Matcha Cupcakes With Cinnamon Buttercream

These matcha cupcakes are bright, flavorful, and perfectly balanced. I love a good matcha latte, and I almost always add cinnamon to my matcha because the two pair so beautifully together — which is exactly why these get a cozy cinnamon buttercream.

They're great for parties and look lovely on a dessert table alongside my sourdough chocolate cupcakes and strawberry crunch cupcakes. For something cozier, my sour cream chocolate pound cake cupcakes (and the full sour cream chocolate pound cake) are delicious. And if you're a matcha lover like me, you need to try my matcha green tea overnight oats.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Matcha and cinnamon, perfectly matched: The warm cinnamon buttercream balances the earthy matcha the way it does in a good matcha latte.
• A fine, fluffy crumb: Whipped egg whites give these a delicate, cloud-like texture — the same trick I use in my sourdough discard funfetti layer cake.
• That gorgeous green color: Using egg whites (not whole eggs) keeps the matcha green bright and true.
• Great for spring and celebrations: Beautiful for spring and summer parties, and the bright green is perfect for St. Patrick's Day — as party-ready as my strawberry crunch cupcakes.
• Simple ingredients, big flavor: A short, approachable ingredient list with a moist, balanced result, just like my peach crumb bars!

Ingredients You'll Need

For the matcha cupcakes:

• cake flour: For a soft, fine crumb (all-purpose works too — use a little less).
• matcha green tea powder: The star flavor and that beautiful natural green.
• baking powder + salt: For lift and balance.
• butter + granulated sugar: Creamed for a light, fluffy base.
• sour cream: Keeps the crumb moist and tender.
• vanilla + milk: Round out the flavor and loosen the batter.
• egg whites: Whipped to stiff peaks for a fine, airy crumb and a brighter green.

For the cinnamon vanilla buttercream:

• butter + powdered sugar: The classic smooth, pipeable base.
• cinnamon + vanilla: The cozy warmth that pairs with matcha.
• milk or heavy cream + a pinch of salt: For the perfect consistency and balance.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Easy Substitutions & Variations

• Cake flour: All-purpose flour works great — use 1 ¼ cups instead of 1 ½.
• Milk: Use a high-fat non-dairy milk like full-fat oat milk to keep them dairy-free.
• Butter: A plant-based butter (or a neutral oil in the cake) works well.
• Sour cream: A vegan sour cream works beautifully in the cake.
• More matcha: Add 2 teaspoons of matcha to the buttercream, keeping or omitting the cinnamon.
• More cinnamon: Add 2 teaspoons of cinnamon to the cupcakes (note this will mute the bright green).

Instructions

Note: I bake by weight for accuracy. Cup measurements are approximate and may vary depending on how you scoop.

Step 1: Make the batter: Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 12-cupcake pan. Whisk the flour, baking powder, matcha, and salt in a bowl; set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 2–3 minutes. Mix in the sour cream and vanilla. Add half the dry ingredients, then the milk, then the remaining dry ingredients, mixing just until combined and scraping the bowl as needed.

Step 2: Whip the egg whites: In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites on high until stiff peaks form and you can tip the bowl upside down without spilling.

Step 3: Fold: Gently fold about half the whipped egg whites into the batter until mostly combined, then fold in the rest until no white streaks remain.

Step 4: Bake: Fill the liners about ¾ full (a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop helps). Bake 15–17 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs. Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then move to a rack and cool completely before frosting.

Step 5: Make the buttercream: Beat the butter until smooth. Add half the powdered sugar and mix until smooth, then the vanilla, salt, and 1 tablespoon of cream. Add the remaining powdered sugar, then more milk as needed until smooth and pipeable.

Step 6: Decorate: Pipe the buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes and dust with extra matcha through a sifter right before serving (optional).

Weigh your ingredients! Using a kitchen scale ensures your measurements are accurate, which is key for getting consistent results in baking. It takes the guesswork out of measuring and helps your recipes turn out exactly as intended every time.

Expert Tips

1. Don't overbake. Pull the cupcakes as soon as the tops are rounded and spring back to a light touch — overbaking makes them dry.
2. Whip the whites to stiff peaks. This is what gives the cupcakes their fine, fluffy crumb. Fold gently so you don't deflate them.
3. Sift the matcha garnish just before serving. Matcha absorbs moisture from the frosting and turns dark over time, so dust it on at the last minute with a sifter.
4. Use good matcha. A bright, culinary-grade matcha gives the best color and flavor — dull matcha makes dull cupcakes.
5. Frost only cooled cupcakes. Warm cupcakes will melt the buttercream, so let them cool completely first.

