotChocolate says
WOW! I’ve never seen or heard of Matcha. That was a REALLY interesting post. Good idea to put moderate cup fulls of each kind of cake so as to not mix the flavours too much. I’ll have to try this. I can’t believe you said the Chocolate was your least favourite! WHAT!!!Just kidding!