Description

A soft, buttery pound cake with vibrant pink strawberry and earthy green matcha swirls. This elegant Strawberry Matcha Marble Pound Cake combines the rich flavor of classic pound cake with playful, colorful swirls of freeze-dried strawberry powder and ceremonial-grade matcha, creating a striking visual and delicious treat perfect for tea parties, brunch, or gifting.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake Batter

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon fine salt
2 tablespoons whole milk, divided
1 tablespoon culinary-grade matcha powder
2 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberry powder
Optional: Pink or green gel food coloring for more vibrant swirls

Instructions

Preheat & Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan generously with butter or non-stick spray, then line it with a parchment paper sling leaving overhang on the long sides to make cake removal easy.
Cream Butter & Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for 3–5 minutes until the mixture is pale, fluffy, and almost whipped. Scrape down the bowl halfway to ensure even creaming.
Add Eggs & Vanilla: With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next to prevent curdling. If the batter looks grainy, add a spoonful of flour to stabilize. Mix in the vanilla extract until smooth.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients on low speed, mixing until just combined. A few flour streaks are fine; avoid overmixing to keep the cake tender.
Divide & Flavor Batter: Divide the batter evenly between two medium bowls. In one bowl, sift the matcha powder directly onto the batter, add 1 tablespoon of milk, and gently fold until smooth and evenly green. In the other bowl, add the strawberry powder and remaining 1 tablespoon of milk, folding gently until a rosy pink batter develops. Optionally add pink gel food coloring for extra vibrancy.
Marble the Batter: Alternate spoonfuls of matcha and strawberry batter into the prepared loaf pan. Using a thin butter knife or wooden skewer, swirl through the batter 4–5 times using slow ‘S’ or figure-eight motions to create distinct marbled patterns—avoid over-swizzling to prevent muddling the colors.
Bake: Place the pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 50–60 minutes. Begin checking at 50 minutes by inserting a toothpick into the center (avoiding the swirl); it should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. The cake’s top should be golden and spring back to touch.
Cool the Cake: Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes to set, then use the parchment sling to lift it out. Transfer the cake directly to the rack and cool completely before slicing to prevent crumbling.
Serve: Slice with a sharp serrated knife in gentle sawing motions for clean cuts. Optionally dust with powdered sugar or drizzle a simple glaze made from powdered sugar and milk or lemon juice. Perfect served alongside tea, coffee, or a frothy matcha latte.

Notes

Use room-temperature eggs and butter to prevent curdling and ensure smooth batter.
Freeze-dried strawberry powder is preferred over fresh strawberries to avoid excess moisture and maintain clean, vibrant swirls.
Sift matcha powder directly into the batter to avoid lumps; adding milk and letting it hydrate can help smoothen any clumps.
Store the cake wrapped tightly at room temperature for 3–4 days or freeze for up to 3 months, thawing overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
Over-swizzling the batter will merge the colors into a dull brown-green; limit swirls for a distinct marble effect.
To create a vegan version, substitute with plant-based butter, flax eggs (4 tbsp ground flaxseed + 4 tbsp water, rested 5 minutes), and non-dairy milk; texture will be slightly different but delicious.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50-60 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Western

Keywords: strawberry matcha pound cake, marble cake, tea party cake, matcha dessert, strawberry swirl cake, pound cake recipe, colorful marble cake