Posted on Last updated: /by Craft Passion
Recipes, , Skill Level
Reeling in the euphoric success of finally succeeding in baking my perfect Japanese Cheesecake, I was inspired to modify it into a Matcha Cheesecake in the Japanese Cheesecake style. One and a half-hour later, I opened my oven door to be met with a calming green tea flavor tickling my senses and a fluffy, soft and light Matcha Cheesecake with the vibrant green color of the matcha powder graced my cooling rack with its presence.
Once it cooled down, I cut into this baked matcha cheesecake, and goodness gracious, the texture was simply divine! The smooth cheesecake layers melted in my mouth like cotton candy layered with the subtle and elusive cheese quintessential to a Japanese cheesecake. The matcha elevated this simple Japanese cheesecake as the matcha cheesecake taste turned this into a whole new recipe just through some slight modifications.
This Matcha cake recipe is not very different from my Japanese Cheesecake recipe; thus, if you have already given that recipe a go, then you will have no problem mastering this green tea cheesecake. It is a very straightforward adaptation. What I did was simply substitute part of the flour with matcha powder (or green tea powder, as some of you might call it) to give this cheesecake a matcha flavor. Remember to mix all the flour (cake flour, corn starch & matcha powder) in a large bowl properly to become matcha flour, as this will help the matcha powder to blend into the mixture better. (Step 1 down below)
I used high-quality culinary-grade matcha bought from an ingredient shop that is specifically used for baking. For those of you who may find it harder to purchase it from your local convenience store or are hesitant to spend so much on your first try, you may also use ordinary matcha powder that is used to make matcha green tea. However, do bear in mind that the color from such regular matcha powder might not give that vibrant green color, as shown in the picture below. If this greatly bothers you, then you could always add some green food coloring to your batter to achieve the same visual results.
For those of you who have yet to watch my Japanese cheesecake tutorial video on YouTube and are worried about messing this Matcha Cheesecake up, fear not, as the best way to perfect one of our favorite desserts is to follow my matcha cheesecake tutorial video step by step — the ultimate guide on how to make a matcha cheesecake.
Watch the “How-To-Bake” Video
Contents
Matcha Cheesecake
Easy yet Delicious Baking Recipe
Here’s a tip: Try not to leave them out at room temperature for long as they are always best served chilled.
If you have tried this matcha cheesecake recipe and loved it, I have more recipes in my recipe section for you to master. But if you are looking for other cheesecake recipes, then you can always try my Japanese Cheesecake, Blueberry Cheesecake, and Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake. For those who want to indulge without guilt — Low-Carb Cheesecake and Burnt Cheesecake (you may add one to 2 tablespoons of matcha powder into this recipe) are both keto desserts perfect for those who are in a keto or low-carb diet.
Matcha Cheesecake Recipe
scroll ⬇️ to get the detailed printable recipe
Matcha has skyrocketed in popularity in recent years, with matcha shots, lattes, teas, and even desserts appearing everywhere, from health stores to coffee shops and cafes. Like green tea, matcha comes from the Camellia sinensis plant. However, it is grown differently and has a unique nutrient profile.
What is Matcha?
Matcha is a fine powder made of green tea leaves from the tea plantCamellia sinensis. Green tea is a kind of unfermented tea; it is processed by steaming it and then drying it. The finest matcha comes from Japan, where it has been grown for centuries and plays an important part in the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. The word Matcha comes from the Japanese word: “ma” (抹), which translates into rubbed or ground,while “cha” (茶) means tea.
Matcha is famous for its unique flavor and brilliant color. For this reason, Matcha powder has been used to flavor and dye foods hence the surging Matcha trend. You can find matchamochi,matcha sobanoodles,matcha ice cream, matcha lattes, and a variety of Japanesewagashiconfectionery not only from Japan but also from many other Japanese-themed cafes or restaurants around the world.In the world of baking goods, you will find matcha basque cheesecake, matcha cheesecake brownies, matcha brownies, matcha pancakes, and even matcha in Swiss rolls, donuts, and muffins!
