Strawberry Matcha Loaf
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This Strawberry Matcha Loaf recipe is soft and tender, with beautiful pink and green swirls. It has a delicate crumb, a sweet berry taste, and just enough matcha for a hint of earthiness.
Table of Contents
- Here’s Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- In Photos: How To Make Strawberry Matcha Loaf
- More Fun Loaves & Sweet Bread Recipes
This loaf looks fancy, but it is actually easy to make. You mix the batter, split it in two, and flavor one half with strawberry and the other with matcha. When you layer them in the pan and bake, you get a pretty marbled look in every slice.
The strawberry icing on top is bright and fruity, making a perfect finish. This loaf is great with afternoon tea, at a spring brunch, or as a gift for a friend.
Here’s Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft, moist, and tender with a delicate crumb.
- Sweet strawberry flavor balanced by mellow, earthy matcha.
- Beautiful pink and green swirls make every slice feel special.
- Simple loaf-pan format keeps it approachable and easy to serve.
- Strawberry icing adds a bright, fruity finish.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The recipe card at the bottom of the post contains the full list with all of the amounts. Refer to that when you’re cooking.
For the strawberry matcha cake
- Cake flour: Keeps the crumb soft, light, and delicate. All-purpose flour can be used in its place if that is what you have on hand, though the loaf may be just slightly less tender.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the loaf and helps create a moist, fine texture.
- Baking powder: Gives the batter lift so the loaf bakes up tall and fluffy.
- Kosher salt: Balances the sweetness and sharpens all the flavors.
- Vegetable oil: Adds moisture and keeps the loaf soft for days. A neutral oil works best here.
- Buttermilk: Brings a gentle tang and helps create a tender crumb. You can make a quick substitute with milk, lemon juice, or vinegar.
- Egg whites: Provide structure while keeping the loaf light in color and texture.
- Freeze-dried strawberries: Add concentrated berry flavor without extra moisture, which makes them perfect for baking.
- Strawberry extract: Boosts the strawberry flavor and makes the pink layer really sing.
- Matcha powder: Gives the green layer its earthy flavor and beautiful natural color.
- Pink and green food coloring: Optional, but helpful if you want the colors to look extra vibrant.
For the strawberry icing
- Powdered sugar: Creates a smooth, sweet glaze.
- Freeze-dried strawberries: Add natural strawberry flavor and a pretty blush tone.
- Buttermilk: Thins the icing to the perfect drizzling consistency.
- Strawberry extract: Intensifies the berry flavor.
- Pink food coloring: Optional, for a brighter pink finish.
In Photos: How To Make Strawberry Matcha Loaf
Step 1: Mix the batter
Start by whisking the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.
Make a well in the center, then add the oil, buttermilk, and egg whites.
Whisk from the center outward, gradually incorporating the dry ingredients until the batter is smooth.
Step 2: Divide and flavor
Transfer half the batter to a second bowl. Stir the ground freeze-dried strawberries, strawberry extract, and pink food coloring into one half.
Add the matcha powder and green food coloring to the remaining half.
Now you have two colorful batters ready to layer.
Step 3: Layer in the pan
Spoon some of the matcha batter into the prepared loaf pan, then top with some strawberry batter. Continue alternating the two until all the batter has been used.
This layering creates that beautiful swirled look throughout the loaf.
Step 4: Bake
Bake the loaf at a higher temperature first to help it rise, then reduce the heat and continue baking until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Let it cool in the pan briefly before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 5: Make icing
Stir the icing ingredients together until smooth.
Step 6: Glaze and finish
Then, spoon or drizzle it over the cooled loaf.
Once the glaze is set, slice and serve.
Helpful Tips and Tricks
- Grind the freeze-dried strawberries as finely as possible so they blend smoothly into both the batter and the glaze.
- Do not overmix once the wet and dry ingredients come together. A gentle hand helps keep the loaf tender.
- If the top begins browning too quickly, loosely tent it with foil during the final part of baking.
- Be sure the loaf is completely cool before adding the icing, or it will melt right off.
More Fun Loaves & Sweet Bread Recipes
- Iced Lemon Loaf
- Carrot Cake Loaf
- Monkey Bread
- Apple Bread
- Coconut Bread
- Zucchini Bread
- Chocolate Banana Bread
- Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Strawberry Matcha Loaf
Ingredients
For the Strawberry Matcha Cake
- 2 1/2 cups cake flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 egg whites, large
- 3/4 ounce freeze-dried strawberries, finely ground
- 1 1/2 teaspoons strawberry extract
- 2 teaspoons matcha powder
- a few drops pink & green food coloring, optional
For the Strawberry Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 ounce freeze-dried strawberries, finely ground & sieved
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons strawberry extract
- a few drops pink food coloring, optional
Instructions
To Make the Strawberry Matcha Cake
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and lightly mist a 5-cup glass loaf pan with non-stick spray.
- Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and pour in the oil, buttermilk, and egg whites.
- Starting in the center and working your way outward, whisk the liquid ingredients together, gradually drawing the dry ingredients into the mixture.
- Transfer half the batter to a medium bowl and whisk in the freeze-dried strawberry powder, strawberry extract, and pink food coloring (if using).
- Whisk the matcha powder and green food coloring (if using) into the remaining batter.
- Using a large serving spoon or ice cream scoop, place some of the matcha batter into the greased loaf pan.
- Layer some of the strawberry batter on top, then repeat with more matcha batter.
- Continue alternating until the pan is full and there is no remaining batter.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the oven temp down to 350 and continue to bake until a skewer inserted in the thickest part of the loaf comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (approximately 65 to 75 minutes more).*
- Cool for 20 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Top with strawberry icing.
To Make the Strawberry Icing
- Place the powdered sugar, freeze-dried strawberry powder, buttermilk, strawberry extract, and food coloring (if using) in a small bowl and stir together until smooth.
