This is a recipe for light and fluffy layered Matcha Strawberry Shortcake, filled with whipped cream and fresh sliced strawberries. One slice and you're in heaven!
I made this Matcha Strawberry Shortcake for my birthday earlier this year, and didn't expect all the requests for the recipe!
I'm finally getting around to posting this recipe for my light and fluffy Matcha Strawberry Shortcake.
What is a shortcake?
A shortcake is a sweet dessert with a crumbly bread/biscuit and is commonly served with sweetened, macerated strawberries. and whipped cream.
Traditional shortcake has more of a biscuit-like texture, made with flour, butter, sugar, cream, leavener, and/or eggs.
Modern shortcakes can be made with a biscuit or sponge cake.
My version is more of a light and fluffy layered chiffon cake, based on my Perfect Swiss Cake Roll recipe.
What's in it?
The cake layers are a matcha green tea-flavoured chiffon cake.
It's sandwiched with whipped cream and sliced fresh strawberries.
How to make the cake
Refer to this post for additional tips on making the chiffon cake.
The only addition to the recipe is matcha powder.
Once the cake is baked, you won't need to roll it.
Cool the cake.
Slice the cake in half, width wise.
Make the whipped cream:
In a chilled bowl, add in the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
Whisk until the cream reaches stiff peaks.
Assemble the cake:
Place one layer of matcha cake onto a parchment lined baking tray.
Place a thin layer of whipped cream onto the surface of the cake (spread smoothly with an offset spatula).
Add the sliced strawberries over the cream.
Dollop and spread another layer of cream on top of the strawberries.
Layer the second cake over top.
Trim the edges on each side with a sharp serrated knife. (These can be the chef's snack! ;-))
Spread a thin layer of cream on top of the cake.
Pipe additional cream on the top of the cake and decorate with more strawberries and matcha powder.
Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour prior to serving.
FAQ's
How big of a cake does this make?
It makes a 2-layered 4.5" by 9" cake.
Can I omit the matcha powder?
Sure, you can use another flavour instead.
Can I use another fruit?
Sure, just be sure to pat the fruit dry before placing it onto the whipped cream layer.
Mangoes, raspberries or a combination of fruit would be great on this cake.
Other recipes you may like
If you enjoyed this, be sure to check out these recipes:
Mini Triple Layer Matcha & Hojicha Burnt Basque Cheesecake
Light and fluffy cake, sandwiched with whipped cream and strawberries -- it's dreamy yet decadent at the same time.
Before you know it, you'll have inhaled your slice of cake!
Let me know if you try out this recipe. I'd love to see your creations! Tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment/rating below.
Matcha Strawberry Shortcake
For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.
Ingredients
Matcha Cake:
- 3 egg yolks
- 30 g granulated cane sugar
- 30 g avocado oil or any light vegetable oil
- 30 ml whole milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 45 g cake flour sifted
- 15 g matcha sifted
- 3 egg whites room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar or lemon juice
- 30 g granulated cane sugar
Whipped Cream:
- 1 ½ C heavy whipping cream (36% MF or higher)
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling:
- 2 C fresh strawberries sliced and patted dry
Instructions
Make the cake:
- Prepare a 9" by 13" baking tray with parchment paper.
- Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks into 2 different bowls (one for egg whites and one for egg yolks).
- Tip: ensure your bowl for beating the egg whites is clean, with no traces of oil. Give the bowl and whisk a quick wipe with paper towel and a bit of lemon juice or vinegar prior to adding the egg whites.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F/191°C.
- Combine the egg yolks with 30g sugar and whisk together. Add in the oil, milk, vanilla extract and whisk again.
- Sift in the cake flour and matcha over top of the egg yolk mixture and fold gently to combine, until there are no lumps. Set aside.
- In a clean stand mixer bowl fitted with a whisk attachment, add the room temperature egg whites.
- Turn on the mixer on low speed.
- Once the egg whites become foamy with bubbles, add in a little cream of tartar (or lemon juice/vinegar).
- Gradually increase the speed of the mixer, and slowly pour in the granulated sugar.
- Continue to whip the egg whites until fluffy, shiny and reaches a soft peak. (The egg whites will form a curved tail at the end of the whisk).
- Using a spatula, fold about ⅓rd of the egg whites into the egg yolk batter. This will help to loosen up the egg yolk batter.