Matcha has definitely taken over the 21st century. Thus my attempt at this matcha baked cheesecake. You can also split this recipe into matcha mini cheesecake if you’d like! Matcha powder can be sprinkled onto the top of food as a decoration, too, just like the four-leafed clover that I made on the top of the cheesecake in this Matcha cake recipe.
Matcha is the new Chocolate, or is it?
Are you a Matcha Lover, a Chocolate Die-hard fan, or both?
Let me know in the comment section down below!
Benefits of Matcha
Other than being one of the best flavors to go with the tangy cream cheese of a good bake cheesecake, Matcha begets a myriad of health benefits that will surely make you feel much less guilty about eating your third or fourth slice of Matcha cheesecake. (we’re certainly not judging.
- It is packed with antioxidants, including the powerful EGCg — this means glowy, radiant skin!
- Boosts metabolism and burns calories. How many calories are in a matcha cheesecake? Matcha contains ZERO calories.
- Detoxifies effectively and naturally
- It calms the mind and relaxes the body
- It is rich in fiber, chlorophyll, and vitamins
- Enhances mood and aids in concentration
- Provides vitamin C, selenium, chromium, zinc, and magnesium
- It prevents heart diseases
- Lowers cholesterol and blood sugar
- It promotes oral health
Believe it or not, one serving of Matcha tea is equivalent to 10 cups of regular tea! Furthermore, it contains 137 times more antioxidants as compared to regular tea. Hence, Matcha tea is an easy and simple way to add powerful health benefits to your everyday diet.
“Matcha” waiting for?
Let’s get to baking this scrumptious yet healthy Matcha cheesecake!
For those of you who are new to this 2-part batter recipe, it is crucial to read through the recipe as well as watch the video to achieve that perfect cheesecake batter and to attain the best results.
Here are some important steps worth highlighting:
- Remember to prepare room-temperature ingredients for the cheesecake mixture.
- Greasing your springform pan and lining the bottom of the pan with parchment paper prevents your cake from sticking
- Whisk your mixture in a warm water bath
- First, low speed for egg whites, then beat at high speed until air bubbles become very small but still visible, then medium speed towards the end.
(if you do not have an electric mixer, a hand whisk works, too — get those biceps working!)
Happy Baking and enjoy this “Oishi” fluffy Matcha Cheesecake Recipe and we will meet next time in my next recipe.
Oishi means delicious in Japanese 😊
Matcha Japanese Cheesecake
Yield: 8" round cake / 12 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Bake Time: 48 minutes
Chill Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 5 hours 18 minutes
Delicious Matcha Japanese Cotton Cheesecake recipe for a soft, fine texture, light & heavenly cheesecake you will want more. Best fluffy Matcha Cheesecake to bake.
Ingredients
Matcha Cream Cheese Mixture
- 250 gram Philadelphia cream cheese
- 6 egg yolks
- 70 gram castor sugar
- 60 gram unsalted butter
- 100 ml full-cream milk or whole milk
- 60 gram cake flour / superfine flour
- 12 gram matcha powder (bakery grade for enhanced color)
- 8 gram cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp salt
Meringue
- 6 egg whites
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar or 1/2 tsp lemoin juice
- 70 gram castor sugar
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 200°C / 392°F (Top and bottom heat, no fan force), for at least 20 minutes before sending your cake for baking. An in-oven thermometer is good to check the actual temperature of your oven.
Gather all the ingredients and tools, measure, and prepare them in advance before getting started. All ingredients are at room temperature.
Next, mix all the flour (cake flour, corn starch & matcha powder) in a bowl to become matcha flour. This will help the matcha powder to blend into the mixture better. - Grease 8″ x 3″ cake pan with butter, line the base with baking or parchment paper.
