With rich green tea swirls, my light and tender Matcha Marble Pound Cake is a delectable snack that pairs perfectly with your afternoon coffee or tea. This Japanese-style pound cake tastes even better the next day, so it‘s an ideal make-ahead recipe.

A few slices of matcha marble pound cake served on a wooden board.

Do you have a good pound cake recipe in your baking repertoire? Today, I’ll show you how to make one of my favorites—Matcha Marble Pound Cake (抹茶マーブルパウンドケーキ).

This Japanese pound cake is buttery, tender, and bursting with a unique green tea flavor. Its striking emerald swirls make it feel like a luscious, special-occasion treat. Whether you’re making it for a Sunday afternoon treat or to take to a party, this Japanese-inspired pound cake will be a keeper!

A few slices of matcha marble pound cake served on a wooden board.

What is Japanese-style Pound Cake?

There are a few key differences between a Japanese-style pound cake and a typical pound cake found in the US.

  1. Japanese pound cake is lighter and less buttery than its heavier and richer American counterpart.
  2. It has a tighter crumb and firmer structure, whereas the American version has a softer crumb with a looser structure.
  3. It slices cleanly and holds its shape well, whereas an American pound cake is softer and tends to crumble and break apart more easily.
  4. It’s best eaten the day after baking. This gives the butter time to oxidize and blend into the cake for a moister texture. Waiting a day also allows the flavors to meld and improve for a stronger matcha taste.

What is Matcha?

Unlike regular green tea, matcha (抹茶) is made from shade-grown tea leaves to prevent direct sunlight. This slows down growth and stimulates an increase in chlorophyll level, which turns the leaves into a darker shade of green. Only the most delicate tea buds are hand-picked, removing the veins and stems. The buds are then stone-ground to the fine, bright green powder.

While green tea is an infusion of tea leaves, matcha powder incorporates the entire leaf, resulting in a more concentrated source of nutrients and caffeine. You can read more about matcha on my site.

Beautiful matcha marble pound cake slices showing the swirl.

Use Matcha for Baked Goods

With its earthy and slightly bitter undertone, matcha has been used as a mainstream key flavoring in making all kinds of sweets, pastries, and baked goods in Japan. I personally love the flavor of matcha. It’s especially great in baked goods as it keeps the flavor from tasting too sweet.

Another beauty of baking with matcha? The bright green hue lends to the final good that is sure to make an impression.

Ingredients for Matcha Marble Pound Cake

  • unsalted butter – at room temperature
  • sugar
  • large eggs – at room temperature
  • cake flour – weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale
  • baking powder
  • Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • milk – at room temperature
  • matcha (green tea powder)
Jump to Recipe

Substitution for Matcha (Green Tea Powder)

If you do not like matcha or do not want to use it, you can substitute it with pure cocoa powder in this recipe.

Matcha marble pound cake in a loaf pan.

What To Look for When Buying Matcha

  • Vibrant green color – It should not be yellowish or brownish green.
  • No additives – Sugar and natural flavorings should not be included in the ingredients.
  • Grown in Japan – Look for the country of origin for any matcha product.
  • Check the expiration date
  • Culinary vs. ceremonial grade – For making desserts and baking, you can use “culinary grade” but the color of green will not be as beautiful as “ceremonial grade.” They also have slightly different flavor profiles.
  • Package size – Consume matcha within 2–3 weeks of opening. I recommend a package of 1 oz (30 g)—the standard size in Japan. Resist the urge to buy a large package even if it seems like a better deal as you probably won’t use it up before the quality degrades.
Matcha (Green Tea Powder; Powered Green Tea)

Where To Get Matcha

  • Ippodo Tea ($35) – It’s my favorite!
  • Naoki Matcha ($23) – I used it in this recipe. I previously collaborated with them for giveaways on the blog and I like their matcha.
  • Maeda-en ($11) – It’s decent quality for this price range.
  • Japanese grocery stores like Nijiya Market, Mitsuwa Market, and Marukai Market

Use Cake Flour for Japanese Pound Cake

Many American recipes ask for all-purpose flour when making pound cake, but in Japan, cake flour (薄力粉) is always used to make a pound cake. It makes the pound cake extra tender.

