Matcha Lemon Cake

If this recipe is made, would I receive the same sweet neurological reaction as the Fried Green Tea Ice Cream? Two cups a day of Japanese Green tea helps keep the complexion clear. Green tea is a great detox drink after enjoying a fried and greasy meal. I can’t wait to try this recipe in the future… when I commit to five days of exercising and eating no sweets.

Update: Thursday, October 14, 2010

After running twelve miles in four days, I decided to make a Matcha Lemon Cake. In addition, there were two dozen eggs sitting in the refrigerator. Was it the same sweet neurological reaction at Fried Green Tea Ice Cream? Do I have to run a few more miles this week? It’s a delicious yes to both answers.

Matcha Lemon Cake

Recipe adapted from Mark Bittman’s, How to Cook Everything.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, soft; plus more for greasing pan
  • 1-1/2 plus 1/4 c. sugar
  • 5 large eggs; room temperature and separate
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • The zest of one lemon plus the juice; separated
  • 2 c. flour
  • A pinch of sea salt
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • A dash of nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp. + 1 tsp. Matcha green tea powder
  • Garnish: Roughly chopped Italian pistachios or almonds

Directions

  1. Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking powder, nutmeg and Matcha tea powder.
  3. In a large bowl, beat together butter and 1-1/2 cup of sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.
  4. Add the yolks into the butter mixture, one at a time, mixing well in between each addition. Add the vanilla and the lemon zest.
  5. Add dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Do not over mix.
  6. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
  7. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the cake batter.
  8. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and garnish with pistachios or almonds. Bake for one and quarter hour, or until a fork or a toothpick comes out clean.
  9. Meanwhile, over medium heat, mix 1/4 cup of sugar plus the lemon juice in a small saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Set lemon glaze aside to cool.
  10. When the cake is done cooking, let cool on a wire rack for five minutes before removing from loaf pan. Pierce the top of the cake with a fork.
  11. Set the cake on a wire rack over a cookie sheet. After the cake has been removed from the pan, drizzle lemon glaze over the cake. The cookie sheet will neatly catch the glaze to make clean-up easier.
  12. Enjoy your first slice when the cake is completely cool.