Vegan matcha strawberry cake, it’s light, fluffy, and filled with matcha flavor. If you’re like me and don’t have a big sweet tooth, then this recipe is for you. Unlike normal cakes, this is lightly sweetened, filled with fresh strawberries, and is topped with a light and fluffy whipped frosting - might I say even refreshing? It’s the type of cake you would want to have on a lovely spring or summer afternoon, paired with an iced coffee or tea.
This vegan matcha strawberry cake is inspired by those beautiful Japanese fruit cakes, most especially their version of a strawberry shortcake. I love how Japanese strawberry shortcakes are super light, filled with slices of strawberries, and frosted with an airy whipped frosting. The best part is that it’s not overly sweet, which I love! Between you and me, I don’t have the biggest sweet tooth. I bet you couldn’t tell because I bake all the time!
A little storytime, I’ve always loved the Japanese strawberry shortcakes. It was, and is still my favorite kind of cake, why? Because growing up my mom always got this cake for me, especially my birthday. Whenever it’s my birthday, I always request some kind of strawberry cake, because I’ve always just associated my birthday with a delicious strawberry cake. However, I have yet to find the vegan equivalent to a Japanese shortcake. Maybe I’ll try to recreate it, even if it’s not the same!
With this cake, it’s not exactly like those beautiful Japanese strawberry shortcakes, but I think it’s pretty close. With, of course, the addition of matcha, because who doesn’t love a good matcha cake? Matcha is an acquired taste, however, I wanted to be just a little bit different with this particular cake. It’s rare to see a matcha cake, let alone a vegan one. So I hope you guys enjoy this recipe!
What’s the best matcha to use?
To keep things short, it’s best to use culinary-grade matcha powder. Compared to ceremonial grade matcha, this one is sold in bigger batches. Another tip is to make sure your matcha is high quality. High-quality matcha is expensive, vibrant in color, smells a bit sweet, and tastes smooth. Yes, it’s expensive, but you’re getting your money’s worth out of it. Not only that, but you’ll create a better-tasting product!
Top tips for making vegan matcha strawberry cake:
- Food scale. If you know me, I always weigh my ingredients instead of using measuring cups. It’s way more accurate, fewer dishes to clean, and it’s easy to use. Yes, I did provide cups in the recipe card, however, I did use grams to make this cake. So, if you are using measuring cups, and they turned out quite different please keep that in mind.
- Culinary grade matcha. Use any culinary high-quality grade matcha. High-quality matcha is expensive, vibrant in color, smells a bit sweet, and tastes smooth. Yes, it’s expensive, but you’re getting your money’s worth out of it. Not only that, but you’ll create a better-tasting product!
- Potato starch? I know what you’re thinking, potato starch in a cake? Yes, you read that right. Potato starch simply just provides structure and keeps the cake tender and soft. You can substitute it for cornstarch, however, potato starch is slightly smoother and holds moisture a little better than cornstarch.
- Cool your cakes before decorating! First, it makes it easier to assemble. Second, it won’t make your frosting melt.
- Use a whipped cream stabilizer. This will help the whipped cream thicken up quickly and increase in volume as well. Since coconut cream can also “melt” quicker, the stabilizer will help it keep its shape for longer.
- Cream stabilizer substitute. If you can’t find Whip It in store, you can use 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Do not use more than 1 tablespoon because it won’t taste good. So be careful!
- Frosting substitute. If you are worried about the whipped cream not being stable enough, you can use buttercream frosting! The taste and texture will be drastically different, but it should taste just as good.
- Simple syrup. Cake’s best friend. It simply keeps the cake moist throughout the assembly and decorating stages. Not only that, but it also adds a bit more sweetness to the cake! Don’t worry, it won’t make it overly sweet.
How to assembly a vegan matcha strawberry cake:
- Add a small dollop of the frosting on the plate or cake board.
- Place your first cake layer over top. The small dollop of the filling underneath the cake helps it from sliding around as you decorate it. Take your sugar syrup, and with a pastry brush the syrup over the top of the cake.
- Pipe a thin layer of frosting over the cake. With an offset spatula, smooth out the frosting.
- Arrange the cut strawberries over the frosting.
- Then, pipe more frosting over and in between the strawberries.
- Use an offset spatula to smooth out the top.
- Place the second cake layer on top, and brush more sugar syrup.
- Pipe a layer of frosting on the top layer, and smooth it out with an offset spatula. Take a bench scraper and smooth out the sides.
- Decorate with more strawberries on top. Place in the fridge for an hour before serving so that the frosting can set. Enjoy!
If you enjoyed this recipe, check these out:
If you’d tried this recipe out let me know in the comments! Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @flouredframe and don’t forget to tag me when you create my recipes! Happy baking!
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Matcha Strawberry Cake
Equipment
- 2 6-inch cake pans
- Parchment Paper
- Food scale highly recommended
- Measuring spoons
- Electric hand mixer stand mixer
- Rubber spatula
- Wire cooling rack
- Sharp knife
- Cake board or serving plate
- Cake leveler optional
- Cake turntable optional
- Piping bag
- Offset spatula
Ingredients
Cake:
- 240 grams non-dairy milk (I used soy)
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 162 grams all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons potato starch
- 150 grams granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon culinary-grade matcha powder (I used Mizuba Tea)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 60 grams vegetable oil
- 24 grams vegetable shortening
Simple syrup
- 50 grams granulated sugar
- 60 grams water
Frosting
- 1 box Dairy-free whipping cream
- 60 g powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon culinary-grade matcha powder (I used Mizuba Tea)
Toppings
- Strawberries
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Lightly grease the bottom of two 6-inch round cake pans, and line it with parchment paper. Greasing it will help the parchment stick.
