Fluffy Matcha Cupcakes [Video]

These matcha cupcakes are tender and fluffy! They’re topped with a silky white chocolate frosting! Enjoy this super delicious matcha dessert while also enjoying the nutritional benefits of matcha green tea!

This recipe was originally published on February 28, 2016. It was updated with new photos and information on March 22, 2022.

Matcha Cupcakes with White Chocolate Frosting

People who love matcha lattes, also love matcha cupcakes.

These matcha cupcakes are just like matcha lattes in cupcake form! They’re perfect for a mid-morning snack, celebrations, and dessert any day of the week. Not to mention, they make a great naturally-green treat for St. Patrick’s Day!

Don’t be intimidated by the thought of baking with matcha, it’s actually super easy! You may not go back to store-bought matcha desserts!

Ingredients

Matcha Cupcake Ingredients

• Granulated sugar - adds a clean and neutral sweetness, unlike brown sugar which adds a deep and complex flavor.
• Cake flour - an important ingredient for a tender crumb.
• Salt - essential for all dishes, even in desserts! Use fine salt for this recipe.
• Baking soda - leavening agent added to react with sour cream, an acidic ingredient.
• Baking powder - leavening agent added to react with heat.
• Matcha powder - make sure you are using pure matcha powder and not green tea powder.
• Butter - best to use unsalted butter so you can adjust the amount of salt in your matcha dessert
• Eggs - adds moisture, structure, and flavor!
• Sour cream - a great way to add moisture while also reacting with the baking soda to help add rise to the cupcakes.
• Olive oil - be sure to add light olive oil, not extra virgin.
• Milk - use whole milk for the best flavor.

White Chocolate Frosting Ingredients

• White chocolate - adds a strong milky, dairy sweetness to your frosting.
• Butter - add a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter.
• Cream cheese - the acidity and saltiness of cream cheese helps to cut the sweetness of the buttercream frosting.
• Powdered sugar - an important ingredient to stiffen the frosting.

Substitutions

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour?

Yes! You can use a 1-to-1 substitution by swapping out the cake flour for all-purpose flour.

Using all-purpose flour will make your cupcakes less tender and a little denser.

If you would like to make your own cake flour, measure 1¾ cups all-purpose flour. Remove 3½ tablespoons of flour and replace it with 3½ tablespoons of cornstarch and whisk together.

Can I skip the sour cream?

Yes! Plain Greek yogurt is a great substitution for sour cream. If you can’t find Greek yogurt, you can also use plain yogurt.

How To Make Matcha Cupcakes

1. Preheat your oven to 340°F/170°C and line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the granulated sugar, cake flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and matcha powder.
3. Add the softened butter and mix until the mixture has a sandy texture.
4. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, sour cream, and oil. Add this mixture to the flour mixture and stir.
5. Continue to stir while slowly pouring in the milk, and mix until just combined.
6. Fill the cupcake liners slightly over halfway, about ⅔ of the way, and bake for 16 minutes, or until you insert a toothpick into the center and it comes out clean.
7. Transfer them onto a wire rack immediately and let them cool completely.

How To Make White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

1. Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler, and let it cool slightly.
2. In a bowl, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the cream cheese and continue beating.
3. Slowly add the powdered sugar, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
4. Beat in the cooled white chocolate. 
5. If the frosting is too loose, stick it in the fridge to let it set before frosting the cupcakes.

Storage Directions

You can make the cupcakes alone about 3-4 days ahead if they’re stored in an airtight container at room temperature, and frost them when you are ready to serve.

Any cupcakes that are already frosted with buttercream frosting should be kept in an airtight container and kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freezing Directions

You can also store these cupcakes in the freezer! Wrap unfrosted cupcakes with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, put them in a freezer bag, and keep them in the freezer for up to a month.

If your cupcakes are already frosted, chill them in the refrigerator first. Once the cupcakes are chilled and the frosting has hardened, wrap them individually with plastic wrap or foil, and put them in a freezer bag to store in the freezer.

Return the cupcakes to room temperature before serving. Depending on the temperature, it can take about 45 minutes on the countertop, or a couple of hours in the fridge.

Dietary Adaptations

How To Make This Recipe Gluten-Free

To make this matcha cupcake recipe gluten-free, substitute the cake flour with a combination of gluten-free all-purpose flour and cornstarch. Make sure the gluten-free all-purpose flour contains xanthan gum!

Some of my favorite gluten-free flour blends I use are Bob’s Red Mill, King Arthur, and Cup4Cup.