To achieve the perfect texture for the pound cake, I used Super-Fine Unbleached Cake Flour from Bob’s Red Mill®. Because it is sifted to a very fine texture, the cake flour is fantastic for all sorts of cakes. You should be able to find this cake flour at any major grocery store. Alternatively, you can also buy it on Amazon.

Bob's Red Mill Super-Fine Cake Flour

How To Make Matcha Pound Cake

  1. Preheat the oven. Grease the loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
  2. Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer (or stand mixer) on medium speed, then add the sugar to the whipped butter and whisk well.
  3. Whisk the large eggs in a small bowl and add it 1 Tbsp at a time to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition.
  4. Add the dry ingredients in three stages using a silicone spatula to fold the mixture by hand just until the batter is smooth.
  5. Make a paste with the matcha and milk in a separate bowl. Add one-third of the batter to the bowl with the matcha paste and fold together just until you have a homogenous matcha batter. Do not overmix.
  6. Combine the green and yellow batters to and swirl together to create a marbled pattern.
  7. Pour the swirled batter into the pan without mixing the batter. Smooth out the surface of the batter with an offset spatula.
  8. Bake in the oven for 50–60 minutes. After 15 minutes of baking, open the oven and quickly score the top of the cake with a sharp knife.
  9. Test for doneness starting several minutes before the baking time is up. The cake is done when a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
  10. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to rest in the pan for 15 minutes on a wire rack. Then, take the cake out of the pan to cool completely.
  11. Serve it the next day (and up to 3 days after baking) for the best taste and texture. Tightly wrap the cake and keep it in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to serve. Consume within 3–4 days.

5 Tips for Making the Cake Batter

Follow these tips to make sure that the pound cake rises properly and won’t end up with a tough texture.

A few slices of matcha marble pound cake served on a wooden board.
  1. Use room-temperature butter and eggs to ensure maximum volume. Take the butter out of the fridge and let it sit out on the counter for about 1–2 hours before beginning your recipe. Cold ingredients do not emulsify together. Partially melted butter won’t cream properly. If you forget to take out the eggs from the refrigerator ahead of time, you can submerge the cold eggs in warm (body temperature) water for 10 minutes.
  2. Cream the butter and sugar mixture until very light and fluffy for a smooth velvety texture. Beat on medium-high to high-speed settings for anywhere from 3 to 7 minutes, depending on a mixer type or hand-held. The sharp sugar grains cut through the butter and create tiny air pockets that aerate the batter and cause leavening. The mixture should be creamy but grainy.
  3. To avoid a curdled mixture, gradually add a very small amount (1 tablespoon) of the beaten eggs to the creamed butter and beat well after each addition. The eggs contain water, and the yolks and butter are fats. Remember, oil and water will not mix without an emulsifier (in this case, the yolks), which suspends fat molecules in water making a smooth mixture. If there is a slightly curdled appearance to the batter after adding the eggs, don’t worry. The emulsification is usually complete enough that the batter will become smooth. The addition of flour helps as it absorb some of the excess water.
  4. Don’t overmix the batter once you’ve added in the flour. Once the flour has been added, gluten bonds will start to form and if you mix the batter too much your cake will end up dense, tough, or deflated.
  5. Fold the batter by hand with a large spatula. Folding is a way of mixing together two ingredients with different densities. Folding helps preserve the lightness and structure of the mixture.
Matcha Marble Pound Cake | Easy Japanese Recipes at JustOneCookbook.com

How to Create the Marble Effect for Pound Cake

There are two ways to make a marble effect:

  1. Make the swirl with the green and yellow batter inside the cake pan.
  2. Make the swirl with the green and yellow batter in the bowl and then transfer it to the cake pan.

I personally prefer the second method because I can see how the two colors are combined before pouring into the pan. With this approach, I feel that the swirls look more dynamic and you can control the balance of the colors.

