Matcha muffins have a deep, vivid green colour and a flavour that sits somewhere between earthy and sweet, making them one of the most distinctive baked goods you can bring to a morning gathering or eat with coffee or tea during the afternoon. This recipe produces muffins with the rounded tops and moist, tender crumb characteristic of a good bakery muffin.
What makes bakery-style muffins
The defining features of a good
bakery muffin are a well-domed top, a moist and tender crumb, and a flavour
that is rich enough to be satisfying but not so sweet that it becomes a
cupcake. A few specific techniques produce this result. Using a mixture of
butter and oil adds both richness from the butter and moisture from the oil.
Buttermilk or plain yogurt adds acidity that reacts with baking soda to create
a light crumb and a slightly tangy flavour that balances the sweetness. Filling
the muffin cases more than you think you should, almost to the rim, is what
creates the high, rounded top.
Ingredients
•
200 grams plain flour
•
2 teaspoons matcha powder
•
150 grams sugar
•
1 teaspoon baking powder
•
Half a teaspoon of baking soda
•
A quarter teaspoon of salt
•
2 large eggs
•
120 ml vegetable oil
•
60 ml melted butter
•
180 ml plain yogurt or buttermilk
•
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Method
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees
Celsius. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases. Whisk together the flour,
matcha, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In a
separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, melted butter, yogurt, and vanilla
until combined. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold
together with a spatula until just combined. The batter should look slightly
lumpy. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour and produces tough, dense
muffins rather than tender ones.
Divide the batter between the
muffin cases, filling each one almost to the rim. This is more than most
recipes suggest but it is what creates the characteristic high dome. Bake for
18 to 22 minutes until the tops are set and a toothpick inserted into the
centre comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Let the muffins cool in the tin
for five minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
The matcha colour in baking
Matcha loses some of its bright
green colour during baking due to the heat affecting chlorophyll. The finished
muffins will be a more muted, earthy green rather than the vivid jade of the
raw powder. This is normal and expected. Using a good culinary grade matcha
with a strong colour gives the best result. The flavour concentration matters
more than the visual intensity, and a good culinary grade delivers both.
Variations
Adding 100 grams of white
chocolate chips to the batter creates the classic matcha and white chocolate
pairing that appears in cafes everywhere. A cream cheese frosting on top transforms
the muffins into more of a dessert. A handful of fresh or freeze-dried
raspberries added to the batter gives a tart contrast to the earthy sweetness.
A sprinkle of sesame seeds or crushed pistachios on top before baking adds
visual interest and a complementary flavour.
Common questions
Why did my muffins not dome
properly? The oven temperature was
not high enough, the cases were not filled sufficiently, or the leavening was
old. Make sure your baking powder and soda are fresh.
Can I substitute the yogurt? Yes. Sour cream, regular milk with a teaspoon
of lemon juice or vinegar, or plant-based yogurt all work. The acidity is
important for the texture.
How do I keep them fresh? Store in an airtight container at room
temperature for up to two days, or freeze individually wrapped for up to two
months.
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