Rich and chewy Matcha Butter Mochi with a delicious crisp exterior. This Japanese and Hawaiian fusion mochi cake is made with green tea powder for a fresh and sweet flavor.
Table of contents
Matcha butter mochi is a delicious fusion of Hawaiian and Japanese desserts. This mochi cake recipe combines the rich, buttery flavor of Hawaiian butter mochi with the fresh and sweet hint of matcha green tea powder. The result is a chewy, sweet cake with a gorgeous green color. It has a lovely flavor, with notes of earthy matcha.
After making the delicious Pumpkin Butter Mochi Cake and the vibrant Ube Butter Mochi, I was pretty much hooked on all things butter mochi! As much as I love all flavors, I have to say that the green tea mochi cake is probably my favorite. It’s reminiscent of traditional Japanese mochi, but less dense and super buttery.
The grassy and earthy flavors of matcha tea balances beautifully with creamy milk. This matcha butter mochi recipe captures everything I love about mochi, and takes it to the next level.
Made with high-quality ceremonial grade green tea powder for a subtle grassy flavor, this mochi cake is an easy crowd pleaser for matcha latte lovers. Serve it with a scoop of Homemade Matcha Ice Cream and you’ve got yourself a winner!
Looking for more matcha recipes? Check out the extra fudgy Matcha Brownies, the soft and buttery Matcha Sugar Cookies or this delicate and floral Matcha Sakura Latte.
Craving a ooey gooey chocolate dessert? This decadent Chocolate Butter Mochi Cake is the ultimate chocolate treat!
Why you'll love this recipe
- Subtle earthy matcha flavor: The matcha ads a subtle grassy and fresh flavor that perfectly balance the sweetness of butter mochi. It adds complexity without being too overpowering.
- Sweet and chewy texture: The glutinous rice flour gives this cake a delightful springy, bouncy texture similar to traditional mochi. Every bite is tender, yet pleasantly chewy.
- Vibrant green color: Thanks to plenty of matcha powder, this mochi cake has a gorgeous jade green color that looks as good as it tastes. And it’s all natural!
- Easy to make: With just 10 minutes of prep time, this impressive fusion dessert is so easy to whip up
Ingredient round-up
- Matcha powder: Gives the mochi butter cake a vibrant green color, grassy flavor, and freshness to balance sweetness. You can use ceremonial-grade matcha for the best flavor and color, or high-quality culinary matcha.
- Glutinous rice flour: Also known as Mochiko flour or sweet rice flour, it gives the cake its springy, chewy mochi-like texture. Make sure to use glutinous rice flour and not regular rice flour for the best results.
- Butter: Adds rich flavor and moisture, and helps achieve a crispy crust on top when baked. I recommend using unsalted butter.
- Heavy cream: Add creamy moisture for a tender, sticky texture. Heavy cream works best, but you can also use coconut cream if desired.
How to make this recipe
1. Preheat oven and line cake pan with parchment paper. Whisk together wet ingredients in a large bowl, until fully combined.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients and whisk well to combine. Sift matcha powder into dry ingredients.
3. Whisk to combine the wet and dry ingredients, until smooth and lump-free.
4. Pour the mochi batter into a prepared baking pan and bake until the top is golden brown in color. Cool, slice and enjoy fresh!
Substitutes & Variations
This matcha butter mochi recipe is incredibly versatile, and you can adjust it to your own preference. Here are some variation ideas:
- Non-dairy milk: Instead of whole milk, you can substitute it with coconut milk, almond, oat or soy milk. You can also replace the heavy cream with coconut cream.
- Toppings: Try adding white or black sesame seeds, desiccated coconut, or chocolate chips for extra flavor and crunch.
- Vanilla extract: Enhance the sweet aroma of matcha powder with a teaspoon of vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
- Sweeten to taste: Reduce the sugar by ¼ cup if you prefer less sweetness. The coconut milk also lends natural sweetness.
Success Tips & Tricks
- Sift matcha: Green tea powder tends to lump together, so it should always be sifted to achieve a smooth batter.
- Melted butter: For the best batter consistency, the butter needs to be melted, then cooled to room temperature.
- Room temperature: I recommend using room temperature eggs and gently warm up the milk and heavy cream to room temperature. This ensures a smooth and lump-free texture.
- Baking: Only bake this mochi cake until edges are crispy, but center of the cake remains soft and bouncy like traditional mochi texture.
- Chilling: It’s much easier to cut the buttery mochi cake once it’s cooled down completely. This makes the cake less sticky and the slices hold shape better.
Serving & Storing
Since butter mochi cake contains dairy, it's best consumed within 2-3 days for the best flavor and texture. To store, place in an airtight container at room temperature.
You can also freeze this mochi cake for long-term storage for up to 2 months. To store, place in an airtight container or aluminum foil and freeze. Thaw overnight in fridge before serving. Warm leftovers in the air-fryer or oven before eating to revive its chewiness.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, this recipe is gluten-free. Despite its name, glutinous rice flour is made entirely from rice, so it does not contain gluten.
No, unfortunately regular rice flour does not provide the desired chewy, stretchy mochi-like texture. The high starch content of glutinous rice flour is essential.
Chilling the cake first helps firm it up for cleaner, neater slices that hold their shape better without squishing down too much. Use a sharp knife, and wipe it clean before each slice. I also recommend covering the knife in plastic wrap to avoid it sticking to the mochi cake.
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Recipe
Matcha Butter Mochi Recipe (Green Tea Mochi Cake)
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 5 tablespoons butter melted and cooled to room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 cups mochiko sweet rice flour
- 1 tablespoon culinary matcha powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Prepare a 9 x 13 inches baking tray by either lining it with parchment paper or brushing with butter and dusting with mochiko flour.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and sugar, whisking until pale in color.
- Add in the melted butter, milk and heavy cream, mixing again to combine.
- In a separate large bowl, sift the mochiko flour, matcha powder, baking powder and salt. Whisk all the dry ingredients together.
- Pour the wet mixture into the flour, then use a whisk to mix combine until silky and lump-free.
- Slowly pour the mochi batter into the lined tray, then use a skewer to run it through the batter to remove air bubbles.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the top looks golden-brown and there is little bobble in the middle.
- Once baked, allow to cool for 30 minutes in the tray, then transfer to a wire rack and cool for another hour.
- To slice, use an oiled knife to prevent sticking.
Notes
- For the best results, I recommend using a kitchen scale in grams. To see metric measurements >> toggle on Metric in recipe card.
- Mochiko rice flour: also known as glutinous rice flour or sweet rice flour. Plain rice flour cannot be used.
- Storing: Consume fresh for the best texture. To store, cover in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days maximum.
- Nutritional value is estimative and is calculated per serving, without any optional ingredients. This recipe makes 16 large servings.
Nutrition
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Zero says
Started it, turned out my butter went bad so I substituted shortening 1:1 and followed the recipe exactly otherwise. Turned out perfect, slightly stronger matcha flavor because the shortening has no flavor of it's own. Texture was still perfect, overall slightly more oily to handle in my opinion than when you use butter. Great recipe!
Hanelore Dumitrache says
Hi Zero, so glad to hear you've enjoyed this recipe! And yes, agreed - shortening does make it more greasy. Let me know how it turns out next time if you make it with butter! 🙂