Create a Beautiful Crack on Matcha Marble Cake

Did you know the pound cake is supposed to crack on the top? Pound cakes are denser than most cakes, and the exterior starts to bake first. As the heat that is released from the still-baking batter reaches the center of the cake, it needs to expand through the top of the cake since all sides have set. That’s why a pound cake is defined by this rustic crack.

A few slices of matcha marble pound cake served on a wooden board.

However, the crack doesn’t usually appear perfectly centered in the cake. If you wish to achieve a perfectly cracked pound cake where the rupture sets right in the middle, there are two tricks you can do:

  • Trick 1: After 12–15 minutes of baking, insert a knife into the top of the cake batter in the pan and score a straight line. Do it quickly so you won’t lose the oven heat.
  • Trick 2: Before putting the cake pan into the oven, cut a very thin strip of cold butter and lay it on top of the cake batter. Or put softened butter into a plastic bag and squeeze it out from a small tip to create a line on the cake batter.

See this image if you need a visual guide. I use Trick 1 as it’s easy to do, but both tricks work beautifully. Since pound cakes are supposed to crack, it’s nice to know how to control the cracking so you get the best-looking pound cake possible.

Other Matcha Recipes

I hope you enjoy this Matcha Marble Pound Cake recipe as much as my family does! It also makes the most gorgeous edible gift if you are thinking of making someone smile today.

A few slices of matcha marble pound cake served on a wooden board.

Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on FacebookPinterestYouTube, and Instagram.

A few slices of matcha marble pound cake served on a wooden board.

Matcha Marble Pound Cake

4.83 from 269 votes
With rich green tea swirls, my light and tender Matcha Marble Pound Cake is a delectable snack that pairs perfectly with your afternoon coffee or tea. This Japanese-style pound cake tastes even better the next day, so it‘s an ideal make-ahead recipe.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Cool Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Servings: 1 loaf (8.5 x 4.5 x 2.75 inches)

Ingredients
 
 

Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.

Instructions
 

Before You Start…

  • While you can serve this pound cake the same day you bake it, I strongly recommend that you serve it 1–3 days after baking. The cake will become moister and the flavors will improve. See To Serve below for details.
  • Gather all the ingredients. It‘s important that the butter, eggs, and milk are all at room temperature. I highly encourage you to weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale for this recipe. Click on the “Metric“ button at the top of the recipe to convert the ingredient measurements to metric. If you‘re using a cup measurement, please follow the “fluff and sprinkle“ method: Fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle the flour into your measuring cup, and level it off. Otherwise, you may scoop more flour than you need.
    Matcha Marble Pound Cake Ingredients
  • Center a rack in the oven. Turn on the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) and preheat it well; when the cake pan goes in the oven later, you will lower the temperature to 340ºF (170ºC). For a convection oven, reduce the cooking temperature by 25ºF (15ºC). Tip: I strongly encourage you to check your oven‘s temperature with an oven thermometer, as the actual temperature inside may differ from the display setting.
    Use the residual butter on the butter wrapper to grease the pan (8½ x 4½ x 2¾ inches). Then, place the parchment paper inside the pan (the paper will stick to the butter). Tip: I recommend using a light-colored pan for this recipe; your cake may bake faster if you use a dark-colored pan.
    Matcha Marble Pound Cake 1

