Matcha Mousse Chocolate Sponge Cake

Matcha Mousse Chocolate sponge CakeOne of the most pleasing dessert flavor combinations is chocolate and green tea, I would say. Green tea is very lovable, and chocolate, oh who doesn’t like chocolate?! Wait, my 7-year-old son! He is the only kid I’ve ever come across who doesn’t like chocolate, in any forms. Candies, cupcakes, cake pops, ice cream… NO! NO CHOCOLATE! Except my lava cake, the one and only chocolate related food that he will eat. And of course no green tea. He hates it!

But the rest of the world loves chocolate and green tea. So I think I should move on. And as a loving mother, I will make sure my son will have his portion of dessert, like a piece of candy, when we are eating our chocolate cake.

I would’ve used my go-to chocolate cake for this cake. But I wanted something a little lighter and less fudgy to go with the feathery matcha mousse. So I tried to convert my sponge cake into a chocolate sponge cake by adding cocoa powder and coffee. I also put in a little baking powder to make sure the cake would rise with the additional liquid.

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For this creamy and light matcha mousse, I used white chocolate and egg yolks as the base. No sugar was added in the mousse mixture as the white chocolate is sweet enough. The sweet white chocolate pairs perfectly with the bitter green tea flavor. They also present a beautiful contrast in colors, too.

Ingredients (one 8-inch layered cake):
Chocolate Sponge Cake
3 large eggs, room temperature, separated
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup coffee, room temperature
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup cake flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Matcha Mousse
2 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin powder
4 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons matcha powder
4 egg yolks
200 grams white chocolate, melted and cooled
1 cup heavy cream
White Chocolate Ganache Topping
50 grams white chocolate, cut into small chunks
2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream
15 to 20 fresh raspberries
1 tablespoon dark chocolate shavings

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease the bottom and sides of an 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a bowl of a standing mixer with a whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Scrape the meringue in another bowl. Set aside.
In the same mixing bowl, beat egg yolks and 1/4 cup sugar on high speed until thick and light in color, about 5 minutes. Add coffee and oil. Mix for another minute.
Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over top of egg yolk mixture. Fold the flour mixture in the egg mixture, followed by half of the meringue.
Fold the rest of the meringue into the batter until just incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until the centre of the cake springs back when gently pressed.
Remove the cake from the oven and let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Run a thin knife around the cake edge and place the cake on a wire rack to cool completely.
To prepare matcha mousse, sprinkle gelatin powder in 2 tablespoons water. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Mix matcha powder with another 2 tablespoons water to form a paste. Then mix it with the gelatin until smooth.
Beat the egg yolks until light and creamy, about 5 minutes. Mix in the matcha mixture.
Beat in the melted white chocolate until combined.
Whip the heavy cream until it becomes stiff. Add the cream to the matcha mixture and fold with a spatula until it becomes one liquid.
To assemble, line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
Place in the chocolate cake layer. Then pour the matcha mixture over the cake. Juggle to lightly level the top.
Keep in the refrigerator overnight.
To prepare ganache, place the chocolate and heavy cream in a medium heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Stir the mixture using a wooden spoon until melted and smooth. Let cool slightly.
Remove cake from the refrigerator. Transfer cake from cake pan to a serving plate. Peel off the parchment papers.
Pour ganache over the top edges of the cake. Use an offset spatula to gently push the ganache over the sides of the cake to create the dripping effect.
Garnish with fresh raspberries and chocolate shavings.

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