STRAWBERRY YUZU JASMINE GREEN TEA CAKE
Spring and Fall are my favorite seasons of the year. I love how the season transitions from the cold, rainy winter days, overcast skies to bright blue skies, greenery everywhere because of the fresh rains, and the blooming flowers bring a tinkling of sparkle, and uplift spirits. Cherry blossoms start sprouting in March and the surroundings look so ethereal and magical!
With spring in the air, I wanted to make a cake that is light, airy, mild and yet fresh in flavor. I knew I wanted to make a frosted cake with a pretty flower design on the top signifying the lovely spring flowers all around us.
Jasmine Green Tea
I have been crazy about jasmine green tea off late. I love it in my boba drinks that I get from time to time. Strawberry is my favorite flavor, next to mango and passion fruit. I recently bought a 1 pound bag of jasmine green tea from Amazon linked here.
My kids are not fond of the boba inside the boba drink – go figure! So I make cold fruity jasmine green tea as an after school cooler and they truly enjoy it, especially since the beginning of April was pretty hot, with a heat wave going on in the Bay Area!
The cake that I had in mind was with jasmine green tea, with flavors of Strawberry(Boba?) and Yuzu – in the form of a buttercream. My family prefers the sweet American buttercream over Swiss Meringue Buttercream, so most of my cakes have the american buttercream. I had the best time making the cake and it’s flavors.
Flours used in the Cake
I always use my trusted go to brand – Bob’s Red Mill Organic All Purpose Flour and Super Fine Almond Flour in my cakes. The all purpose flour and almond flour are both fresh and make the best baked goods. The almond flour has a fine texture, and flavor that truly makes the cake have a good grit and bite to it.
You can find Bob’s Red Mill flour to purchase here. The best part about Bob’s Red Mill is that they have an extensive variety of products, catering to all dietary needs be it Paleo, or Gluten-Free. Their Gluten-Free Oats are my favorite and I love making my breakfast every morning with their gluten free oats.
Ingredients in the Jasmine Green Tea Cake
The ingredients are as follows:
- Loose leaf jasmine green tea – You need to get a good quality brand of loose leaf tea for the best flavor in the cake.
- Whole milk – You could use oat milk or almond milk for substitution, make sure that they are not watered down plant based mylks. I steep hot whole milk with the loose leaf jasmine green tea to get a very intense potent flavor. When mixed with the batter, the flavor gets beautifully subtle, yet you can get the taste of the tea in the cake batter.
- Bob’s Red Mill Organic All Purpose Flour
- Bob’s Red Mill Super Fine Almond Flour
- Granulated Sugar – I have not tried using any other sugar in this cake recipe. If you want to experiment with brown sugar, you can. I would think it would go really well with the jasmine green tea flavor in the cake.
- Olive Oil – I do not use extra virgin olive oil in the cake, plain ol’ olive oil, to make the cake moist.
- Unsalted Butter – The high fat is required in the cake, and along with the olive oil provides the right kind of grit to the cake. It is not fall apart loose, it holds sturdy and has a good taste and texture.
- Eggs – Eggs make the cake light and moist too, along with the fat in the batter.
- Vanilla extract – I prefer using vanilla bean paste, but you could use vanilla extract too.
The cake is really simple to put together. I bake it in 2×8 inch square baking pans. But you could also use 2×8 inch round baking pans. If you find out the area of the square versus round baking pans, both 8 inch, it is about the same. That is the math geek in me ;).
What I love about square cakes is that you can cut neat slices to give away to family and friends rather than cut uneven slices with a round cake!
Make sure to ALWAYS use a scale to measure out ingredients. I have used that method here and the cakes always turn out the same every single time. That is the beauty of weight versus volume measurement, where your cup volume may differ from my cup volume, and hence affect the way the cake turns out.
The bake time is literally 30 minutes for the cake.
