Name: Matcha Pound Cake with Adzuki Beans
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 2 eggs; 20 ml whole milk; 2-3 drops vanilla essence (or 1 drop vanilla extract); 100 g cake flour; 1 tbsp matcha powder; ½ tsp baking powder; 1 pinch salt; 100 g granulated sugar; 100 g butter (softened (room temperature)); 100 g boiled adzuki beans

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What is Japanese Pound Cake?

Cakes in Japan are often celebrated for their light, fluffy, cloud-like texture (think strawberry shortcake and chiffon cake), but did you know that pound cake is well-loved here too? In fact, you can find individual slices of pound cake in most convenience stores and supermarkets across the country.

A slice of matcha adzuki pound cake held in a hand with bite missing and white round plate in the background

Japanese pound cakes come in many different flavors ranging from standard vanilla or lemon, to more unusual options such as matcha, roasted green tea (hojicha), and black bean. Today I’m going to show you how make Matcha Pound Cake, which is one of my personal favorites!

Japanese pound cake is typically a little lighter and fluffier than pound cake found in the West, but it still has that rich, buttery and moist texture that is loved by many. My version contains boiled adzuki beans, which are a perfect pairing for matcha due to their natural sweet taste and creamy texture.

This Matcha and Adzuki Pound Cake makes a wonderful snack or afternoon tea cake, so I hope you can enjoy this one with family and friends!

Matcha and adzuki bean poundcake with a slice cut on a cream colored rectangular plate on a wooden surface

Key Ingredients & Substitution Ideas

Ingredients used to make matcha adzuki pound cake on a white background with labels

Cake flour: This low-gluten wheat flour will give your cake a softer and lighter crumb while still being rich and dense. Because cake flour is lighter, it rises better and gives pound cakes a better dome shape. You can use all-purpose flour in a pinch, but the top might be flatter.
Granulated sugar: Japanese cakes are typically not as sweet as their Western counterparts, however, one exception is pound cake which is known for its sweet and buttery flavor. Granulated or caster (superfine) work best. I don’t recommend decreasing the amount or using any other kinds of sugar.
Eggs and butter: Regular large eggs and unsalted butter are used in this recipe, just remember to take them out of the fridge before you start. They should be room temperature when making the batter. (If you forgot, check the tips & tricks below the recipe.)
Whole milk: Adding whole milk contributes to a softer and moister crumb. Substitutes include plain yogurt or sour cream.
Baking powder: Although traditional pound cake doesn’t include any rising agents, I like to add a small amount to help that iconic crack form along the top. Baking powder can expire, so if it’s been hanging around in your cupboard for a while, test a small amount with some boiling water. If it bubbles, it’s still good. If nothing happens, you’ll need to replace it.
Vanilla: Although this is a matcha cake, vanilla works really well with matcha and adds a nice depth. Since it’s not the main flavor, I find inexpensive vanilla essence works perfectly well. Feel free to use extract or paste if that’s what you have, just be careful not to use too much as we don’t want to overpower the matcha.
Matcha powder: Use a good quality culinary grade matcha powder (affiliate link), no need to use expensive ceremonial grades here (save that for drinking!). Matcha powder that is bright green with a pleasant aroma indicates freshness, if your matcha is dark and has a musty smell, I recommend replacing it. Keep opened matcha in an airtight container in the refrigerator to extend its shelf life.
Adzuki beans: Your adzuki beans will need to be boiled before you start the recipe. You can either buy the dried beans and boil them yourself, or you can save time and buy canned adzuki beans that have already been cooked (affiliate link). Boiling instructions: Wash the beans and boil for 10 minutes, then replace the water (to remove astringency), boil for another 40-50 minutes until soft enough to crush with your fingers. Make sure you cool them before using them in your cake. If adzuki beans aren’t your thing, omit them or try adding white chocolate chips, nuts or dried fruit instead!

I used a 18×7.5cm loaf pan (7x3inches) for this recipe, so aim for a pan with similar dimensions. If using smaller or larger pans, you will need to adjust the baking time.

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Matcha and adzuki bean poundcake on a cream colored rectangular plate on wooden background

Visual Walkthrough & Tips

Here are my step-by-step instructions for how to make Matcha Pound Cake with adzuki beans. For ingredient quantities and simplified instructions, scroll down for the Printable Recipe Card below.

This section aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the cooking steps and techniques with visuals. It also includes more in-depth tips and tricks and explains why I do what I do.

STEP

Combine wet ingredients

Before you start, preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line your baking pan. I like to use baking paper for easy removal, but you can grease your pan with butter if you prefer.

