There is nothing like making a dessert that tastes good and looks good too. Lately, I have been totally into this combo – dark chocolate cupcakes and matcha green tea frosting. It is kind of random at first. But weirdl,y it works. They are total opposites, yeah, but they balance each other so well. In this article, we are going to talk about how to make dark chocolate cupcakes with matcha green tea frosting.
How I Got Into It?
I am not going to lie- this flavour combo is really great to taste. At first, it was just a small thing. But then it turned into something else.
I have always liked matcha. And dark chocolate has always been a favourite, too.
But when I added them together in a cupcake… everything clicked
It all just works. Nothing too strong- just enough to make you go,
“Wait…what is that?”
Now I make these cupcakes all the time when I want something a little different. So… you in? Let’s bake something awesome.
Ingredients You Will Need
Creating these decadent Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Matcha Green Tea Frosting requires a few key ingredients.
Let’s see the required ingredients for 12-14 cupcakes:
For the Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
- All-purpose flour: 1 cup (approximately 120-125g). You can also use cake flour.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: ½ cup (50g)
- Granulated sugar: ½ cup (100g)
- Brown sugar: ½ cup (100g) for moisture.
- Baking powder: ½ teaspoon – For lift.
- Baking soda: ¼ teaspoon
- Salt: ¼ teaspoon
- Large eggs: 2
- Milk: ½ cup (120mL)
- Vegetable oil: ⅓ cup (80mL)
- Vanilla extract: 1 teaspoon
- Hot water: ½ cup (120mL)
For Matcha Green Tea Frosting
- Full-fat cream cheese: 8 oz (225g), cold.
- Unsalted butter: ½ cup (113g).
- Sugar: 2 cups (240g),
- Matcha green tea powder: 1 tablespoon (3-6g).
Let’s Make Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Matcha Green Tea Frosting
Preheat your oven. Set it to 350°F (175°C). Line a muffin tin with 9 paper cupcake liners. In a medium bowl, sift together your flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Give it all a good whisk so it’s mixed evenly.
And hey, don’t skip the sifting. Cocoa powder loves to clump, and nobody wants dry lumps in their batter.
Now onto the wet mix. Grab a big bowl. Crack in the eggs. Pour in the milk, oil, vanilla, and both sugars. Whisk everything until it’s smooth and blended. Add your dry mix into the wet. Mix on low just until it’s combined. The key is not to overdo it.
Overmixing = dense or rubbery cupcakes.
The batter will look thick now. It’s totally normal. Gradually pour in the hot water and keep mixing slowly until it smooths out. It will look a little thin, but that’s exactly what we want. Fill them up. Scoop the batter into your liners. About two-thirds full.
Pro tip: An ice cream scoop makes this super easy.
Now bake them in the oven for 18–22 minutes. Check with a toothpick that it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs stuck to it.
Let the cupcakes sit in the pan for 5 minutes to cool down. Then move them to a wire rack so they can cool completely.
Next, Prepare Matcha Green Tea Frosting
Start with the cream cheese and butter. Add in the cold, full-fat cream cheese and the softened butter. Now whip it up at medium-high speed. Keep going for about 1 to 2 minutes.
Next, add in the powdered sugar gradually, about ½ cup at a time. Go slow and mix on low so it doesn’t puff everywhere. Once that’s in, sift in your matcha green tea powder.
Then pour in the vanilla and a small pinch of salt. Mix all of them together and check the texture. If the frosting feels too thick to pipe, add milk a little at a time. Start with ½ tablespoon and add up to 2 tablespoons if you need.
Keep mixing until it feels smooth and pipeable.
Too soft? You’ve got options-
- Pop it in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Or just beat in a little more sifted powdered sugar.
When I want it extra firm, I make it the night before. I leave it in a piping bag in the fridge overnight. By morning, it’s perfectly ready to go on top of those cupcakes.
Add Dark Chocolate Cupcake with Matcha Green Tea and Frosting
By this time, our cupcakes have cooled. Scoop that matcha cream cheese frosting into a piping bag. Now go ahead and pipe a thick swirl of frosting on top of each cupcake.
Now your dark chocolate cupcake with matcha green tea frosting is ready to serve.
What if You Want to Store Them?
Put the frosted cupcakes in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge. They’ll stay fresh for about 3 days. Before serving, let them sit out for 10 to 15 minutes.
FAQ
What Type of Matcha Powder to Use for the Frosting?
Use high-quality culinary-grade or ceremonial-grade matcha powder.
How Should I Store These Frosted Cupcakes?
Frosted cupcakes should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
Why is It Important to Sift Matcha Powder When Making Frosting?
Sifting matcha powder is very important because matcha is prone to clumping.
Concluding Words
These cupcakes bring together two flavours I love-
- Rich dark chocolate and
- Matcha green tea.
And trust me, they are not just tasty… they look amazing too.
I usually go with unsweetened cocoa powder and a splash of oil or butter to make sure they are soft and tender. You should try this with your own variations. I hope they will taste good. If you can come up with some new variations, then you can share your experience with us.
