Green Tea Honeysuckle Minis

Japanese green tea matcha powder mingles with honey in a moist, tender-crumbed cake. More matcha flavor is an option by adding tablespoonfuls to your favorite frosting.

The original recipe from The Southern Cake Book is here. 

Ingredients: 

For the cake:

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • ½ cup vegetable shortening (I used the kind without saturated fats)
  • 2½ cups superfine sugar
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 6 large eggs at room temperature
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup French Vanilla Coconut Milk
  • 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon matcha green tea powder

For the glaze:

  • 1 cup cane sugar
  • ½ cup butter
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/3 cup Triple Sec liquor
  • 3 tablespoons Cointreau
  • 1 teaspoon yuzu juice

Garnish:

  • Your favorite frosting + 2 heaping tablespoons of matcha green tea powder
Directions: 

For the cake:

Set the oven to 325 degrees. Coat mini cake pans with coconut oil. (Lots of coconut oil to ensure easy release.)

Whip up the butter and shortening in a kitchen stand mixer. Slowly pour in the sugar. When the mixture looks light and fluffy, add the honey. Drop in the eggs, one at a time.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Alternately incorporate the flour mixture with the milk into the butter bowl.

Pour the batter into the mini cake pans. (2/3 full)

Bake at 325 degrees for 26 to 30 minutes depending on the “mininess” of your cake pan. Do use the toothpick in the center method to determine if the cakes are done. A few clinging crumbs are fine. (But not a whole bunch.)

For the glaze:

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Constantly stir (as to avoid burnt sugar) for about 8 minutes.

Garnish:

Whip 2 heaping tablespoons of matcha green tea powder into your favorite frosting.