- Note: Folding is different than stirring. It takes a lighter hand to not deflate the whipped egg whites. To fold, take the spatula to the bottom of the mixture, and scoop up (a slow flick of the wrist) while turning the bowl about 90 degrees. Continue to turn the bowl and fold until the mixture is almost homogeneous.
- Add the next 3rd of the egg white mixture, and continue to fold until the egg whites are incorporated into the batter, but be sure not to overfold or the egg whites will be deflated.
- Transfer the cake batter to a 9″ by 13″ baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Give the tray a few taps to release any trapped air bubbles.
- Bake at 375°F/191°C for 14-15 minutes, until the cake surface is golden brown, and dry to the touch. When lightly pressed, it will spring back.
- Remove the cake from the oven and immediately drop it from a height of 1′. This prevents the cake from shrinkage.
- Let the cake cool on a cooling rack for 10-15 minutes.
- Slice the cake in half, width-wise.
Make the whipped cream:
- While the cake is cooling, make the whipped cream.
- Tip: A chilled bowl (in the fridge) will help the cream to whip up nicely.
- Pour the heavy cream into the chilled bowl, add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and use a whisk to whip to stiff peaks. (Don’t overwhip or the cream will turn into butter).
Assemble:
- Place a matcha cake layer onto a piece of parchment paper.
- Spread a thin layer of whipped cream over the cake using an offset spatula.
- Add the sliced strawberries to cover the entire surface of the cake.
- Dollop and spread more whipped cream over the strawberries.
- Place the second matcha cake layer on top.
- Trim off the edges with a sharp, serrated knife.
- Spread another thin layer of whipped cream over the cake.
- Pipe additional cream on the top of the cake and decorate with strawberries and matcha powder.
- Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour prior to serving.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.
Christie
MMM those fluffy layers of matcha goodness! This looks amazing Michelle!
Michelle
Thanks Christie, it sure is a delicious and light cake! 🙂
Never Ending Journeys
Matcha and strawberry is such a perfect combination! Love a good shortcake, and this one looks simply incredible!
Michelle
Thank you! Matcha and strawberry are indeed incredible together! 🙂
Rahul @samosastreet
I love strawberry and matcha together! This looks gorgeous. Love the different layers.
Michelle
Thanks Rahul! 🙂
Mariko
Hi! I just took my cake out of the oven. The top is brown and firm but when I stuck a toothpick in it, it came out with lots of batter left on the cake. Is that normal? Or should I put it back in the oven for longer?
Michelle
If the cake still has runny batter, you should leave it in to continue baking. Your oven could be different than mine.
Katherine | Love In My Oven
Green tea and strawberry is a perfect match! Not to mention festive 🙂 This looks light and delicious Michelle!
Michelle
One of my favourite flavour combinations! Thanks Katherine 🙂
Josiah - DIY Thrill
This matcha strawberry shortcake looks like such a soft and decadent dessert!
Michelle
Thanks Josiah! 🙂
Raymund
Ohhh my, this looks good. Reminds me of the cakes I used to buy in Hong Kong
Michelle
Thanks so much Raymund! 🙂
Kim | Give it Some Thyme
Such a beautiful and delicious cake, Michelle! Love the light, fluffy and creamy layers. A perfect birthday treat!
Michelle
Thanks Kim! It's certainly a light and delicious cake 🙂
Vanessa
Made this bc it was relatively unfussy and I love how it's baked in a 9x13 pan. My cake didn't come out as fluffy (I probably deflated the egg yolks too much, need to be more gentle when folding), but overall it came out really well for a first time bake. Loved the strong matcha flavor and how it wasn't too sweet at all. Would make again, hopefully I can get a fluffier cake next time!
Michelle
Thanks for your feedback, Vanessa!
Katerina | Once a Foodie
Gosh, I would love this for my birthday any year! Love the flavours and the colours in this cake, Michelle. Absolutely gorgeous.
Michelle
Thank you Katerina! 🙂
Evelyn
Can I make this with regular flour if I don't have cake flour?
Michelle
You can make it with all-purpose flour, however, the cake may not be as tender. I suggest using a cake/pastry flour for best results.
Kim
Can you make this cake the night before and store it in the fridge ?
Michelle
Yes you absolutely can. Just be sure to cover it or place it into a box or it may dry out.
Andrew
Are the measurements in the recipe correct? I can't see how 45g of flour makes a cake big enough for 6 people.
Michelle
Yes, it's 45g cake flour + 15g matcha powder and 3 whipped egg whites that will make enough batter for a 9" by 13" cake.