- Whisk cream cheese till smooth over a warm water bath,
Add yolks and whisk, 2 at a time.
Add half the sugar (70 gram) and whisk.
Warm milk and butter in microwave (high, 1 min) or stove, whisk into batter.
Add salt and whisk.
Remove from the cream cheese mixture from the water bath.
Sift 1/2 of the matcha flour into the mixture, mix well. Add the balance and mix until they are well blended together. Take note that matcha powder is a bit difficult to dissolve in the mixture.
Set the matcha cream cheese mixture aside and prepare the meringue. - Whisk egg whites at low speed till foamy.
Add cream of tartar and beat at high speed till bubbles become very small but still visible.
Gradually add the sugar and beat till soft peaks. In order to achieve a silky smooth texture, slow down your mixer speed towards the end of beating. Beat for a few more seconds to get a fluffy smooth silky meringue. - Fold meringue into the matcha cream cheese mixture, 1/3 at a time. Carefully fold both mixtures together into a smooth fluffy batter.
- Pour the batter into the cake pan and tap the pan on the counter to release big air bubbles that are strapped in the batter.
Then set the pan into a water-bath setting before sending it to the oven. - Bake with water bath on the bottommost rack in a preheated 200°C / 392°Ffor 18 mins, then lower to 140°C / 284°F for another 30mins (let the heat in the oven to drop gradually with the door closed) and turn off the oven and leave the cake in the closed oven for another 30 mins. Remove water bath and open the door of the oven slightly for another 30 mins for the cake to cool slowly.
Watch the cake being bake at 4:14 mins in the video. - Once the cake is cooled in the oven, release it from the pan by flipping it out. Watch the video at 4:34 mins.
- Decorate it and chill before serving.
The matcha powder stenciled pattern will turn darker after absorbing the moisture from the cheesecake.
Chill before serving the Matcha Japanese Cheesecake!
Enjoy the awesome goodness and yumminess!
Notes
- Egg – Size: large, I measured mine, it was about 118g in total for the yolks. Separate the yolk and white by using cold eggs. By the time you’ve finished preparing the cream cheese batter, the egg whites are just nice to beat into the meringue.
- Cream Cheese – I used Philadelphia throughout all my Japanese cheesecakes, hence, I am not sure how other brands of cream cheese work for this recipe.
- Sugar – Caster sugar is slightly finer than fine granulated sugar if you cannot find caster sugar, lightly grind the fine granulated sugar to break them smaller. Do not use powdered sugar as it contained cornstarch.
- If you prefer a stronger matcha flavor, you may increase the matcha powder up to 20 gram to replace part or the total corn starch weight. Alternatively, you may reduce the matcha powder and replace it with the same weight of corn starch if you prefer lighter matcha flavor. Total weight of matcha power + corn starch in this recipe is 20g.
- Cake pan – I recommend that you use a 3″ tallnon-black round cake pan of an 8″ (maybethis cake panis a good fit, found in Amazon). If you cannot find a 3″ high cake pan, then replace it with a 9″ round cake pan with at least 2.5″ tall. Use a 1-piece punch out cake pan, not springform pan or any other seamed pan.
- Grease & Pan Lining – grease the side of the pan with butter and line only the bottom of the pan. If you want to line the side of the pan, please grease the parchment paper after lined.
- Batter – the cream cheese batter after adding flours and before folding into meringue should be a little warm, about 40-50 °C.
- Meringue is in soft peak stage, do not overbeat it. I shared a video at my facebook page about the stage of peaks from Marth Stewart page,watch itand followCraft Passion’s Pageif you haven’t done so.
- Meringue folding *** VERY IMPORTANT ***– folding egg white meringue to cream cheese batter needs to be gentle tominimize the deflation of tiny pockets of air in the meringue. Make sure both batter and egg whites are well incorporated and come together.
- Batter filling – only fill Japanese cheesecake batter about 15mm (1/2″) from the rim, if you have extra batter (it shouldn’t be a lot left), discard it.