Cake Steps and Times Outline
The cake steps and times are outlined here to give you a fair estimate of how long the whole process takes:
Cake making time : Not more than 15 minutes
Cake baking time : 30 minutes
Cooling time : 1 hour
In the fridge for the cakes to set and get cold : 2 hours
When the cake is baking, cooling, and resting in the fridge, I prepare the simple syrup, buttercreams, and get the piping bags with the different colors ready to pipe the design as well.
Simple syrup : Not more than 10 minutes
Making the buttercream : Not more than 15 minutes for each flavor
Mixing colors and assembling piping bags with piping tips : 30 minutes
Crumb coat the cake : 20 to 30 minutes
Rest time in the fridge : 20 minutes
Coat the cake again : 10 to 15 minutes
Rest time in the fridge : 20 minutes
Time to pipe the design : Depends upon the design
Strawberry Buttercream
I use freeze dried strawberry powder to make the strawberry buttercream. There are so many different brands available now on Amazon. It gives a natural flavor and color to the buttercream, and makes it so potent and beautifully fruity and fragrant! I used the strawberry buttercream, only to layer between the 2 cakes.
Yuzu Buttercream
I used yuzu juice from Japan to make the yuzu buttercream. Yuzu is such a beautiful flavor that I simply love! Yuzu grows in the abundant mountains of Wakayama, Japan. The nutrient sea breeze of the current & the warm climate create a delicious citrus. Using 100% Wakayama’s yuzu, you can taste the natural & historical flavor. I get it from Amazon, linked here. Yuzu juice is not like lemon juice, it has a distinct beautiful flavor when added to desserts. I used yuzu buttercream to crumb coat the cake, as well as for the final design.
The design that I used for the cake is below. I used it as inspiration to make the design on my cake. Inspiration is everywhere. It is for you to see how you want to use the inspiration for your creative work. My favorite thing to do is translate wall papers or designs that I find on Pinterest or Google, into edible art, like this cake. I hope I can inspire you to do the same with your work and your bakes!
The flavors in the cake of jasmine green tea cake, along with the strawberry buttercream in the middle layer, and yuzu buttercream on the outside, along with the design, makes for a well rounded flavor composition of fruity, citrus(from the yuzu) and floral earthiness from the jasmine green tea. I loved this cake so much that I am going to translate it to a pound cake with simply yuzu buttercream. The cake is super moist from the butter and the olive oil, along with the jasmine green tea flavored simple syrup. This is one of my favorite cakes that I have made to date!
You can also simply bake the cake and have it as a plain tea cake! It has so much flavor in it!
I hope you get to make this cake. If you do try this recipe, please do not forget to tag #thejamlab on Instagram, and/or leave me a blog post on this post!
Hope you all enjoy the wonderful Spring weather!
XO
Amisha
PS. This blog post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill. The content and all opinions are my own.
Ingredients
- Jasmine Green Tea Cake:
- Make Jasmine Green Tea Steeped Milk
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tbsp loose leaf jasmine green tea
- Make Cake Batter:
- 2 ½ cups (300g) Bob’s Red Mill Organic All Purpose Flour
- ½ cup (56g) Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 ¾ sticks (198g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¼ cup (46g) olive oil
- 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup jasmine green tea steeped milk
- 1 tbsp loose leaf jasmine green tea
- Jasmine Green Tea Simple Syrup:
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1 tbsp jasmine green tea
- Strawberry Buttercream Frosting:
- 6 tbsp (85g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp freeze dried strawberry powder
- 1 ½ (205g) cups confectioner’s sugar
- 2 tbsp whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Yuzu Buttercream Frosting:
- 2 sticks (226g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp yuzu juice
- 4 cups (520g) confectioner’s sugar
- 2 tbsp whole milk
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Yuzu Buttercream Frosting for the decoration:
- 1 1/2 sticks (180g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp yuzu juice
- 3 1/2 cups (455g) confectioner’s sugar
- 2 tbsp whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Equipment:
- 2 x 8 inch baking pans
- 2 parchment papers
- Rubber spatula
- Small Offset spatula
- Round rotating cake stand
- Pastry Brush
- Bench scraper
- 6 to 8 12 inch piping bags
- Wilton #81 for Dahlias x2 if you want different colors
- Wilton Petal piping tip #103 and #104
- Wilton piping tip #3 for stems
- Wilton piping tip #3 for other design elements
- 6 - 8 mini rubber spatulas
- Knife painting spatulas
Instructions
- Jasmine Green Tea Cake:
- *Make the Jasmine Green Tea Milk: * In a small saucepan, on medium heat, add the milk. Bring to a boil, about 2 to 3 minutes. Once it has come to a boil, add the loose leaf jasmine green tea. Switch off the stove. Cover the saucepan with a lid and let steep for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, strain the milk, and cool completely.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl, add the Bob’s Red Mill Organic All Purpose Flour, Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, whisk to combine.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, with a paddle attachment, add the butter, olive oil and sugar. Start mixing at low speed, gradually increase the speed to high and mix for about 2 minutes in total.
