Green Tea Sponge Cake

Ingredients:

2 large eggs, well beaten
140g plain flour
125g sugar
100g butter
1 tbsp matcha (Japanese green tea powder)
1/2 tsp baking powder

Method:

Cream together the butter and flour until pale and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, a little at a time, beating thoroughly to combine after each addition.

Sift the flour, baking powder and green tea powder into a bowl. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the liquid ingredients, mixing until just combined. Pour the batter into a buttered loaf tin.

Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 170°C and bake for about 35 minutes, or until the cake is well risen and cooked through and a skewer inserted into the centre emerges cleanly. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cook for 10 minutes.

Turn out onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely before serving or storing (like many tea-based cakes this will taste better the following day, if allowed to mature over night in an air-tight tin).