Ask the Doctor: ‘Are skin tags hereditary? What can be done to remove and prevent them?’
Ask the Doctor: ‘Are skin tags hereditary? What can be done to remove and prevent...

Sarah Gill

Presenter Bláthnaid Treacy Moon on her life in food
Presenter Bláthnaid Treacy Moon on her life in food

Sarah Finnan

This holistic wellness programme in Mauritius will help you realign from the inside out
This holistic wellness programme in Mauritius will help you realign from the inside out

IMAGE

30 Irish prints to transform your space
30 Irish prints to transform your space

Michelle Hanley

This scenic Connemara guest house is on the market for €695,000
This scenic Connemara guest house is on the market for €695,000

Sarah Finnan

Thinking about switching careers? How to know if you’re making the right decision
Thinking about switching careers? How to know if you’re making the right decision

IMAGE

Join our networking event: ‘Sell it! Maximising a retail strategy’
Join our networking event: ‘Sell it! Maximising a retail strategy’

IMAGE

Join our networking event: ‘Sell it! Maximising a retail strategy’
Join our networking event: ‘Sell it! Maximising a retail strategy’

IMAGE

Business Club Member competition: WIN Cellstory facial treatments worth €460
Business Club Member competition: WIN Cellstory facial treatments worth €460

IMAGE

Food consultant and children’s book author Dr Michelle Darmody on her life in food
Food consultant and children’s book author Dr Michelle Darmody on her life in food

Sarah Gill

Image / Living / Food & Drink

What to bake this weekend: Matcha and raspberry cake


By Meg Walker
30th Jun 2024
What to bake this weekend: Matcha and raspberry cake

Want to impress your dinner guests? Give this recipe a try.

Matcha, a finely ground, vibrant green powder made from the leaves of a special type of green tea, is such an extraordinary ingredient; versatile and with a very particular flavour. And delicious paired with chocolate. At the tea room, I use organic matcha powder and I suggest you do the same for this recipe; it’s readily available these days, and you can use any you have left to brew some healthy tea!

Melissa Forti’s matcha and raspberry cake (Torta al matcha e lamponi)
Serves 8

Ingredients

  • 100g butter, plus extra for greasing
  • 6 tbsp milk, at room temperature
  • 6 eggs, at room temperature
  • 180g caster sugar
  • 160g plain flour
  • 4 tsp matcha powder, ideally organic
  • 250g raspberries, plus extra to decorate

For the frosting

  • 250ml double cream
  • matcha powder, for dusting

 

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 160?C/gas mark 3. Butter the insides of two 18cm cake tins and line the bases and sides with baking parchment.
  2. In a small pan, warm the milk and butter until the butter is fully melted, then set aside to cool.
  3. Crack the eggs into the bowl of a stand mixer (or into a mixing bowl and use an electric handheld whisk), add the sugar and whisk for about €8 minutes, until very pale and tripled in volume.
  4. Sift the flour and matcha powder together ?three times (to aerate), then add them to the? egg mixture and gently fold them in, making’sure you don’t deflate the batter. Add the cooled butter and milk mixture and fold in gently, using a spatula. Divide the mixture between the prepared tins and bake for 30 minutes until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  5. Remove the tins from the oven and, before putting them on the counter, let them drop down onto? the counter. Do this twice and this will help stop the cakes from shrinking. Leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before inverting both cakes onto a wire rack. Leave to cool completely.
  6. To assemble, place one cake on a serving plate or board. Whisk the cream for the frosting until medium stiff, then spread over the first cake and top with the raspberries in an even layer (cutting them in half or leaving them whole). Place the second cake on top and spread whipped cream over the top and sides of the cake, using a spatula. Dust matcha powder generously over the top to completely cover it. Decorate with raspberries, and pipe a cream border around the edge, if you wish.

 

Extracted from The Italian Baker by Melissa Forti (Quadrille, approx €26), out now. Photography by Danny Bernardini.