These strawberry matcha cupcakes are soft green tea cupcakes topped with a pink buttercream made from fresh strawberry puree. The recipe makes 12 cupcakes that bake at 350°F (175°C) for 18 to 22 minutes, and the whole thing takes about 1½ hours, most of it cooling.
The one rule: the strawberry puree must be completely cold before it meets the butter. Do that and the frosting pipes in neat swirls with real berry flavor and no artificial pink. Matcha brings an earthy, slightly grassy note, the strawberries bring brightness and a little tartness, and the two together are one of my favorite pairings.
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- Makes: 12 cupcakes, one standard muffin tin
- Time: 30 minutes prep, 30 minutes cooking (puree and baking), 30 minutes cooling
- Bake: 350°F (175°C) for 18 to 22 minutes, liners two-thirds full
- Matcha: 1 tablespoon for the whole batch, culinary or ceremonial grade
- Frosting: American buttercream with 4 to 5 tablespoons of cooled strawberry puree
- Keeps: a few hours at room temperature, up to 2 days in the fridge
Choosing Matcha and Strawberries
Both culinary and ceremonial matcha work here. Ceremonial gives a brighter green, while culinary grade has a stronger tea flavor, which I prefer for baking. Whichever you buy, use a fresh tin: old matcha turns dull and yellowish and loses its flavor. One tablespoon gives these 12 cupcakes a clear but mild tea taste. Adding more makes them more bitter, not much greener.
For the cupcakes you need 1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1½ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ cup softened unsalted butter, ¾ cup granulated sugar, 2 large room temperature eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, ½ cup whole milk, and ½ cup sour cream. The sour cream keeps the crumb moist and its slight tang softens the edge of the tea.
Use fresh strawberries for the puree. Frozen berries carry extra water, which makes the puree thinner and the frosting softer.
Cooking a Thick Strawberry Puree
Combine 1 cup hulled, chopped strawberries with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring now and then, for about 10 minutes. The berries collapse, the juice bubbles down, and the mixture turns jammy and coats the back of a spoon. Thick puree means less water in the frosting.
Blend it smooth with a blender or immersion blender, then press it through a fine strainer to remove the seeds. Chill it until completely cold. One cup of berries cooks down to a small amount, so measure the 4 to 5 tablespoons for the frosting first and save whatever is left for filling the centers.
If you like this puree, my strawberry compote is a chunkier version for spooning over cake.
Baking Green Matcha Cupcakes
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with 12 liners. Whisk the flour, matcha, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Sift the matcha in through a small strainer first, because it clumps easily and leaves dark green specks in the crumb.
Beat the butter and sugar for about 3 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. Stir the milk and sour cream together, then on low speed add the dry ingredients in three parts and the milk mixture in two, starting and ending with the dry. Stop as soon as no flour streaks remain. Overmixing makes the cupcakes tough and domed.
Fill each liner about two-thirds full and bake for 18 to 22 minutes. Check at 18: they are done when the tops spring back and a toothpick comes out clean. Extra minutes in the oven are what turn matcha cupcakes olive brown, so lean toward the shorter time. Cool them completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Fresh Strawberry Buttercream That Holds a Swirl
Beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter until creamy. Add 3½ cups powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating well after each, then mix in 1 teaspoon vanilla and a pinch of salt. Beat in the cold puree one tablespoon at a time, up to 4 or 5 tablespoons. The frosting is ready when it holds a stiff peak on the beater and keeps the ridges from a spoon. Use the last ½ cup of powdered sugar only if it needs firming.
The puree gives a soft, natural pink. For a deeper shade, add one or two drops of natural pink or red food coloring. For a firmer, sweeter strawberry frosting made without cooking, see my strawberry buttercream frosting.
If the Strawberry Frosting Misbehaves
- Too soft or sliding off the cupcake: the puree was warm or there was too much of it. Chill the bowl for 15 minutes, then beat again, or add more powdered sugar up to the 4 cup total.
- Curdled or grainy: the butter was colder than the puree. Keep beating for a minute or two; it usually comes back together as it warms.
- Pale pink and faint flavor: the puree was thin. Cook the next batch a few minutes longer so it is jammy before blending.
