These flavors may spook you, but they are delicious combination
Matcha Cupcakes with Matcha White Chocolate Ganache, and Ube Buttercream
Japanese and Filipino flavors in one cupcake? Yes please! This dessert is a fluffy green tea cupcake, filled with a rich green tea ganache, and topped with a silky ube (purple sweet potato) buttercream. Personally, these are my favorite flavors, so I added a good amount of each. However, if you are unfamiliar with the flavors, feel free to add more or less of the matcha powder and ube extract depending on the strength you prefer! If you do not have these ingredients at home, you can most likely find matcha green tea powder and ube extract at your local Asian markets! If not, Amazon provides them for sure!
Ingredients: Yields 12
Cupcakes
1 cup all purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
3 TBSP matcha powder
4 TBSP (½ stick) of unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup white granulated sugar
1 large egg
½ cup milk, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
Swiss Meringue Buttercream
165 grams egg whites
285 grams white granulated sugar
1 lb (4 sticks) of unsalted butter
1 TBSP of ube extract (optional) *If you do not have this extract, or cannot find it, feel free to replace it with vanilla extract, or any other extract you may have at home!
Matcha Ganache
1 cup white chocolate chips
½ cup heavy cream
1 TBSP + 1 tsp matcha powder
Garnish (Optional)
Cookies and Cream Pocky sticks
Snack size Oreo cookies
Method:
Cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and matcha. Set aside.
In an electric mixer, or in a larger size bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, vanilla extract and salt on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about 3 to 5 minutes).
Once the mixture is light and fluffy, add the egg and mix it until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and mix again to ensure everything is well mixed.
Next, alternate the milk and dry ingredients until just combined. Start with the dry ingredients, then the milk, then the dry again, ending with the milk.
Divide the batter evenly among the lined cups, filling each about halfway.
Bake the cakes for about 12-15 minutes, or until you insert it with a toothpick and they come out clean.
Let the cakes rest in the tin for about 5 minutes, then transfer onto a cooling rack to cool down completely.
Buttercream
Cut your butter roughly into 1” cubes and allow it to come to room temperature! (I like to leave my butter out on the counter the night before I use it. But allow it to sit out for a couple of hours! It makes the process so much easier.)
Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites, if you have not already done so.
Combine the sugar and egg whites in a heat safe bowl, and place the bowl over a pot of simmering water (about medium heat on your stove.) Make sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. (If you have an electric mixer, you can use the same bowl for that mixer.)
Constantly stir the egg whites and sugar over the water bath until the sugar is dissolved or the temperature of the mixture reach 140*F (60*C). The viscosity should become more loose and you should not feel any more sugar granules if you touch it with your hand.
Once the mixture is at temperature, immediately take the bowl off of the pot, wipe the bottom with a towel to dry the excess water, and start whipping. You can use the whisk attachment with your electric mixer, or your hand mixer. (Do not use a whisk to hand mix! Your arm will be sore and this will take forever!)
Whisk at the highest speed until the mixture reaches a medium-stiff peak and the bowl feels room temperature. If your meringue is still warm but at the correct peak stage, you can let it sit on the counter or pop the bowl into the refrigerator for a couple of minutes. It is important for the meringue to no longer be hot so your butter does not melt!
Once your meringue is at the correct peak and temperature, turn the speed on your mixer to medium-high and begin adding your butter cubes. Add about 1-2 cubes at a time. Wait until those are fully mixed in to add the next set.
When all of your butter is in, do not panic if it is not coming together immediately! Sometimes it can take an extra 30 seconds to 1 minute for all of the butter to fully be incorporated. Trust the process and keep the mixer running, it will eventually come together if everything is at the correct temperature!
When your buttercream comes together, it should be light, airy and silky. Scrape down the sides of your bowl and mix for about 15 more seconds. After that, turn your mixer down to a medium speed and add in your flavoring extract!
Mix the buttercream once more for about 30 seconds on medium-high speed to ensure everything is well incorporated, and after that you are ready to transfer your buttercream into your piping bag!
Ganache
Place the white chocolate chips in a small heat safe bowl.
Put the heavy cream in a small pot and bring the cream to a rolling bowl.
As soon as the cream boils, turn off the heat and pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips.
Allow the cream to sit in the chocolate chips for about 30 seconds before mixing them together.
Once the ganache is slightly thick and well incorporated, add the matcha powder and whisk together.
Allow the ganache to reach room temperature before transferring into a piping bag.
Assembly
Take your cupcakes and core out the center.
Fill each center with the matcha ganache.
Pipe your buttercream on top with a star or round tip (whatever you have).
Drizzle the matcha ganache on top.
Add the Pocky sticks and Oreo if you decide to do so!
Enjoy!
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