Matcha Buttercream
Matcha buttercream has an earthy, slightly sweet taste and a soft texture. It’s the perfect pair for cakes, cupcakes, and macaron filling. This recipe uses my faux swiss meringue buttercream as a base.
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Matcha Buttercream
Matcha buttercream has an earthy, slightly sweet taste and a soft texture. It’s the perfect pair for cakes, cupcakes, and macaron filling. If you’re a fan of everything matcha, then this is the recipe for you.
This recipe uses my faux swiss meringue buttercream as a base which is not very sweet. Pairing a not-so-sweet buttercream with a matcha dessert just made sense. Matcha cakes are usually not sweet, so I figured if you’re not into overly sweet cakes, you’d probably enjoy this buttercream recipe.
What Does Matcha Buttercream Taste Like?
- earthy
- slightly sweet
- smooth & pillowy texture
I recently updated my mini matcha cake recipe and wanted to pair it with matcha buttercream. After some experimenting I found a tasty balance between earthy and sweet with a hint of vanilla extract to add depth of flavor.
I was worried that pairing a matcha cake with a matcha buttercream would be overkill but it wasn’t! It was a delicious combination of smooth and sweet matcha (think iced matcha latte with matcha cold foam). YUM. I could really go for a matcha latte right now…
What Exactly Is Matcha?
Matcha is green tea leaves that have been ground down into a fine powder. Matcha can be used for drinking and for baking. When you drink it, you’re drinking the whole tea leaf unlike teas that you steep. Because of this, you receive more antioxidants, nutrients, and caffeine (caffeine amounts vary based on the brand).
Matcha powder comes in two grades, ceremonial and culinary. Ceremonial is higher quality and used for tea ceremonies and better for drinking. Culinary grade is used to add to baked goods. This is my favorite culinary grade powder because I can find it online and at my local Japanese grocery store.
Good quality matcha should not taste bitter, but have an earthy/grassy sweet aftertaste.
Ingredients
- culinary grade matcha powder
- unsalted butter
- pure vanilla extract
- kosher salt
- powdered sugar
- egg whites (look for pasteurized eggs whites in a carton if you’re concerned)
How To Get That Vibrant Green Color
Fresh, unopened matcha has the best color. Over time matcha that’s been opened can oxidize and turn a dull brownish or yellowish green.
To get the best flavor and color, try to use it within a month of opening. That’s why I prefer this brand because you can buy a small quantity, a little goes a long way, and it’s not too expensive.
Tips For Delicious Matcha Buttercream
- Use room temperature butter, cut into pieces
- Buy good quality matcha powder for the best taste and color
- Have patience! Mix until the buttercream comes together and looks smooth
Ideas For Using Matcha Buttercream
- fill cakes or cupcakes
- ice cakes or cupcakes
- macaron filling
- try chocolate cupcakes + matcha buttercream
Troubleshooting
From time to time things can go wrong and that’s okay! Check out my tips below to fix any buttercream problems and don’t panic!! Luckily, faux swiss meringue buttercream can be fixed pretty easily.
Lumpy or Curdled
If your buttercream looks lumpy/curdled it could be because the butter was too cold. Keep mixing on low speed until it comes together! It will take time for it to come together so have patience. You can also melt 1/4 cup buttercream in the microwave for 10 seconds and pour it into the mixture and mix.
Too stiff
Since this isn’t a crusting buttercream, you shouldn’t really run into this problem unless you didn’t add enough butter or egg whites. Mix the buttercream on medium-low speed for 5-10 minutes to loosen up the buttercream. You should see it change to a fluffier texture.
Not Vibrant Green
Check when your matcha powder expires. Also check if it’s been open for more than a month. There’s not much you can do except add a few drops of green food gel dye.
Air Bubbles
Try mixing on low speed for 5 minutes with a paddle attachment to push out air. Or use a rubber spatula and push the icing against the sides of the mixing bowl (it’s a easy way to incorporate an arm workout 🙂).
Making In Advance & Storing
The good news is that you can make buttercream ahead of time! The bad news? JK there’s no bad news about this buttercream. Although freezing buttercream and thawing can lead to air bubbles as it comes to room temperature. Read the troubleshooting tip above for those pesky air bubbles.
You can refrigerate frosting for up to a month or freeze for two months! Let it come to room temperature before using. Give it a stir or whip it up in your stand mixer to bring it to life.
How To Make Matcha Buttercream
Let your unsalted butter and egg whites come to room temperature. Cut the butter roughly into 1 tablespoon cubes.
In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, add the egg whites and mix for 30 seconds on medium speed. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, mixing on medium speed until dissolved.
Add the vanilla extract and salt and mix on medium speed until incorporated. Switch to the paddle attachment, turn the mixer on low and slowly add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time. It can look curdled (as shown in the image on the left) but just keep mixing.
Sift in the matcha powder and mix on low to incorporate. For extra silky smooth texture with less air bubbles, mix for five extra minutes with the paddle attachment on low speed.
RECIPE CARD
Matcha Buttercream
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (310g or 3 ½ sticks)
- 4 oz pasteurized egg whites, room temperature about 4 eggs
- 3 ¾ cup powdered sugar (454g)
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp + 2 tsp matcha powder (18g)
Instructions
- Let your unsalted butter and egg whites come to room temperature. Cut the butter roughly into 1 tablespoon cubes.
- In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, add the egg whites and mix for 30 seconds on medium speed. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, mixing on medium speed until dissolved.
- Add the vanilla extract and salt and mix on medium speed until incorporated. Switch to the paddle attachment, turn the mixer on low and slowly add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time. It can look curdled but just keep mixing.
- Sift in the matcha powder and mix on low to incorporate. For extra silky smooth texture with less air bubbles, mix for five extra minutes with the paddle attachment on low speed.
Notes
- Flavor: SMBC is not as sweet as American buttercream. Matcha SMBC can be described as an earthy and slightly sweet flavor.
- Amounts: This recipe makes about 5 cups of frosting. You can frost and fill up to a 3 layered, 8-in cake.
- Decorating: In the pictures I show a decorated mini 4-inch matcha cake using a Ateco #22 piping tip. This is not a crusting buttercream.
- Freezing: You can make matcha buttercream ahead or store leftover frosting in the refrigerator for 1 month or the freezer for 2 months. Use good quality airtight containers to avoid freezer burn. To use, take the buttercream out ahead of time to reach room temperature. Then, mix it in a stand mixer on low speed to bring it back to life and get ride of air bubbles.
- Tools: The things that help me to make perfect faux swiss meringue matcha buttercream: Stand mixer Piping bags | Rubber spatula | Digital scale | Airtight Containers
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