Filling and Piping the Cupcakes
For a strawberry center, cut a small cone from the top of each cooled cupcake, spoon in about a teaspoon of the leftover puree, and put the top back on. Then pipe the buttercream on with your favorite tip. A large open star gives a tall swirl, and a round tip gives a smooth dome.
Green cake and pink frosting make these an obvious pick for spring birthdays, baby showers, and brunch tables.
Storing Strawberry Matcha Cupcakes
They taste best the day they are frosted. Frosted cupcakes are fine at room temperature for a few hours. After that, keep them covered in the fridge for up to 2 days, because the frosting contains fresh fruit, and let them sit out for about 30 minutes before serving so the crumb softens again.
For making ahead, freeze the cupcakes unfrosted, each one wrapped tightly, for up to 2 months. Thaw them at room temperature and frost on the day. The puree keeps in the fridge for a few days, so you can make it first.
More Matcha and Strawberry Bakes
For a cookie with the same pairing, try my strawberry matcha marble cookies, or go pastry with strawberry matcha croissants. For straight matcha, matcha crinkle cookies are soft and chewy, the matcha pound cake is denser, and matcha banana bread with white chocolate makes a tender loaf. If strawberry cupcakes are the goal, strawberry lemonade cupcakes are the bright, citrusy cousin.
Strawberry Matcha Cupcakes Recipe
These strawberry matcha cupcakes are soft green tea cupcakes made with matcha powder, butter, sour cream, and milk, topped with a fresh strawberry buttercream. The recipe makes 12 cupcakes that bake at 350°F for 18 to 22 minutes, about 1½ hours in total including cooling. The strawberry puree is cooked until jammy, strained, and cooled completely, so the pink frosting stays thick enough to pipe and tastes of real berries with no artificial dye. Serve these matcha cupcakes with strawberry frosting at spring birthdays, baby showers, Mother's Day, or brunch. Fill the centers with leftover puree if you like. Keep frosted cupcakes in the fridge for up to 2 days, or freeze unfrosted ones for 2 months.
Ingredients
- FOR THE MATCHA CUPCAKES
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon high-quality matcha powder (culinary or ceremonial grade)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup sour cream
- FOR THE STRAWBERRY PUREE
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- FOR THE STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 ½ to 4 cups powdered sugar
- 4 to 5 tablespoons strawberry puree (prepared above)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Optional: 1 to 2 drops of natural pink or red food coloring
Instructions
MAKE THE STRAWBERRY PUREE: Combine the chopped strawberries, lemon juice, and sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries break down and the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and puree the mixture using a blender or immersion blender until smooth. Strain the puree to remove seeds and let it cool completely before using.
PREPARE THE MATCHA CUPCAKES: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, matcha powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract. On low speed, alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk mixed with sour cream, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack.
MAKE THE STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract and salt. Slowly beat in the cooled strawberry puree, one tablespoon at a time, until the frosting reaches the desired consistency. If a more vibrant pink color is desired, add a drop or two of natural food coloring and mix well.
ASSEMBLE: Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, optionally core the center of each cupcake and fill with a teaspoon of strawberry puree for added flavor. Using a piping bag fitted with your preferred tip, pipe the strawberry buttercream onto each cupcake.
Notes
Make sure the strawberry puree is fully cooled before adding it to the buttercream to prevent the frosting from becoming too soft. Measure the puree for the frosting first and use any leftover to fill the cupcake centers.
Sift the matcha with the flour to avoid green specks. Start checking the cupcakes at 18 minutes; overbaking turns the green toward brown.
If the frosting is too soft to pipe, chill it for 15 minutes or beat in more powdered sugar up to 4 cups. If it looks curdled, keep beating until smooth.
Frosted cupcakes keep a few hours at room temperature and up to 2 days covered in the fridge. Unfrosted cupcakes can be wrapped and frozen for up to 2 months.
Nutrition Information
Yield
12Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 912Total Fat 28gSaturated Fat 17gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 10gCholesterol 102mgSodium 191mgCarbohydrates 166gFiber 1gSugar 149gProtein 4g
