Bakers Formula: May 2015

This recipe is courtesy of Raelene Gannon, certified tea sommelier and founder of Tea and All Its Splendour. For more recipes check out her cookbook Tea: From Cup to Plate and visit www.teaandallitssplendour.com.
Yield: 10-cup Bundt cake

Ingredients

Chocolate mixture
Mix on wax paper and whisk together:

• All-purpose flour – 11/2 cups 375 ml
• Cocoa – 1/2 cup 125 ml
• Baking powder – 11/2 tsp 7.5 ml
• Salt – 1/2 tsp 2.5 ml

Matcha mixture
In a medium bowl, whisk together:

• All-purpose flour – 1 /2 cups 375 ml
• Matcha powder – 2-3 tbsp 30-45 ml
• Baking powder – 11/2 tsp 7.5 ml
• Salt – 1/2 tsp 2.5 ml

Creamed mixture
In a large bowl, mix:

• White sugar – 3 cups 750 ml
• Unsalted butter, room temperature    1 cup 225 g (2 sticks)
• Eggs, room temperature – 3
• Milk, room temperature – 13/4 cup 435 ml
• Vanilla extract – 1 tsp 5 ml

 
Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160 C (325 F). Grease and flour (or cocoa) a 12-cup (3 l) Bundt pan. (If you use a smaller pan, you can reserve the extra batter for cupcakes.)
2. To make the chocolate mixture, put the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and mix with a wire whisk. Set aside.
3. To make the matcha mixture, put the flour, matcha powder, baking powder, and salt in another medium bowl and mix with a wire whisk. Set aside.
4. To make the creamed mixture, put the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat until smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Add the milk and vanilla and mix until thoroughly combined.
5. Divide the creamed mixture evenly and put half of it into another large bowl (the best way to do this is to weigh the portions; this will ensure that the cake cooks evenly).
6. Slowly add the chocolate mixture to one half of the creamed mixture and mix thoroughly, and then add the matcha mixture to the other half of the creamed mixture and mix until thoroughly combined.
7. Drop alternating spoonfuls of each mixture into the prepared pan until it is about three-quarters full. For a marbled effect, gently swirl a knife once or twice through the batter. Place in the oven and bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a knife or cake tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.
8. When the cake is cool, carefully run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen it and turn it out onto a serving plate.
9. Add a chocolate glaze to the top; try the chocolate ganache recipe here!

Ganache Ingredients:

•  3/4 cup 180 ml whipping or table cream
•  3/4 cup 180 ml 140 g semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 tbsp 15 ml sugar
• 2 tsp 10 ml vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp 15 ml matcha powder (optional)

Method

• Place chocolate and sugar in a heat-proof bowl.  
• Heat the cream mixture to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly.  
• Whisk in the matcha until fully incorporated (if lumps form, pour through a sieve). Pour the hot cream-matcha mixture over the chocolate-sugar mixture.  
• Let sit for 60 seconds then whisk until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture is shiny and smooth.  
• Mix in the vanilla extract until incorporated.  
• Chill in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes, until thickened slightly, before icing the cake.