Some desserts try too hard. You know the ones. Frosted towers, too many layers, shouting for likes more than flavor. This one’s not like that. It sits quietly on your counter, soft green and not in a rush. You cut a slice and it feels like you slowed down — even if it’s just for five minutes.

The flavor doesn’t hit you all at once. It eases in. There’s that whisper of bitter from the matcha, a hum of sweetness from maple, and the kind of gentle texture that only almond flour seems to know how to give. You keep chewing, and it grows on you. The second bite’s even better.

This isn’t the kind of cake that wrecks your afternoon. It’s not full of stuff you can’t pronounce. It’s one of those desserts that walks the line — sweet enough to count as a treat, light enough that you don’t regret the second slice.

Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: Makes 6–8, depending on your level of sharing

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need. Nothing fancy. Just solid stuff.

• 1 cup almond flour — soft, nutty, does half the work for you
• ¾ cup gluten-free all-purpose flour — or regular if you’re not gluten-sensitive
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp matcha powder — bright green, not dull brown-green
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ¾ cup maple syrup or coconut sugar — whichever you like better
• 1 cup oat milk, plain and unsweetened
• ⅓ cup coconut oil, melted (don’t use it cold, trust me)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Optional: crushed nuts on top if you want it to look like you know what you’re doing

Instructions

Preparation

Heat your oven to 175°C / 350°F. Grease a round pan or drop in a sheet of parchment if you’re lazy about cleanup.

Sift your dry stuff: almond flour, the other flour, matcha, baking powder, salt. Don’t skip this step. Matcha turns into little clumps if you let it. No one wants a bitter surprise in one bite and none in the rest.

In a separate bowl, whisk oat milk, syrup, oil, and vanilla. Nothing technical here — just make it smooth.

Cooking

Pour the wet into the dry and stir just until you stop seeing dry patches. The batter should look creamy green and slightly thick.

Pour it all into your pan, tap it gently on the counter to let air bubbles escape, then bake. About 30 minutes should do it, but start checking around 28. You’re looking for a clean toothpick, not a burnt edge.

Serving

Let it cool at least 10 minutes before you go hacking at it. Better if you wait even longer. Add a little matcha dust or powdered sugar if you’re showing off. Or just slice and eat. This one’s easy to get along with.

Nutritional Value Per One Serving

Nutrition Facts
(roughly per slice — if you don’t eat the whole thing “just to taste”)

• Calories: 220
• Total Fat: 10g
• Saturated Fat: 5g
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Sodium: 120mg
• Carbohydrates: 28g
• Dietary Fiber: 2g
• Sugars: 10g
• Protein: 4g

Tips and Variations

Want to mess with it a little? Totally fine. This cake won’t throw a fit.

• Toss in lemon zest if you want a sharp little twist
• Add berries — gently, don’t mash them — for color and pop
• Out of oat milk? Use almond, soy, rice, whatever’s in the fridge
• Pour into muffin tins and cut the bake time to 20 minutes

Not all desserts survive changes like this one does. It’s forgiving. That’s rare in a cake.

Conclusion

What makes this cake work isn’t magic. It’s just a simple, clean flavor. No drama, no overload. It feels like the kind of thing you make when you need something good but don’t want a project.

Whether you’re on a gluten-free streak or just curious about green tea in your sweets, this matcha cake earns a place in your rotation. Call it healthy. Call it plant-based. Call it Tuesday night dessert. It doesn’t matter.