To Make the Batter

  • Put the 5.6 oz unsalted butter (12 Tbsp; at room temperature) in a large bowl. Use an electric hand mixer (or stand mixer) to beat it on medium speed until it is light and fluffy, about 1–2 minutes. The butter will be pale in color and have lots of little tails forming around the beaters. Tip: This process adds air to the mixture and is crucial for a light and delicate cake texture.
    Matcha Marble Pound Cake 2
  • Add 160 g sugar (¾ cup + 2 tsp) to the whipped butter. Cream the butter and sugar thoroughly on medium (not high) speed, about 5 minutes, until it is light and fluffy. The color is pale and the sugar is completely dissolved. Tip: The sharp sugar grains cut through the butter and create the tiny air pockets that aerate the batter and cause leavening. This process is very important for the light and delicate texture of the pound cake.
    Matcha Marble Pound Cake 3
  • Crack 4 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) in a small bowl and whisk well.
    Matcha Marble Pound Cake 4
  • Add the beaten eggs, 1 Tbsp at a time, to the butter mixture and beat well after each addition. Repeat until all the egg is incorporated. IMPORTANT: You must add and blend only a very small amount of egg at a time to achieve a smooth mixture (not a curdled mixture). Tip: The eggs contain water, while the yolks and the butter contain fats. Remember, oil and water will not mix without an emulsifier (in this case, the yolks) that suspends fat molecules in water to make a smooth mixture.
    Matcha Marble Pound Cake 5
  • If there is a slightly curdled appearance to the batter after adding the eggs, don’t worry. The emulsification is usually complete enough that the batter will become smooth when you add the flour. The flour helps to absorb some of the excess water, too.
    Matcha Marble Pound Cake 6
  • Next, add the dry ingredients in three stages. Put 200 g cake flour (1⅔ cups), 1 tsp baking powder, and ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt in a fine-mesh sieve. Sift one-third of these dry ingredients into the bowl of the egg mixture. Switch to a silicone spatula (or use a mixer on the lowest speed) and fold the mixture by hand so you can scrape the bottom of the bowl to get any dry pockets of flour.
    Matcha Marble Pound Cake 7
  • Now, add another one-third of the dry ingredients and fold again.
    Matcha Marble Pound Cake 8
  • Finally, stir in the remaining dry ingredients. Fold it just until the batter is smooth. Tip: Even though we are using a low-protein cake flour, excess mixing will develop the gluten and the cake will rise nicely in the oven, then sink as soon as you pull it out. A sunken cake has a tougher crumb with dense, moist, and gluey streaks.
    Matcha Marble Pound Cake 9

To Incorporate the Matcha

  • Next, make a paste with the matcha: Heat ¼ cup milk in a microwave or saucepan until warm (roughly body temperature). Gradually add the milk, 1 Tbsp at a time, to 3 Tbsp matcha (green tea powder) in a medium bowl. Whisk well until combined. Optionally, you can sift the matcha in a fine-mesh sieve first before mixing with the warm milk. Tip: Warm liquid is easier to blend with matcha.
    Matcha Marble Pound Cake 10
  • Add one-third of the batter to the bowl with the matcha paste.
    Matcha Marble Pound Cake 11
  • Use a silicone spatula to fold the batter into the matcha paste just until the it's smooth and homogenous. Do not overmix.
    Matcha Marble Pound Cake 12
  • Now, combine the green and yellow batters to create a marbled pattern. Add the matcha batter to the original yellow batter in 6–8 separate dollops scattered around the bowl. To swirl the two batters, use a silicone spatula to scoop the batter from the bottom of the bowl and fold it onto itself while rotating the bowl a quarter turn. Repeat this two more times only.
    Matcha Marble Pound Cake 13
  • Pour the batter into the cake pan without mixing to keep the swirl effect. Tap the pan on the countertop once to release any air pockets.
    Matcha Marble Pound Cake 14
  • Using an offset spatula, lightly smooth out the surface of the batter without mixing too much.
    Matcha Marble Pound Cake 15

To Bake

  • Put the cake pan in the oven. Lower the oven temperature to 340ºF (170ºC) and bake for 50–60 minutes. Tip: Every oven is different, and your cake may be done in less than 50 minutes, so I recommend that you start testing for doneness several minutes before the baking time is up. If you‘re using a dark-colored pan, the cake may bake faster and your baking time could be shorter by 5–10 minutes or more.
    Matcha Marble Pound Cake 16
  • After 15 minutes of baking, open the oven and quickly score the top of the cake with a sharp knife. (Please read the blog post about why we do this). Continue to bake, monitoring the oven to maintain a temperature of 340ºF (170ºC).
    Matcha Marble Pound Cake 17
  • The cake is done when a wooden skewer pulls out moist crumbs (not wet batter) when inserted near the center of the cake. Tip: To prevent overbaking, start checking for doneness several minutes before the baking time is complete.
    Matcha Marble Pound Cake 18
  • Remove from the oven and allow the cake to rest in the pan for 15 minutes on a wire rack. Then, take the cake out of the pan to cool completely.
    Matcha Marble Pound Cake 19

