Wow, I can’t believe I’ve been gone for so long! I’ve been quite busy the last few months. I got married in September and just got back from my honeymoon to Maui, O’ahu, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Before all that happened, I took an impromptu trip up to Pittsburgh to visit my bridesmaid, Stephanie. I was a bit hesitant to make the drive all by myself, but after a grueling bus trip last October, I was convinced that driving would be better.
Stephanie’s birthday is also in August, so I took the opportunity to make an attempt at a super cute Pocky cake from Sprinkle Bakes. My version turned out pretty well, though when frosting the cake I accidentally mis-aligned the layers, which affected the way the pocky sticks stacked.
I like a strong green tea flavor, so I used about a cup of organic matcha powder between the cake and frosting. Paired with the dark chocolate and yuzu filling, this was the perfect light and refreshing cake to snack on after a long drive.
About the matcha I used: Sugimoto America is a complete supplier of Japanese green tea and a subsidiary of Sugimoto Seicha, a Japanese green tea company founded in 1946. Based out of Seattle, they were nice enough to send me some great samples of their product, including some powders to bake with.
Their tea is grown and harvested on the mountain slopes of Shizuoka, the tea capital of Japan. All of their tea is blended, roasted, and packed by Tea Maestro Sugimoto, who received the Agricultural Minister Award in 1986.
Matcha Pocky Cake with Yuzu Curd Filling Recipe
By Published: October 23, 2014
- Yield: 1 6-inch cake with 2 layers
This cake recipe is adapted from a vanilla and strawberry version by Sprinkle Bakes.
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups cake flour FOR THE CAKE
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup matcha powder (184 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla optional
- 3 large eggs
- ¾ cup milk whole milk preferred, I used almond
- 1 cup sugar FOR THE FILLING
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ + ¼ cup yuzu juice
- 2½ cups powdered sugar FOR THE ICING
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
- 3 tablespoons matcha powder (43 grams)
- 90 sticks pocky FOR DECORATION
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- In a standing mixer, beat butter using the paddle attachment until creamy and lightened. Add the sugar gradually; scrape down the sides of the bowl and then beat in the vanilla.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with flour.
- Divide batter between pans and bake approximately 22 minutes for 6-inch layers, 24 minutes for 8-inch layers. Cool cakes in pans for 5 minutes, unmold and cool completely on wire racks.
- Green Tea frosting: In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix together the butter and confectioners sugar. Begin mixing on low speed until crumbly, and then increase to high and beat for 3 minutes.
- Add vanilla and green tea powder and beat again for another minute until light and fluffy.
- Yuzu Curd Filling: Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer. Slowly add the eggs and yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Pour in lemon juice and mix again. Expect the mixture to look curdled, this is normal.
- Cook the mixture over medium heat in a medium-size saucepan until it looks smooth (no longer curdled.) Increase the heat slightly and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens. Clip a thermometer to the side of the pan and cook until the mixture reaches 170 degrees.
- Remove the curd from the heat. Transfer the curd to a bowl and press plastic wrap on the surface of the lemon curd to keep a skin from forming. Chill the curd in the refrigerator. The curd will thicken further as it cools.
- Assembly: Frost cooled cakes with an off-set spatula and transfer remaining frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large plain tip (a zip-top bag with the corner snipped would probably work also).
- Pipe icing in straight lines across the top of the cake. When finished, smooth the edges with an off-set spatula.
- Press the pocky dipped-side down into the sides of the cake until completely covered.
- Cuisine: Hapa