Need to make dessert, but don’t have a lot of time? These Easy Matcha Green Tea Cupcakes are just what you need. The perfect blend of sweetness and earthy goodness. A unique and flavourful dessert.
Matcha green tea powder is the secret ingredient in these pretty tea cupcakes. The mint-flavoured frosting just happens to pair perfectly too.
Everyone loves dessert. Sometimes made from scratch isn’t an option, especially if you don’t like to bake. These matcha cupcakes are made with a cake mix. Easy, simple and always delicious.
I love adding flavours of tea to recipes. Chia cupcakes are perfect with a latte. Mint tea works great in this watermelon cooler on hot summer days. Homemade lemon tea popsicles with blackberries are a great summer treat.
RECIPE and INSTRUCTIONS for these green cupcakes can be found at the bottom of this post.
Ingredients For Green Tea Cupcakes
- vanilla
- boxed white cake mix
- matcha green tea powder
- icing sugar
- butter
- mint flavouring or some mint simple syrup
- green food colouring
Easy Matcha Cupcakes From A Box
No one will ever know you didn’t bake these cupcakes from scratch. Full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Prepare a muffin tin with liners and preheat the oven.
- Mix the cake mix according to the package directions.
- Add in the matcha green tea powder and additional vanilla.
- Fill the liners ⅔ full with batter and bake.
- Remove when done and allow to cool before frosting.
- Make the buttercream according to the recipe below.
- Add the green food colouring.
- Place frosting in a piping bag and have fun.
Suggestions/Recipe Tips
For decorating, I used a 1M and #32 tip to create cute spring-like flowers on top of these pretty cupcakes. You can make the frosting any colour you like. Change the flavouring too.
Vanilla cake mix or just a white cake mix is best if you want to see the green colour in the cupcakes.
You and use mint flavouring, or try adding some spearmint simple syrup instead.
Cupcakes will keep for 3-4 days in a sealed container. You can freeze unfrosted baked cupcakes for several months. When needed, defrost and top with buttercream frosting.
FAQ’s
Both are made from the same plant, but the cultivation and process are different.
Most green tea comes from China and is grown in the sun. Matcha comes from tencha leaves grown in Japan. The tea is shade grown in the final weeks before harvesting.
It has a sweet grassy flavour. Perfect for lattes, added to oatmeal, soups, hummus and of course baked goods.
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Here are a few more cupcakes to try:
- Sesame Street Cupcakes are a hit at any child’s birthday party.
- Love the flavour of Reese’s? You will want to make these filled cupcakes.
- These pretty purple Ube cupcakes are perfect for any celebration.
Vanilla Matcha Green Tea Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 1 store bought cake mix (I used a White Cake Mix)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 teaspoons matcha green tea powder
For the Buttercream:
- 1 cup butter (softened)
- ½ teaspoons salt
- 5 cups icing sugar (sifted)
- ⅛ teaspoons mint flavouring
- milk (thin to desired consistency)
- green gel colouring (enough to achieve desired colour)
Instructions
- Preheat oven according to box directions. Line a muffin tin with liners.
To make the Cupcakes:
- Mix cake mix according to package directions.
- Add the vanilla and mix.
- Add the matcha green tea and mix well.
- Fill muffin liners ⅔ full with batter.
- Bake according to package directions. Test with cake tester. When done, remove from oven. Let cool for a few minutes, then transfer cupcakes to cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.
For the Buttercream:
- Using a stand mixed, cream the butter and salt until fluffy.
- Start adding the sifted icing sugar, about 1 cup at a time. Blend well each time.
- Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency of frosting.
- If you are going to make different coloured icing, divide buttercream into bowls. For this recipe I just removed some of the buttercream into a bowl, since I was using both white and green for the colours.
- Tint the buttercream to the desired colour.
- Place your desired tips onto piping bags, and fill the bags with buttercream.
- Pipe frosting.
ManilaSpoon
This screams spring deliciousness!! I do often have matcha green tea in my cupboard as I love using it for baking so I may have to give this a try! YUM!
Homemade & Yummy
They are great when you have time issues…and still want to make dessert.
Michelle Blackwood
These are so pretty, love the idea of using a box mix when you are in a hurry. Great recipe for the holidays!a
Homemade & Yummy
Yup…sometimes we all need a break in the kitchen.
Julia (@Imagelicious)
I love your homemade twist on a boxed mix! I’m all about taking convenient items and elevating them into something special. And how cute are those cupcakes?
Homemade & Yummy
Sometimes we all need a break in the kitchen. Why not make things a little easier.
Nicole
These are so pretty, they add such a wonderful splash of colour. And with matcha, healthy too 😉 Thanks for this
Homemade & Yummy
HAHAH..you are very welcome. Thanks so much for stopping by.
Oriana @Mommy's Home Cooking
These look AMAZING! Thanks for the recipe. Always looking for new ways to use green tea. Pinned. !
Homemade & Yummy
It works so well in baked items.
Heather @Boston Girl Bakes
Ooh these are so pretty and perfect way to welcome in March! And I live in the Boston area- could not believe I was out in flip flops last week and no back to my winter jacket again! Craziness! Oh well I’ll take the few nice days in February without complaint 🙂
Homemade & Yummy
Yes I know…it is FREEZING here today!!
Razena
Life gets so hectic nowadays that it helps to have a trick like this up one’s sleeve for a quick sweet treat. That green frosting looks delicious too.
Homemade & Yummy
Just a little hint of mint.
Aish Das-Padihari
You got me at easy. This is a perfect recipe for my son’s st. Patrick’s day school party. Thanks for the idea.
Homemade & Yummy
You are very welcome. My grandkids loved them.
Veena Azmanov
I am a huge fan of matcha and my favorite is matcha cake.. Such a unique flavor. These look so delicious Gloria. Cannot wait to try these -so easy too!
Homemade & Yummy
Well even you Veena deserve easy with all those beautiful cakes you create.
Luci's Morsels
These are beautiful! I could see myself putting these out anytime throughout Spring. Yum!
Homemade & Yummy
The colour is so nice, especially this time of year.
Bintu - Recipes From A Pantry
That matcha tea will add lots of antioxidant goodness to these cute cakes
Homemade & Yummy
Well maybe it will help when you feel like having two!!
Alyssa @ A Bite of Inspiration
I’m a huge fan of green tea! It does taste fabulous in cupcakes and I love how easy this recipe is. Matcha is a quick, delicious way to infuse tons of that green tea flavor quickly! I’ll definitely be making these soon. They’re so pretty!
Homemade & Yummy
Hope you enjoy them as much as we do.
Jessy @ The Life Jolie
How pretty these are and how delicious they sound! Perfect for St. Paddy’s day!
Homemade & Yummy
Thanks so much….they are green to celebrate the day.
Alicia Taylor
The matcha probably adds some flavor – and some wonderful health benefits – to these delightful cupcakes!
Homemade & Yummy
Always a great way to get some extra green tea flavour.
Melissa
I love having recipes like this for when you need a dessert but don’t have time to do completely from scratch! I have never tried matcha powder, but am intrigued!
Homemade & Yummy
Yes we all need some easy things to make now and again.