To Serve

  • Once it’s cool, you can slice and serve the Matcha Marble Pound Cake, if you wish. However, I strongly recommend serving it the next day (and up to 3 days after baking). This gives the butter time to oxidize and blend into the cake, resulting in a moister texture and allowing the flavors to meld and improve for a deeper matcha taste. Tightly wrap the cake and keep it in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to serve.
  • You‘ll notice some differences between this Japanese-style pound cake and a typical American pound cake. The Japanese version is lighter and less buttery than its heavier and richer American counterpart. Also, a Japanese pound cake will have a tighter crumb and firmer structure. Finally, the Japanese version will slice cleanly and hold its shape well, whereas an American pound cake is softer and will crumble and break apart more easily.

To Store

  • Store the pound cake at room temperature and consume it within 3–4 days. In a hot and humid environment, store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for 1 month.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 loaf · Calories: 2949 kcal · Carbohydrates: 311 g · Protein: 75 g · Fat: 154 g · Saturated Fat: 90 g · Trans Fat: 5 g · Cholesterol: 1094 mg · Sodium: 1037 mg · Potassium: 599 mg · Fiber: 5 g · Sugar: 164 g · Vitamin A: 7431 IU · Calcium: 486 mg · Iron: 14 mg
Author: Namiko Hirasawa Chen
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: cake, matcha, pound cake
©JustOneCookbook.com Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any website or social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Did you make this recipe?If you made this recipe, snap a pic and hashtag it #justonecookbook! We love to see your creations on Instagram @justonecookbook!

Introducing JOC Goods

JOC Goods, our new online shop, offering Japanese tableware and kitchenware, is now open. It is a natural extension of Just One Cookbook’s mission to teach home cooks how to prepare and enjoy delicious Japanese meals. We believe that beautifully plated food can bring joy and happiness to people’s lives.

Browse All Products

4.83 from 269 votes (222 ratings without comment)
Subscribe
Notify of
207 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

So delicious. I am very happy with how this turned out. It’s tender and moist but not overly greasy or buttery like some other recipes. The taste is really exquisite. It has a subtle but deep flavor. I used ceremonial-grade matcha that’s sweet and not bitter, and I think the higher quality makes a huge difference in the outcome. Someone had commented that their cake was dry, so I watched my oven temperature like a hawk. My oven got hotter as time went on, so I turned it down so the thermometer inside the oven stayed at 340F. I weighed all my ingredients in metric. I also checked it early/often to see if it was done so I wouldn’t miss the window–I poked it at 45 minutes, then at 50 minutes, and finally took it out at 54 minutes. I can see how it would be easy to over-bake if you don’t keep an eye on things. The sides and bottom were on the verge of becoming dry. Next time, I will take it out of the oven a minute or two sooner so that it’s a little less baked on the sides and the same light brown color as yours. I wonder if this same recipe would work with cocoa or hojicha powder, so I will try that sometime, too. Thank you!5 stars

IMG_7940.jpg

Hello Kumi! Your cake looks absolutely delicious! Thank you for trying out Nami’s recipe and sharing your photo and kind feedback.☺️
It’s important to keep a close eye on the baking time since every oven behaves differently. We’re glad you did so for this recipe!
As for different flavors, we haven’t tested them yet, but we believe that using cocoa and Hojicha powder would work well. If you decide to give it a try, please let us know how it turns out!

