So, I’ve been on this whole gluten-free journey lately, and let me tell you, finding good recipes is like searching for a needle in a haystack. Especially when it comes to desserts. I mean, I love a good cake, but most gluten-free versions turn out dry and crumbly. But I wasn’t going to give up that easily. I’ve got a sweet tooth, you know?
My latest mission was to conquer a gluten-free matcha cake. I’m obsessed with matcha, that earthy, slightly bitter green tea powder. It’s just so good! And I figured a matcha cake would be the perfect way to satisfy my cravings.
I started by gathering all my ingredients. This was a bit of an adventure in itself. Gluten-free baking requires some, let’s say, “unconventional” ingredients. Like, I had to track down this thing called “sweet rice flour.” Never even heard of it before! But, you know, I’m always up for trying new things. Also almond flour, because why not.
Here’s the list of what I grabbed:
- Sweet rice flour
- Almond flour
- Matcha powder (the good stuff, not that cheap, pale kind)
- Sugar, because, well, it’s cake
- Eggs
- Butter (unsalted, of course)
- Milk (I used regular, but you could use almond milk or whatever)
- Baking powder (gotta make it fluffy)
- A pinch of salt
First, I mixed all the dry ingredients in one bowl. Then, in another bowl, I creamed together the butter and sugar until it was light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each one was fully incorporated before adding the next. Poured in the milk and gave it a good stir.
Then, I gradually added the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Don’t overmix, people! That’s the key to a tender cake.
Baking Time!
I poured the batter into a greased and floured cake pan. And when I say “floured,” I mean I used some of that sweet rice flour to dust the pan. Gotta keep it gluten-free, right? Popped it into a preheated oven and baked it for about 30 minutes. You know it’s done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
The smell that filled my kitchen while it was baking was heavenly. That matcha aroma mixed with the sweet scent of cake. Oh boy, I couldn’t wait to try it.
Once it was out of the oven, I let it cool for a bit before flipping it onto a wire rack to cool completely. Now, for the frosting. I whipped up a simple matcha buttercream, because what’s a cake without frosting, am I right? Just some butter, powdered sugar, a splash of milk, and a good amount of matcha powder. Whipped it all together until it was nice and smooth. Spread that delicious green goodness all over the cooled cake, and boom, we got ourselves a gluten-free matcha cake.
And let me tell you, it was amazing. Moist, flavorful, and that perfect hint of matcha. I was so proud of myself. Gluten-free baking can be a challenge, but it’s definitely worth it when you end up with something this delicious.