- Next, combine the non-dairy milk, vinegar, and vanilla extract. Set aside to curdle.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Flour, sugar, potato starch, baking powder, baking soda, matcha powder, and salt.
- Add in the vegetable oil and vegetable shortening to the dry ingredients and use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer to combine. The vegetable shortening will be difficult to mix in, but try your best to break it up until you get a crumbly, almost sandy texture.
- Add a third of the milk mixture, and mix until you get a fairly smooth batter. Add half of the remaining milk mixture and repeat. Finally, add in the remaining milk mixture and continue to mix until you get smooth and fairly running batter.
- Evenly distribute the cake batter into the prepared cake pans, and tap the pan onto a work surface to release any bubbles.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Insert a toothpick and if it comes out clean, then it is done. Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes in the pan. Then transfer it to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Simple Syrup
- In a small saucepan, combine the granulated sugar and water.
- Place over medium heat, and stir continuously until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Remove from heat, and set aside until ready to use.
Frosting
- Remove the coconut cream from the fridge. Gently turn the can over, so that the bottom is on the top. Open, and drain the excess water.
- Scoop the coconut cream into a bowl and whip it on high with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer for about 2-3 minutes, until it starts to get fluffy.
- Add the powdered sugar, matcha powder, vanilla extract, and a packet of Whip It. Continue to mix for another 1-2 minutes until you get stiff peaks.
- Cover the bowl, and place it in the fridge to chill until the cakes are ready and completely cooled.
Prep
- Wash, hull the strawberries, and cut them in half lengthwise. Set aside until ready to use!
Assembly
- When the cakes are completely cooled, it’s time to level them. Take a cake leveler or a sharp knife to cut the dome from the top of the cake. I like getting down at eye level to see if it is even and leveled. Repeat for the second cake.
- Fill a piping bag with the frosting, and set it aside until ready to use.
- After, place your desired serving plate or a 6-inch cake board onto a cake turntable. Add a small dollop of the frosting on the plate or cake board. Place your first cake layer over top. The small dollop of the filling underneath the cake helps it from sliding around as you decorate it.
- Take your sugar syrup, and with a pastry brush the syrup over the top of the cake.
- Next, cut the tip of the piping bag and pipe a thin layer of frosting over the cake. With an offset spatula, smooth out the frosting.
- Next, arrange the cut strawberries over the frosting.
- Then, pipe more frosting over and in between the strawberries. Use an offset spatula to smooth out the top.
- Place the second cake layer on top, and brush more sugar syrup.
- Pipe a layer of frosting on the top layer, and smooth it out with an offset spatula.
- Take a bench scraper and smooth out the sides.
- Decorate with more strawberries on top. Place in the fridge for an hour before serving so that the frosting can set. Enjoy!
Notes
- Food scale. If you know me, I always weigh my ingredients instead of using measuring cups. It’s way more accurate, fewer dishes to clean, and it’s easy to use. Yes, I did provide cups in the recipe card, however, I did use grams to make this cake. So, if you are using measuring cups, and they turned out quite different please keep that in mind.
- Culinary grade matcha. Use any culinary high-quality grade matcha. High-quality matcha is expensive, vibrant in color, smells a bit sweet, and tastes smooth. Yes, it’s expensive, but you’re getting your money’s worth out of it. Not only that, but you’ll create a better-tasting product!
- Potato starch? I know what you’re thinking, potato starch in a cake? Yes, you read that right. Potato starch simply just provides structure and keeps the cake tender and soft. You can substitute it for cornstarch, however, potato starch is slightly smoother and holds moisture a little better than cornstarch.
- Cool your cakes before decorating! First, it makes it easier to assemble. Second, it won’t make your frosting melt.
- Use a whipped cream stabilizer. This will help the whipped cream thicken up quickly and increase in volume as well. Since coconut cream can also “melt” quicker, the stabilizer will help it keep its shape for longer.
- Cream stabilizer substitute. If you can’t find Whip It in store, you can use 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Do not use more than 1 tablespoon because it won’t taste good. So be careful!
- Frosting substitute. If you are worried about the whipped cream not being stable enough, you can use buttercream frosting! The taste and texture will be drastically different, but it should taste just as good.
- Simple syrup. Cake’s best friend. It simply keeps the cake moist throughout the assembly and decorating stages. Not only that, but it also adds a bit more sweetness to the cake! Don’t worry, it won’t make it overly sweet.
Viviane says
I will definitely try this; I hope I can find coconut whipping cream and cream stabilizer in the stores near me. Otherwise do you think I could use regular coconut cream? Also have you tried to make this cake in other mold sizes, like cupcakes?
Floured Frame says
Hi! I think regular coconut cream should work, as long as you use the cream stabilizer it should hold. And I haven't made this into cupcakes yet, but I don't see why it wouldn't work!
Jessica says
Hi! I see theres shortening I came across crisco but its not certified vegan. what can I replace it with? coconut oil? margarine?
Floured Frame says
Hi! I haven't tried it with softened coconut oil or dairy-free margarine, so I can't say with confidence how it will turn out. However, if you've tried it, please let me know how it goes!