Andrea
The earthy flavor of the matcha with the sweetness of the strawberries and cream, mmm, Yumminess!
Kechi
This shortcake looks fluffy and delicious! I love the green Matcha color, makes it distinct! Thanks for sharing!
Shadi Hasanzadenemati
My family is going to love this, thank you for the recipe!
Beth Sachs
What an amazing colour! This really is the perfect summertime dessert when strawberries are in season.
Dannii
What a beautiful cake. I love the flavour combination.
Sharon
The strawberries and matcha are the perfect combination in the shortcake dessert. The perfect treat for summer.
Nikola
Hi, my cake turned out amazing! Thank u! It’s for my sister birthday tomorrow. I just have one question, do u use any syrup before placing the filling to make the cake more juicy ? Thanks
Michelle
Thanks for writing, Nikola. Glad to hear it turned out well! You can use a simple syrup to soak (lightly brush on) the cake if you like. Keep in mind the cake is quite light and delicate, so you won't need too much syrup. Hope that helps! 🙂
Marisol
Hi, I love this idea and plan on trying a bunch of your other Matcha recipes! What is your preferred brand of culinary matcha? Would you recommend the ITO EN Japanese brand for baking?
Michelle
Hi there Marisol, I personally use Aiya Matcha. I haven't used ITO EN for baking, but you can experiment to see how you like it.
Veronica
I was just thinking, could you use this for the cake roll recipe?? Anything that needs to be changed based on the perfect swiss roll recipe?
Michelle
Yes, this is based on my Perfect Swiss Roll Cake. The only change is the amount of cake flour and matcha powder.
Panchita Lopez-Li
Hi! I'm planning on making this with a 6 inch cake tin. Is there any alternations I should make? Thank you!
Michelle
Are you planning to make 2 x 6" cakes or just 1? If you're making it one tin, you may need to add to the baking time.
Panchita L.
I'm planning on using 2 cake tins!
Michelle
For 2 x 6" cake tins, adjust the baking time to about 20-22 minutes at 350F, depending on your oven.
Panchita L.
Update: I made the cake and it turned out amazing! I think I folded the egg whites in slightly much because the cake came out a bit deflated, but it was very impressive for a first try, so definitely be careful with that when you're making it. I got the best compliment too, "not too sweet," which is definitely a sign of approval! It was similar to the cakes from the Asian bakeries (very light and airy) which is exactly what I was trying to emulate. I will be making this cake again! Thanks Michelle!
Lin
Hello Michelle! Will the cake be able to hold up if i did 3-4 layers instead of just 2?
Michelle
Hi Lin, I have not tried it with 3-4 layers, but since this particular cake is quite tender, I'm not sure if it would hold up. You may need some type of support around the edges (eg. acetate). Let me know if you do try it.
Isabel
Good, not too sweet–but very difficult to get fluffy. I tried to not overfold the egg but the cake still came out quite dense.
Michelle
To ensure a fluffy cake, here are few things you can do:
1) sift your cake flour a few times -- that will help aerate the flour
2) make sure your egg whites are at room temperature so that they will whip up with more volume
3) use a light hand when folding in the egg whites so that all the air that was whipped in doesn't deflate
4) bake the cake right away in a *preheated* oven -- as time elapses, the cake batter will deflate since there is no chemical leavener in this recipe
5) as every oven is different, the oven temperature can vary -- if your oven temperature runs colder, this may affect amount of initial rise in the cake baking.
Hope this helps!
Linsey
Beautiful and delicious Matcha short cake! I like the combinations of Matcha with strawberries. I always like this kind of cake and I am going to make it for my birthday. Thanks Michelle!
Robin
Very light and tasty and beautiful to look at. I roasted the strawberries, but probably won't do that again. I also painted the cake with the strawberry juice. I was a little thrown off by the oil being measured in grams instead of ml but it seemed to work out.
Michelle
Thanks for trying out the recipe and for your feedback, Robin! Sorry about that, milliliters (ml) and grams (g) are a 1:1 equivalent so no worries there. 🙂
Brielle
Hi! I would love to make this cake for my birthday but I can’t eat gluten or dairy. Eggs are okay. Could you help me make this dairy and gluten free. I’d really appreciate it. Thank you so much.
Michelle
Hi there Brielle, I haven't personally tested the recipe with gluten-free flour, however I do know that dairy-free milk such as as almond milk works well. My suggestion is to try a gluten-free 1-to-1 cake or pastry flour in place of the cake flour. Hope that helps. Do report back if you try it out.