- Add the eggs, one at a time and mix to combine.
- Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine.
- Add the dry mixture and the jasmine green tea milk, alternating between the 2, in 3 iterations. Mix to combine after each addition. Do not overmix.
- Add the loose leaf jasmine green tea, and mix to combine.
- Grease the 2 square 8inch baking pans with baking spray. Line with parchment paper, with an overhang, so it is easier to remove the cakes once they are baked.
- Divide the batter equally between the 2 baking pans. Bang them against the counter, to have the batter settle.
- Using a small offset spatula, smoothen out the layer.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cake tester(tooth pick) comes out clean from the center of the cake.
- Cool completely for an hour.
- Gently remove from the baking pans, and wrap them in a plastic wrap. Put it in the fridge to cool for 2 hours.
- Jasmine Green Tea Simple Syrup:
- In a small saucepan, on medium heat, add the water and sugar. Once the sugar dissolves, let the mixture come to a boil. Switch off the stove. Add the loose leaf jasmine green tea, and steep for 10 minutes. Strain the mixture and you have the simple syrup ready.
- Strawberry Buttercream Frosting:
- 1In the bowl of a stand mixer, with a paddle attachment, add the butter and salt. Mix on high speed for 30-45 seconds, to whip it. Using a rubber spatula, clean the sides of the bowl to bring the butter to the center of the bowl.
- Add the confectioner’s sugar, strawberry powder, whole milk and vanilla extract and mix on medium speed until light and soft. Do not overmix, you do not want air bubbles in the frosting. You have to watch it when mixing, and make sure it is light and airy. Mix for about 30 seconds and check.
- Your frosting is done. Remove it into a bowl and clean the bowl of the stand mixer to prepare the yuzu buttercream frosting.
- Yuzu Buttercream Frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, with a paddle attachment, add the butter and salt. Mix on high speed for 30-45 seconds, to whip it. Using a rubber spatula, clean the sides of the bowl to bring the butter to the center of the bowl.
- Add the confectioner’s sugar, yuzu juice, whole milk and vanilla extract and mix on medium speed until light and soft. Do not overmix, you do not want air bubbles in the frosting. You have to watch it when mixing, and make sure it is light and airy. Mix for about 30 seconds and check.
- Your frosting is done.
- Assembly:
- Remove the cakes from the fridge, and remove from the plastic wrap. Using a sharp serrated knife, trim a very thin sliver from the top of the cake, so that the top is absolutely straight. Repeat for the second cake.
- On a rotating cake stand, add a smidge of buttercream in the center. Place a parchment paper to adhere. Add a smidge of buttercream in the center of the paper, and place one of the cakes onto the center of the stand. Place one of the cakes in the center and lightly press to adhere to the smudged buttercream.
- Using a pastry brush, brush the simple syrup all over the cake, twice.
- Put all the strawberry buttercream over the cake and using a small offset spatula, smear it evenly all over the cake, all the way to the edge of the cake. The offset spatula helps to get a clean even layer in the middle.
- Place the other cake upside down on top of the buttercream, such that the bottom clean side is facing up. Make sure both cakes are lined up perfectly.
- Using a pastry brush, brush the simple syrup all over the cake, twice.