I made this pound cake with hojicha powder this time instead of matcha. It’s quite delicious and I love it. It has a subtle roasted flavor and the slightest pleasant bitterness. I also used 1 Tbsp extra butter and 1 Tbsp extra sugar in the batter for a little more richness. I will make this again!5 stars

Hello, Kumi. Aww. We’re delighted to hear that Hojicha powder made this cake delicious as well. 🤩
Thank you for trying it and sharing your baking results with us. This information will be useful to other readers who may want to attempt.
Happy baking!😃💞

hojicha marble pound cake

IMG_0435

Wow! What a beautiful cake! Kumi, thank you for sharing the image with us!😍

Would this work with all purpose flour? I live in an area where it’s very difficult to find cake flour.

Hi Annie! Thank you for trying Nami’s recipe!
We highly recommend combining cornstarch and all-purpose flour to make homemade cake flour if you have access to it. The cake texter will be much lighter than if all-purpose flour was used alone.
Try Nami’s homemade cake flour recipe: https://www.justonecookbook.com/cake-flour/
We hope this helps!

Hello! Thank you so much for this recipe! I baked it once in a loaf pan. But this time, I used the batter to make cupcakes! With the original recipe, I got 12 cupcakes. I have a convection oven, so I let it bake for about 30 mins, on 165 degrees Celsius. I changed nothing about the recipe itself, and the cupcakes turned out wonderful. Thank you once again!5 stars

Hi Haadya! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe and sharing your baking experience with us.
We are so glad to hear this recipe worked well with 12 cupcakes pan.
Happy Baking!

This is a good idea. Will definitely try this. So baking time is cut down to 30 minutes instead of the prescribed 50-60 mins. Thanks for the tip!

Namiko-San,

So sorry for my amateur comment.
I made the pound cake, but waiting for the cake to come out clean, by the time I took it out, most of the cake was dry.

Do you think I got the mixture wrong?

Hi Shih-wei, Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe!
How long did you bake the cake? If it was overbaked, it would be dry too.
Make sure to bake at the right temperature, and the oven’s internal temperature is the same as the display.
Using a scale to measure each ingredient is also helpful to bake a perfect cake.
We hope this helps.

Thank you Nami for this great recipe. I always appreciate how you explain everything so well. I made it today and it is yummy. But mine is not as pretty as yours. I think I mixed in the matcha part too much. I’ll make it again anyway and maybe with a little less sugar; I really enjoyed the matcha taste. Thank you

Hi Martine! Nami and JOC team are so happy to hear you have been enjoying Nami’s tutorials!
Thank you very much for your kind feedback. It means so much to us.
Yes! Don’t mix too much after adding the Matcha part!😉 We hope your next try will be better. Happy Baking!

I must tell you that you are one of the most talented recipe writers I have ever read! Ever. Your site is beautiful, your recipes are sublime. Your descriptions and instructions are phenomenal. I couldn’t believe how you explained emulsions, fats water absorption of flour in your pound cake recipe! I am an extremely accomplished long practiced home cook. I have always cooked! I started cooking and reading cookbooks and recipes when I was just 8 years old, so I guarantee you I know from whence I speak. I am also a writer. Thank you for your amazing work. Inspiring!5 stars

Hi Mary! Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post and for your kind words. Your comment means the world to her and the rest of our team.
We hope you continue to enjoy many recipes and everything else that we share.💞

Hello! I am hoping to try out this recipe for a school event! How many people can it serve with just one pound cake?

Hi Ashlynd, Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post and trying her recipe!
The serving sizes depending on how you want to slice this cake. Nami used 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.75 inches loaf pan. If you slice it by 1″, you will get about 8 slices.
You can also cut that in half and make it 16 slices.
We hope this helps!

Hi Nami-san, Is it possible to add white chocolate to this recipe?5 stars

Hi Jessica! Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post and trying her recipe!
We have not used white chocolate in this recipe before, but it should work out well.
Let us know how it goes!😉

Do you think this recipe would work with gluten free flour? I can do the extra sifting to make it finer like cake flour, but I have a wheat allergy so cake flour isn’t good for me.

Thanks!

Hi Emery! Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post!
Gluten-Free flour might work well, but we have never tried it before. If you try it, please let us know how it goes!

I am lost…. After adding the 6-8 dollops of matcha mixture to the original batter, when do we add the remaining matcha mixture to the batter?

