Old-Fashioned Matcha Pound Cake

Matcha is everywhere right now — in lattes, in ice cream, in those pretty little cookies all over Instagram. And I’ll be honest, the first time I tried it, I thought, This tastes like grass. But then I tried it in a pound cake, and everything changed.

Clara saw matcha lattes all over her friends’ feeds and asked me to bake something with “the green stuff.” This pound cake was my answer — it’s got that earthy matcha flavor but in a form that actually feels like home. Jake said the color reminded him of army camouflage, which Clara did not appreciate.

A pound cake is already built to carry bold flavors. The butter mellows out the earthiness, the sugar rounds it, and you’re left with this dense, gorgeous green cake that tastes like spring walked into your kitchen. Nana Ruth never used matcha — she wouldn’t have known what it was — but she knew pound cake.

This is exactly the kind of recipe From Hearth to Stove was made for. Something trendy that deserves to be made the old-fashioned way — simple, from scratch, no fuss. Ten ingredients, one bowl, and about an hour of your time.

How to Make Matcha Pound Cake

Sift the dry ingredients. Sift flour, matcha powder, baking powder, and salt together twice. Matcha clumps terribly, and double-sifting ensures even color and flavor throughout the cake. Use good quality culinary-grade matcha — it makes a real difference.

Cream the butter and sugar. Beat room-temperature butter and sugar together for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy. This step creates the air pockets that give pound cake its tender crumb. Don’t rush it.

Add eggs one at a time. Beat in each egg fully before adding the next. Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk in three additions, mixing on low just until combined. Overmixing makes pound cake tough.

Bake and cool. Pour into a greased and floured loaf pan. Bake at 325°F for 55-65 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

If you enjoy baking something a little unexpected, my Japanese Cheesecake has that same light, delicate quality. For a more classic treat, my Old-Fashioned Lemon Bars are the ones I bring to every potluck. And if you want something the kids will go absolutely wild for, try my Nana Ruth’s Carrot Cake.

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Old-Fashioned Matcha Pound Cake

A dense, buttery pound cake with earthy matcha flavor — the kind of simple, elegant cake Nana Ruth would have loved. Four basic ingredients plus one modern twist.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Japanese-American Fusion

Keyword baking, desserts, heritage recipes, matcha pound cake

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings 10 slices

Author Maggie

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 2 sticks
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons culinary-grade matcha powder sifted
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• powdered sugar for dusting optional

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan (or a Bundt pan if you're feeling fancy). Sift the matcha powder with the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy. This step matters — don't rush it.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl between eggs. Mix in the vanilla.
4. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions (flour, milk, flour, milk, flour). Mix just until each addition is incorporated.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan gently on the counter to release any air bubbles.
6. Bake for 55-65 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The cake should be golden around the edges with a beautiful green crumb inside.
7. Let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with a simple glaze if you like.

Recipe Notes

Use culinary-grade matcha, not ceremonial grade. Culinary is meant for baking and costs about half as much. You can find it at most grocery stores now, or order online. Store leftover cake wrapped tightly at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze slices for up to 2 months.

More Recipes You’ll Love

• Old-Fashioned Lemon Bars
• Two-Ingredient Japanese Cheesecake
• No-Bake Strawberry Icebox Cake
• Hot Honey Skillet Cornbread

What I Use for This Recipe

A couple things from my kitchen that make this one easier.

USA Pan Loaf Pan(~$14)

Every banana bread, every zucchini bread. A good loaf pan makes all the difference.

Wilton Springform Pan(~$12)

Cheesecakes that actually unmold in one piece. Worth every penny for special-occasion baking.

OXO Good Grips Swivel Peeler(~$10)

Potatoes, apples, carrots. The soft handle means even Mason can help with Sunday dinner prep.

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