If making gluten-free matcha cupcakes, make sure to let your batter rest for 30 minutes before baking them in the oven.

How To Make This Recipe Dairy-Free

To make dairy-free matcha green tea cupcakes, substitute the butter with vegan butter, and sour cream, and whole milk with non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar.

When using vegan butter to substitute dairy butter, I suggest using butter sticks instead of butter spread that comes in tubs. The sticks tend to have a higher fat content, much closer to dairy butter.

I find that almond milk, cashew milk, and oat milk all work wonderfully in this recipe. If using non-dairy milk, make sure to add apple cider vinegar as an acidic ingredient to react with the baking soda.

For the frosting, I find that I get the best results making frosting without using vegan cream cheese. I simply replace the butter with vegan butter, and white chocolate with vegan white chocolate.

You can also omit the white chocolate and frost the cupcakes with a vegan vanilla buttercream frosting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which matcha is best for baking?

There are different grades of matcha, from culinary grade to ceremonial grade.

• Culinary grade matcha - generally dull in color and lower in quality than ceremonial. It's meant to be used in baking and smoothies.
• Ceremonial grade matcha - vibrant green and meant to be whisked in hot water to enjoy on its own.

While the cheaper culinary grade matcha is the one meant to be used in baking, you won't get a strong matcha flavor, nor will you get that beautiful green hue in your matcha cupcakes. It's much more expensive, but if you're a matcha lover, and you're willing to splurge, go on and use that high-quality ceremonial grade matcha!

What does matcha taste like?

Matcha has a natural, grassy flavor with a touch of bitterness. The higher the quality, the more sweet the aroma is.

What do matcha cupcakes taste like?

Matcha cupcakes taste like a delicious yellow cake and a mug of warm matcha in one bite! It's fluffy, and the matcha's earthy flavor cuts through the sweetness!

Where do you buy matcha powder?

You can buy matcha in many grocery stores in the coffee and tea aisle. The matcha I used is the Ceremonial Matcha by Enso. You can use the code AIMADEITFORYOU to get 15% off your first order!

Can you make a matcha cake with this recipe?

Yes, you can easily convert this recipe into a matcha cake recipe. Just divide the batter evenly between two 8-inch cake pans and bake for 18 to 20 minutes.

Can I double this recipe?

Yes! Simply double all the ingredients and you can make a total of 28 cupcakes.

White Chocolate Frosted Matcha Cupcakes

While a regular vanilla buttercream would pair perfectly with matcha cupcakes, I love the combination of matcha and white chocolate! The creamy and sweet vanilla flavor of the white chocolate and the earthy green flavor of the green tea really go well together.

Since buttercream frosting is already so sweet, I was quite wary of adding white chocolate into buttercream frosting. So I opted for a cream cheese frosting and it really helped to cut the sweetness.

Tips For Delicious Matcha Cupcakes

1. Don't overmix the batter! When you combine the dry and wet ingredients, you might be entranced by the beautiful green hue and have the urge to continue mixing the batter, but stop yourself! Otherwise you'll develop the gluten too much and end up with dense cupcakes.
2. Take the cupcakes out of the pan immediately! After the matcha cupcakes come out of the oven, pop them out of the pan right away and let them cool on a wire rack, so they don't continue to cook in the hot pan.
3. Cool your melted white chocolate! Make sure you slightly cool your white chocolate before adding it to your cream cheese frosting, so it doesn't melt. No one likes soupy frosting.
4. Play around with toppings! Definitely experiment with different toppings! It can be as simple as dusting some matcha powder, or adding a fresh strawberry, or get really fancy and pop a salt pickled cherry blossom on top!

More matcha dessert recipes

• My matcha oreo blondies are always a hit when I make them!
• Matcha financiers are moist and buttery almond cake bites flavored with matcha.
• If you're vegan, you should try this vegan matcha tiramisu with layers of matcha cake, coconut whipped cream, and sweet matcha sauce!
• Need a matcha dessert for the holidays? These Christmas tree matcha cookies are the one for you.
• This matcha ice cream is easy to make and delicious!

More cupcake recipes

• These chocolate cupcakes are super moist and are always a crowd favorite!
• Can't tolerate dairy? Try these fluffy dairy-free vanilla cupcakes.
• Any fellow Reese's lover is going to adore these chocolate peanut butter cupcakes!
• Do you love carrot cake? Try my carrot cake cupcakes! They're moist and topped with a lemon cream cheese frosting.

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