- Crumb Coat: Now using the small offset spatula crumb coat the cake. Take a bit of the yuzu buttercream with the offset spatula, smear it on the sides of the cake, to cover the cake. Repeat all over the sides of the cake, making sure that the crumb stays intact. Add the frosting on the top of the cake and use the offset spatula to layer it evenly, removing any excess buttercream, and back into the buttercream bowl. Make sure all the sides are covered, all the way to the bottom, and the sides are clean.
- Place the cake in the fridge for 20 minutes to set.
- Remove the cake and now we will apply the remaining buttercream all over the cake.
- Use an ice cream scooper to scoop out frosting and place it evenly in 4 mounds, on the top of the cake. Using the offset spatula, start spreading the frosting on the top, such that it drops over the edge, and carry over the frosting to the sides of the cake. Spread it all over evenly using the offset spatula.
- Even out the sides, edges and top of the cake: I use a bench scraper, kitchen towel and a bowl of hot water(that I can dip the bench scraper in). Take the bench scraper, dip it in hot water for a few seconds, clean it with the towel and immediately, scrape it along the sides of the cake at a 90 degree angle, in an even temperament, and straight, to smoothen out the side, and remove any excess buttercream into the buttercream bowl. Repeat all along the sides. You may have to take a bit of buttercream occasionally, using the offset spatula, and fill out any holes or uneven textures along the sides.
- For the top, take the bench scraper, after dipping in hot water for a few seconds, and wiping with a towel, and scrape the top evenly at a 45 degree angle, to smoothen the top. Repeat this a few times till you get a smooth layer.
- You will have to play around with the smoothening technique a few times with the hench scraper, and offset spatula, until you get smooth layers all over. Remove the excess buttercream into the buttercream bowl.
- Place the cake in the fridge to set.
- Yuzu Buttercream Frosting for the decoration:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, with a paddle attachment, add the butter and salt. Mix on high speed for 30-45 seconds, to whip it. Using a rubber spatula, clean the sides of the bowl to bring the butter to the center of the bowl.
- Add the confectioner’s sugar, yuzu juice, whole milk and vanilla extract and mix on medium speed until light and soft. Do not overmix, you do not want air bubbles in the frosting. You have to watch it when mixing, and make sure it is light and airy. Mix for about 30 seconds and check.
- Your frosting is done.
- Decoration:
- Plan out all your design, and the colors for the design on the cake. So that you can divide the buttercream accordingly into different colors.
- I used the design as shown in my blog post, and based on that design came up with 4 different colors for the flowers, 3 different shades of green for the leaf colors. And I kept some buttercream plain, for if I decided to use it for some other color.
- The piping bags are first set with the piping tips : Dahlias, Roses, round tips for stems and leaves. Cut the tip of the bag, and place a piping tip inside the bag. Make sure it is tightly fastened at the base. Repeat for the remaining piping tips.
- Divide the buttercream into 6 to 8 bowls depending upon the colors that you are choosing for your design. Mix a drop of the color into the buttercream and do not overmix. You want streaks of slight plain buttercream, especially for the flowers. Repeat for all the colors and mix using the mini rubber spatulas.
- Place the piping bag in a tall glass, over the rim of the glass. Place the buttercream into the bag, using a bench scraper, scrap the buttercream to the bottom of the bag, seal it on the top with a rubber band. Repeat for all the piping bags.
- For the Dahlias, and Roses, refer to the Wilton website for tutorials on how to pipe the flowers, they explain it really well.
- Once you pipe the flowers, freeze them to set.
- Place the piped flowers on the cake, and then pipe the stems, leaves. You can even use a palette knife to make the leaves, add a tone of different shade of green to give it dimension. Be creative, let your inner juices flow, and pipe the design!
- Place the cake in the fridge to set.
- To serve, remove the cake 20 minutes in advance, cut out slices and serve!
- To store: The cake can stay in the fridge for upto 2 weeks, and frozen for upto 2 months. I like to cut it up, and store it in an airtight container.
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