Whisk the eggs, milk and vanilla in a jug and set aside for later.

STEP

Sift dry ingredients

Sift the cake flour and matcha into a bowl and mix well. Scoop out 1 tbsp and set aside for later (we will use this to coat the adzuki beans). Then, add the baking powder and a pinch of salt.

STEP

Cream butter and sugar

Whip the butter until smooth, then add the sugar and continue to whip until combined. Gradually add the egg mixture from earlier while whisking continuously. Note that if your egg mixture was made with chilled eggs, or you add it at once, then the batter might split. You can prevent this by making sure you use room-temperature eggs and add them slowly to the butter and sugar. If it does split, don’t worry too much as you can save it when you add the dry ingredients.

STEP

Combine wet and dry ingredients

Add the dry ingredients one-third at a time until well incorporated. Once there is no more dry flour, stop whipping.

adding matcha and flour to wet ingredients

matcha pound cake batter in a glass mixing bowl

STEP

Add the adzuki beans

Whether you’re using your own boiled adzuki beans or the canned variety, I recommend rinsing them and patting them dry to prevent adding unnecessary moisture to the batter. Sprinkle with the matcha flour saved from earlier and toss until evenly covered, then add them to the batter. Coating the beans with flour will help stop sinking while baking. Save a few to sprinkle on the top if you like.

flour coated adzuki beans in matcha pound cake batter

STEP

Bake

Mix well and then pour the batter into the loaf pan.

Matcha and adzuki bean poundcake batter in a lined loaf pan

Bake for 40-50 minutes or until you can pierce the center with a skewer and it comes out clean.

Tip: If you want to guarantee the iconic cracked top, quickly pull the pan out of the oven around the 30-minute mark and use a knife to lightly score the top to help it along. It’s kinda cheating, but it guarantees results!

STEP

Cool

When it’s cooked and the skewer comes out clean, transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool for 5-10 minutes before removing the cake from the pan and letting it cool completely.

Once cool, cut, serve and enjoy!

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How to Store

Easy storage is one of the beauties of pound cake. If it’s winter or you live in a cool climate, you can keep it in an airtight container in a cool dry place for 1-2 days. For warm climates or in spring/summer, wrap with plastic wrap and store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Matcha pound cake also freezes really well. You can freeze it whole, but I like to cut it into slices and wrap them individually so that I can enjoy a slice anytime I feel like it! Wrap and store in a large sealable freezer bag to protect it from freezer burn. This cake can be frozen for 1-2 months.

Matcha and adzuki bean poundcake on a cream colored rectangular plate with slice on a round plate in the foreground

Pro Tips for Perfect Results

Measure ingredients accurately – This recipe is pretty forgiving, but for consistent results, I recommend using measuring scales over cups, especially for dry ingredients. If using cups, sift the flour and pour it into the cup (avoid scooping packed flour).
Test your baking powder – Once opened, baking powder deteriorates, especially in hot or humid environments. Check your baking powder is still good by adding 1/2 tsp to a bowl and pouring boiling water over it. If it bubbles, it’s still good. If not, you’ll need a new batch.
Room temperature ingredients – Ingredients combine better when they are all the same temperature and this is especially important in baking, where overmixing can ruin a cake. This recipe calls for soft butter and room-temperature eggs. If you forgot to take them out of the fridge ahead of baking, try these tips: Place chilled eggs in warm (not hot) water for 5 minutes. For butter, microwave a cup of water for 2 minutes, while you wait, cut the butter into cubes. Take the cup out and place the butter in the warm microwave for a few minutes. It’s important not to use melted butter for this recipe as this can make it heavy or greasy.
Avoid overmixing – Mixing too much causes gluten formation (great for bread, not so much for cakes) which will make your cake heavy or chewy. Using cake flour prevents this to some extent, but stop mixing once all the flour is incorporated just to be safe.
Tips for adzuki beans – Your adzuki beans should be completely cooked before they’re added to the batter, so make sure you can crush them right to the core with your fingers before adding them to your cake. Coating them with a dusting of flour will help stop them from sinking to the bottom too.
Test with a skewer – Make sure your cake is fully cooked by piercing it with a skewer. Pierce through the crack not only to conceal the hole, but also because this area is the part that cooks the slowest. The skewer should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If you see any wet batter on the skewer, return the cake to the oven and check every 3-5 minutes until it’s done.

I hope you enjoy this Matcha and Adzuki Bean Pound Cake recipe! If you try it out, I’d really appreciate it if you could spare a moment to let me know what you thought by giving a review and star rating in the comments below. It’s also helpful to share any adjustments you made to the recipe with our other readers. Thank you!