- Water bath- Use a roasting pan of about 2″ high and at least 11″ diameter. Place a small towel on it to act as a layer of thin insulation for the cake pan so that the bottom is well protected from direct heat. Fill hot water to about 1″ high after placing the cake pan on the roasting pan and send into the oven.
- Oven – this is crucial and very important. The temperature stated in the recipe is in-oven temperature. Each oven is different so if you are not too sure if the temperature inside your oven is accurate as what you have set at the control panel, get anoven thermometerto check. The brand of my oven is Electrolux (model EOB307X-1), it is measured with 10 °C shy, so I have to set 10 °C higher at my control panel in order to get the required baking temperature.
- Cool-down – After the cool down period with the door closed for 30 mins, I open the oven door to remove the water bath, put the cake back into the oven and open the oven just a tiny bit (about 10mm). I use a mitten to stop the door from closing back. Removing the water bath is optional but I find that it will prevent the bottom of the cake being wet by the condensation. *Note: if you want a jiggling cake and do not bother to have a cake with wrinkle top and sides, you may take the cake out without having sitting for this extra 30 mins cool down time.*
- Unmold cake – The cake pan should be able to handle by bare hand after cooling off in the oven with door slightly open for 30 mins. Use a cake board to cover the cake pan, invert the pan and carefully remove the pan. Remove the bottom liner and place another cake board or plate on the bottom of the cake, invert it back. The cake should be soft and fluffy and jiggly when it is still warm. Leave it to cool before sending it into the fridge. The final cake size after shrinkage is about 7.5″ x 3″ (highest point)
- Cake serving – Decorate the top with snow powder sugar then with matcha powder. Cut the cake with a warm knife, wipe the knife clean before the next cut. Buy Congratulation Cake Stencil, or other designs.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 276Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 129mgSodium: 174mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 0gSugar: 14gProtein: 7g
This is an estimated value based on my ingredients, it may be different if you are using different brands.This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix on 5/3/2019.
CH
Friday 12th of May 2023
Made this cake twice hoping the second time would be significant better and closer to the author's results but it was only slightly fluffier and taller..
1. Both cakes did not get brown on top2. Top was not as smooth; first cake had very small cracks and air bubbles, second one had only air bubbles on the top3. Neither of the cakes domed past the height of the 3" pan like the author's did. My cakes were ~2.5" tall after cooling.
What am I doing wrong?
Craft Passion
Wednesday 17th of May 2023
There are a lot of possibility that you can't get the exact result. However, look at your description on the comment and assuming you have followed all the details in the notes, most likely it that your oven do not have a heating element from top (thus your cake doesn't brown on top). I hope you could check out your oven and try again.
Victoria
Monday 10th of April 2023
Oh boy, I followed this recipe exactly, including temperature, measurements, folding in the egg whites (stiff peaks), water bath with towel…. I took it to a friend’s house, untested, un tasted and oh boy, it was, um, awful! I love matcha, I love soufflé style cake but this cake was flavorless.
I wish I had a berry sauce or something to give it a bit of flavor.
Joey
Monday 24th of October 2022
I tried it last night, follow every step exactly as stated in the recipe. The cake turned out perfect just like in the picture! Thank you for the recipe.
Stanley
Thursday 29th of July 2021
fellow the instructions and precise measurements, the result is pretty okay, however, I realised the bottom part of cake isn't as fluffy as middle and top layers. how can I resolve the issue and make the texture of cake consistent.
Nicole
Tuesday 2nd of March 2021
Hi, I have a quick question. In the ingredients list, you listed 12 grams of Matcha powder two times. Was that a Typo or this recipe calls for a total of 24 grams of Matcha powder? Thanks!
Craft Passion
Thursday 4th of March 2021
It is a typo, it should be only 12 grams in total and I have amended the recipe. Thanks for highlighting it.
