Tuesday, July 29, 2014

matcha magic custard cake

I have heard so much about this cake, and seen so many versions of it but till now, I had not been tempted to make this cake.

Why, you ask.

Well, I was terribly unsure of the texture of the cake.

I mean, I like custard and I like cake. I just wasn't sure about putting the two of them together.
Then the LAM sent me a link to a recipe one day and asked me to try making the cake in the link. As it turned out, it was a custard cake.

So I decided to make a custard cake but the question was, which one?

As luck would have it, I was browsing online when I saw this cake. The colour of the cake really appealed to me - I really love the slight greenish tone, so I guess the decision was made. A Matcha custard cake it was!
This cake was really easy to put together. What I did was to break things up into a series of steps.

Here's how.

Before I started making the cake, I melted the butter in a saucepan over low heat. I also sifted the icing sugar (Gosh, I hate sifting icing sugar!)

In the bowl of a mixer, I added egg yolks and the icing sugar.
I turned on the machine (at very low speed) and slowly the yolks and sugar were mixed.
At this stage, I increased the speed of the mixer, and beat the mixture until it turned light and pale.
While that happened, I sifted the flour with the green tea powder. This was set aside.
The egg whites were placed into another bowl, together with the vinegar.

Using my hand whisk, I whisked this until stiff peaks formed.
This was also set aside.

Once the egg yolk mixture was pale and light, I added the melted butter and water.
 This was mixed for a further 2 minutes or so, until everything was well-mixed.
I removed the bowl from the mixer.

Using a hand whisk, I mixed the flour and tea into this mixture in 3 additions.
Then I did the same with the milk (also in 3 additions).
Finally, I folded the egg whites (also in 3 additions) into the mixture.
The batter may appear lumpy and to have curdled at the beginning but don't worry, just keep mixing.
I poured the batter into a lined and greased 8-inch square baking pan.
 
And baked the cake for 40 minutes, at the end of which I placed the baking pan on a wire rack until the cake was completely cool.

I transferred the cake onto a plate, and cut it.
Then I topped the cake with more sifted green tea and icing sugar.
This is one gorgeous cake.
And it tastes great!

Yes, you, too, should go make it!

A GIVEAWAY!
The really nice folks at Tovolo would like to share a few of their fantastic products with readers of The Domestic Goddess Wannabe, and as such, I am hosting a giveaway for a Better Batter Tool and a Cupcake Scoop.

Fancy winning one (or all) of these? Here's how to take part!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway ends on Tuesday, August 5, 2014 at 12:00 a.m. Pacific time. The winner(s) will be selected by random.org and contacted by email. If there is no response after 48 hours, another winner will be selected. Open to residents of Singapore only.

RECIPE
Matcha (Japanese Green Tea) Magic Custard Cake (Serves 8-10)
Adapted from raspberricupcakes

Ingredients:
1 cup (140g) plain flour
1-2 tbsp matcha powder (Japanese green tea powder), you can adjust to taste
113g (1/2 cup) butter
2 cups (500ml) milk
4 eggs, separated and at room temp
4 drops white vinegar
1 1/2 cups (180g) pure icing (confectioner's) sugar
1 Tablespoon (15ml) Water
To dust: 2 tbsp icing (confectioner's) sugar + 1 tsp matcha powder, sifted together

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F). Grease and line a 20cm (8 inch) square baking pan/dish with baking paper.
2. Sift flour and matcha powder together in a medium bowl. (I like my matcha flavour very strong so if you prefer it milder then only use 1 tbsp of powder)
3. Melt the butter and set aside to slightly cool. Warm the milk to lukewarm and set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, whip the egg whites and vinegar to stiff peaks with an electric mixer. Set aside.
5. In a separate large mixing bowl beat the egg yolks and sugar until light with an electric mixer. Mix in the melted butter and the tablespoon of water for about 2 minutes or until evenly incorporated.
6. Using a hand whisk, mix in the flour until evenly incorporated. Slowly hand whisk in the milk and until everything is well mixed.
7. Fold in the egg whites with your hand whisk, 1/3 at a time. Repeat until all of the egg whites are folded in. The egg whites will appear curdled and lumpy at first but keep gently mixing with your whisk until all the larger lumps are incorporated.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40-50 minutes or until the top is golden. (Take care not to over bake, middle should still be a bit wobbly) Allow cake to completely cool (you can place it in the fridge after 15 minutes to cool it quicker) before cutting and then dust with icing sugar/matcha mixture.
Note: Can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for several days, best served at room temperature.

In a couple of days, I shall be hosting the Little Thumbs Up linky for the entire month of August with Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen of my little favourite D.I.Y.

Flour is an essential ingredient in my (and I am sure, many of your) kitchen. It is the base of pastas and noodles, cakes and biscuits, or even as thickening agents in the making of a roux. The list of food items made using flour is endless.

As such, we will be limiting the theme to mainly Wheat Flour, namely,

1. All-Purpose (also known as Plain) Flour
2. Bread Flour
3. Cake Flour
4. Self-raising Flour
5. Pastry Flour
6. Wholemeal Flour
7. Hong Kong (also known as Waterlily) Flour
8. Superlite Flour
9. Top Flour

You must use one of these flours in its raw form in your recipe and you must use at least 1 tablespoon or 10g of one (or more) of these flours in your cooking.

So if you have a food post in the month of August that includes flour, do come link up! :)


19 comments:

  1. Matcha powder with icing sugar as topping looks great. And yummy. I should try it next time. ^^

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Thea - I actually grew to like to. It is a strange texture to start with but it does grow on you. :)

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  2. This cake is very popular among the bloggers friends lately. Yours looks beautiful with two distinct layers

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    1. Thanks Veronica!! It took me forever to get round to baking this haha!

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  3. Diana, I see that you have worked your magic! You always do!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Phong Hong - it was with the help of my fairy godmother. :P

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  4. Hi Diana, matcha magic custard cake - MMCC looks yummy. Since my big kids don't like green tea, will give this a miss. I still haven't tried the chocolate version ... must find time :( Oh yes ... you'll be the host for August's LTU .. thanks for hosting!

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    Replies
    1. Hey Karen, I think think is more suitable for adults. My kid also didn't like this - maybe I will try making the chocolate version and see if they like it!

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  5. Hi Diana,
    Have seen this magic custard cake in bloggerland lately!
    And have bookmarked to try!
    Yours look wonderful with all the layers perfectly formed!

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    1. I am sure yours will be gorgeous if you bake it Joyce!!!

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  6. Hi Diana, I have been following this cake for a while now but have not dared to try yet after one failure long time ago…not sure if I should because my boys don't like it!

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    Replies
    1. Hey Jeannie, maybe try another flavour of the same cake? Most kids don't like green tea.

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  7. Hi Diana, what a wonderful give away and I love your step by step instructions on baking the Matcha Magic Cake...Maybe I'll give it one more try and see if I can get the pretty layers:D I hope I could win one of the items! *Fingers crossed*

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  8. That pretty spartulart would come in so handy for mixing cupcakes batter and a great deco piece in the kitchen:D

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  9. This looks awesome ! Love how the layers turned out and matcha is my favourite too. Yummm....

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  10. Thanks for sharing the recipe! Love anything that is matcha flavour. :)

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