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Melissa loves green tea and anything flavored with it. So for her birthday, I baked her a favorite Filipino sponge loaf cake, “Taisan”, infused with green tea flavors.
The original Taisan is a butter sponge loaf cake, that is sprinkled with butter and sugar on the top just as it comes out freshly baked from the oven. The Taisan is very popular in the Philippines, and can be found in a lot of bake shops. It is also often given as gifts during the holidays or special events.
For this Green Tea version, I omitted the butter and vanilla flavors. Instead the addition of less than a teaspoon of matcha green tea powder was a delightful concoction!
Working with green tea or matcha powder requires patience and focus. You have to create a good balance of the right amount of green tea powder mixed into the cake batter. Be careful not to overdo it and be mindful that less than a teaspoon is potent enough to give this Taisan a delicate, elegant flavor.
This was the perfect ender to a big meal. It had the texture of a light sponge cake, yet the unique Asian aromas of green tea slowly showing up when you least expected it. This Green Tea Taisan was a terrific birthday treat to give Melissa, my son’ s fiancée, who celebrates her birthday this week. Happy Birthday, dear Melissa!
GREEN TEA TAISAN :Butter Loaf Sponge Cake with Matcha Powder
*This recipe makes 2 large loaves
8 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ and ¼ teaspoon matcha green tea powder
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup melted butter, unsalted
8 egg yolks
1 and 3/4 cup cake flour, sifted
1 teaspoon lemon extract
Green sugar sprinkles, for the topping
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of two large loaf pans with parchment paper.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar at the highest speed on the mixer. When the bubbles are fine, add the 1/4 cup sugar gradually. Continue beating for 3 to 4 more minutes.
- In another bowl, beat the egg yolks well. and set aside.
- Separately, in a large bowl, put the cake flour and make a well in the center. Add the beaten egg yolks and the rest of the other ingredients. Beat at low to medium speed till blended.
- Take the bowl of egg whites, and very gently fold in the eggyolk batter till blended.
- Pour the batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or test for doneness.
- When done, cool on counter a few minutes, then loosen the sides of loaf pan with a spatula. Turn over and remove the paper.
- Spread the top of Taisan loaf cakes with a few tablespoons granulated sugar and green sugar sprinkles.
COOK’S COMMENTS: Green Tea Matcha Powder is available at Asian supermarkets or online stores.
This is my entry for this month’s Kulinarya Cooking Club, a friendly group of Filipino food lovers from all around the world. Each month the club assigns a theme to showcase a new Filipino dish. This month’s theme revolves around birthday treats.
I’ve never been a fan of green tea but this looks wonderful. I will have to try it again and this cake seems the perfect start.
Thanks, Maureen!This has a delicate, amazing flavor ! Nice of you to stop by.
Not a fan of drinking green tea either, except for the Korean green tea, but I got to admit it does look very inviting! And a green tea Taisan seems perfect for those late afternoon snacks!
Thanks, Pearl. This was the perfect light dessert after the decadence of the holidays. Glad you stopped by and thanks for hosting the KCC this month!
i cooked today using green tea as well haha. we are on the same wavelength all the time. great job on infusing green tea and thank you for warning about the flavors i kinda noticed that too when i was cooking today using green tea. it has to have a balance. thanks for sharing.
malou
Thanks, Malou! Yes, you need to just use small teaspoons when mixing the green tea matcha powder.But this was perfect after a heavy meal. Nice of you to stop by!
Looks delicious and very festive!
Thanks, Chef D!
I love love love MATCHA in any form! I would love to have this on my birthday table!
Thanks,Peach! C’mon over!
Oh Elizabeth, this green tea looks delicious. I’ve never had cake with green tea before but you made it look yummy! Good post!
Thanks, Chef Ray! Appreciate your kind words & support! This taisan is definitely a winner!
I love drinking green tea but I am honestly not fond of it in food except for green tea ice cream which I really love. But your green tea taisan makes me want to reconsider. It looks so good and perfect both for dessert and snack!
Thanks, Tina!My incorporating green tea in cakes happened after our family tried some Japanese cakes which had green tea. Glad you stopped by.
Brilliant idea! Now this taisan is really packed with anti-oxidants. Healthy and delicious is a win win combo.
Oh how delicious, I have a week spot for matcha and red bean paste. =) This one looks so fluffy and I can eat it in a second. =P
Hi Elizabeth, it’s been my loss that I’ve taken so long to visit your blog since following you on Twitter! What an amazing collection! Would you believe, it’s only in the last few weeks that I’ve come to fully grasp how the community works! I know, a bit slow on the uptake! You know I remember having this on a few occasions in the Philippines on my many dive holidays there!
I am unnaturally attracted to the colour green (!), so this is already on my favourites list! Looking forward to more! xx