Hi Bridget! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe!
Would you please divide the Matcha mixture into 6~8 dollops and add it to the original batter? It should be no remaining matcha mixture. 🙂
We hope this helps!

Hi! I’d love this to be on the inside of my husband’s layer cake (he’s military so the green swirls will resemble camo). Do you think this would work as a layer cake if I shave the top hump off? Or is the cake too tender?

Hi Leah! Thank you for reading Nami’s post! Layer cake sounds great!
This case might work well, but it has a dense pound cake texture.
If you are looking for a lighter sponge-type cake, you may want to check out Nami’s matcha swiss roll recipe and modify them?
Make one batch with no Matcha and mix them lightly with Macha batter at the end of mixing?
https://www.justonecookbook.com/matcha-swiss-roll/
We hope this helps! Good luck!

Hi Naomi, thank you for the recipe. The step-by-step instructions really help a novice baker like me. This is my 1st attempt at a matcha dessert and it turned out well.

The only thing I was little perturbed about was this slightly thick (and crispy) brown crust on top and at the sides of the loaf. I see in your photos that yours doesn’t have this brown crispy crust. Was it due to overbaking. I looked through the comments and seems like no else encountered this. How do I prevent this from happening.

Also if I were to bake the same recipe in 2 small loaf tins, should I reduce the baking time.

Hi Iris! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe and for your kind feedback!
The crispy brown crust on top and the sides of the loaf, meaning it got a little overbaked this time, needs to shorten the baking time.
Everyone’s ovens are slightly different, so please watch the cake at the last few minutes of baking time next time and adjust the time. Checking the oven’s internal temperature with a thermometer would also be a good idea to ensure your oven is at the right temperature if you haven’t checked it for a while.
Baking in two small loaf tins, Yes. You need to adjust the baking time. Please note that how deep the batter will be in the new pan; you might have to change the baking temperature.
We hope this helps!

Hi Namiko, tried your Matcha Marble Pound Cake recipe with slight reduction in the sugar today and it was a success! It is so flavorful and the texture is very good! Thank you very much for your recipe, tips etc!5 stars

Hi Ng! Thank you very much for trying Namiko’s recipe!
We are so happy to hear you enjoyed her recipe. Thank you for your kind feedback.🙂

I just tried this recipe for Mother’s Day, and it turned out amazing! I did change it up so half the batter was blueberry, and the other half of the batter was matcha (my mum really likes blueberries) and I added whole blueberries into the mix as well. I also used a handheld blender because I don’t have an electric mixer (an iffy decision), to cream the butter and sugar, but the final product was moist, soft, and overall delicious. Thanks so much :))

182953019_851567289071761_8443672700311381942_n.jpg

Hi Grace! Happy Mother’s day! 💐
Thank you very much for trying this recipe and sharing your baking experience and photo with us!!!
We are so happy to hear your pound cake came out delicious! Yum!

Thanks, I enjoyed this recipe! I ran out of sugar so I substituted part of it with honey. I also mixed in honey with the matcha to make those parts less bitter. The matcha flavor was strong (I added 3 tbsp of powder), and I really like a strong matcha taste.5 stars

Hi Zoe! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe!
We are glad to hear you enjoyed the Matcha flavor!

Hi Nami,

This is a fabulous recipe. I Learned more about baking cakes in this one recipe than I have in the last 25 years of home baking! I love the tips and the science behind the tips. One thing I wanted to let you know about though: I clicked on the 2x button and realized that the last two ingredients (baking powder and salt) didn’t double. But I love this functionality on your site and I also love that you offer metric measurements for everything. I’m going to spread the word about your site to every time I know!

Hi Tricia! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe and for your kind feedback!
We are glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe and new functionality on our site.
Thank you very much for pointing out the last two-ingredient measurements. Nami discussed measurement with readers in the past, and we found that many readers prefer US customary instead of metric measurement for small amounts such as salt and baking powder. As a result, we only use the US customary. We are sorry for the inconvenience.