Discover the Japanese-style steamed matcha cake recipe, no oven needed!

Our matcha cake is not only soft, fluffy, and fragrant, with a refreshing, gentle sweetness, but it's also incredibly good for your health. Plus, you don't even need an oven to make it!

The unique matcha cake from Chen By NamChen restaurant

The name Chen By NamChen is surely familiar to those who appreciate grilling in Hanoi, partly because of its distinctive name, partly because of the quality of its dishes and service. Beyond the grilled dishes, Chen fried rice and bird's nest porridge hot pot - three famous dishes associated with the name Chen By NamChen, this place also offers many other delicious, unique, and innovative dishes that you might not have caught up with yet. Among them is the Japanese-style matcha cake that I will guide you through the recipe below.

Experience the salmon processing at Chen By NamChen

This winter season, Chen By NamChen is making waves with their new dish, dried goat hot pot. The unique name has piqued the interest of many familiar and new guests at the restaurant, eagerly anticipating trying it out because who knows how dried hot pot tastes like!

But truth be told, this hot pot doesn't need water; the meat, vegetables, and mushrooms are cooked directly on a high-temperature cast iron pan, soaked in sauce, so the natural sweetness isn't released like in regular hot pots. Instead, the sauce gradually infuses inside. When the vegetables and meat are cooked, they become much richer, softer, and sweeter than regular hot pot. This hot pot is served with a specially brewed green tea dipping sauce, not the usual hot pot sauce, which is fresher, nuttier, creamier, and more nutritious. You just have to try it, and you'll be hooked!

The unique Japanese-style dry hot pot

After indulging in a rich hot pot/barbecue meal, my top choice for dessert is a refreshing matcha cake to help cut through the fat. This dish can be made with an oven, microwave, or rice cooker, but I'll show you how to steam matcha cake so it's not soggy, not watery, and without the need for an oven or microwave!

Different types of green tea cupcakes with various toppings

Baking Ingredients

+ 1 egg, 1 teaspoon green tea powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 and a half tablespoons sugar, half a cup of flour

+ 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon oil, 3 tablespoons yogurt

Firstly, since there's no need for dough fermentation, the dough mixing stage will be quite quick, so let's start by preparing the steamer. Take a large pot and wrap it with a cloth. This layer of cloth will help absorb the steam, preventing it from condensing and dripping back onto the cake batter.

Place small glass molds/cups/bowls in the pot (ensure the length of these molds allows you to place them inside without touching the cloth), pour water into the pot so that the water level only reaches halfway up the glass molds, then remove the molds, cover the pot, and place it on the stove to boil.

Preparing the steamer

Crack the eggs into a bowl, add cooking oil, beat well, then add yogurt and honey, mix thoroughly. Once mixed evenly and smooth, add sugar, stirring until dissolved.

Sift baking powder and flour, mix them together, then slowly sprinkle into the egg bowl, add green tea powder, beat well to ensure the mixture is smooth and well combined.

Place cupcake liners into glass cups and evenly distribute the batter into these liners. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to medium, place the prepared glass cups into the pot, cover, and steam the cakes for about 12 - 15 minutes, depending on the size of your cupcakes. Adjust the time accordingly!

No need for dough fermentation, so it's quick to make

If you insert a toothpick into the cake and it comes out clean, without any sticky batter, then the cake is done. You can take it out, pack it as a gift, or serve it with jam, milk, etc.

Inspired by the unique green tea cake from Chen By NamChen and the humble kitchen conditions at home, I've searched to find the simplest way to make this delicious green tea cake without dough fermentation, without an oven, and still be able to enjoy this tasty treat.

Steam for about 15 minutes, and it's ready

For those planning gatherings at the end of the year, besides grilling, don't forget that Chen By NamChen is currently trending with their dry hot pot - a dish still relatively new in our country! You can visit Chen and experience the distinct difference between dry hot pot and regular hot pot.

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