Taste of Japan and Sake Live vol.45

Products used in "Taste of Japan and Sake vol.45"

Cupcake with Matcha and Kinako

Japanese hot cake mix (or pancake mix) is a seasoned flour with baking powder that guarantees fluffy and light cupcakes. It makes American style pancakes and it’s lovely for donuts, too.

Kinako is a fine flour made by grinding soybean powder, it is nutritious and delicious, traditionally used in Japanese sweets.

Ingredients
Makes 6 cup cakes 

Cupcakes
150g    Japanese Hot Cake Mix
1          Egg
110ml   Milk
50g      Butter
50g      Sugar
90g      Red bean paste

Matcha and Kinako Cream
300g    Double cream
50g      Sugar
½ tbsp  Matcha powder
1tbsp   Kinako powder 

Optional cake decorations

Preparations
1. Pre heat oven to 180C. Fill 6 cupcake moulds with cases.
2. Make 6 x 15g red bean paste balls.
3. Using an electric whisk, beat softened butter and sugar together until it turns pale and creamy. Add an egg and milk, and whisk a little.
4. Add Japanese hotcake mix to the above, mix together by scooping up from the bottom with a spatula until the mixture is combined and becomes creamy.
5. Spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases. Add the red bean ball in each cupcake mix.

Cooking 
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 180C in the oven until golden brown. Insert a skewer into the centre of the cake, if it comes out clean the cakes are cooked well.

Matcha and Kinako cream
7. Whisk double cream until it thickens. Add sugar and whisk further. The cream should still be soft and spoonable.
8. Divide the above in 2 bowls. Add kinako powder to one of the bowls with the cream, use a clean spatula to scoop up from the bottom and mix. Repeat the process for the matcha powder to make matcha cream.

Decoration
9. Make sure that the cup cakes are no longer warm. Cover the top of the cupcake with 1/3 of the kinako cream completely. Hit the cream gently with the back of the dinner spoon to create a textured surface. Sprinkle your choice of cupcake decorations.