What Makes This Recipe Special?

The magic here is the egg whites. Whipping them to stiff peaks and folding them in gives the cupcakes a delicate, fine crumb and keeps the matcha green bright and true — the same technique that makes my sourdough discard funfetti layer cake so light. Whole eggs would dull both the texture and the color.

The cinnamon buttercream is the other star. That warm spice against the earthy matcha is the same pairing I love in a latte, and it makes these feel a little more special than a standard cupcake. Serve them on a spring dessert table with my sourdough lemon snack cake, lemon blueberry mascarpone cake, lemon blackberry cake, or my sourdough carrot snack cake. For a crowd, a sourdough chocolate sheet cake or chocolate sour cream sheet cake rounds things out.

Matcha Cupcakes FAQs

Matcha Cupcakes Troubleshooting Guide

Storage

• Store at room temperature for 3–5 days.
• Freeze for up to 4 months — thaw in the fridge (thawing at room temperature can make them soggy).

Matcha Cupcakes With Cinnamon Buttercream

Audrey Grubb

Fluffy, moist, and flavorful matcha cupcakes made with matcha green tea powder and topped with a vanilla cinnamon buttercream.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 Cupcakes

Calories 484 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  Stand Mixer (optional, can use a hand mixer)
• ▢
  Hand mixer (optional, can use a stand mixer)
• ▢
  Wisk attachment
• ▢
  Paddle attachment
• ▢
  Kitchen Scale
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  12-Cupcake pan
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  Cupcake liners
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  3 Tablespoon cookie scoop (optional)
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  Icing bag and tip (optional)

Ingredients

  

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Matcha Cupcakes

• ▢ 1 ½ cups cake flour 177g
• ▢ 2 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 2 tablespoon matcha green tea powder
• ▢ 2 teaspoon cinnamon** optional
• ▢ 6 tablespoon unsalted butter 84g, room temperature
• ▢ ¾ cup sugar 155g
• ▢ ½ cup sour cream 115g
• ▢ 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ ½ cup milk
• ▢ 3 large egg whites room temperature

Cinnamon Vanilla Buttercream

• ▢ 1 cup unsalted butter 224g, room temperature
• ▢ 4 cups powdered sugar 460g
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cinnamon*
• ▢ 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ Pinch of salt
• ▢ 2–3 tablespoon milk or heavy cream

Instructions

 

Matcha Cupcake Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F and prepare a 12-cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
• Combine flour, baking powder, matcha powder, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
• Add sour cream and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
• Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until well combined. Add the milk and mix until well combined. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure all ingredients are well incorporated. Set aside.
• Add the egg whites to another mixing bowl and whip on high speed until stiff peaks form and you can tip the bowl upside down without spilling. Use either the stand mixer or a handheld mixer for this step.
• Gently fold about half of the whipped egg whites into the rest of the cake batter until mostly combined, then add the remaining egg whites and gently fold until well combined and no white streaks are visible.
• Fill the cupcake liners about ¾ of the way full using a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop (or a regular spoon). Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs.
• Remove cupcakes from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes and then move to a cooling rack. Do not add the buttercream until they are completely cool.

Cinnamon Vanilla Buttercream Instructions

• Add the butter to a large mixing bowl and mix until smooth.
• Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth.
• Add the vanilla extract, salt, and 1 tablespoon of milk and mix until well combined and smooth.
• Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth.
• Add the remaining milk as needed and mix until smooth.

Decorate

• Pipe the buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes and top with extra matcha powder right before serving (optional).

Notes

1. *You can add 2 teaspoon of matcha powder to the buttercream if you'd like even more green tea goodness! I recommend keeping the cinnamon, but would still be delish without it!
2. **The pictures used don't include cinnamon in the cakes, so if you want a pure and bright green cupcake, I'd recommend leaving it out!
3. Store at room temperature for 3-5 days. Can freeze for up to 4 months, just be sure to let them thaw in the refrigerator (they could get soggy if thawed at room temp). 

Nutrition

Calories: 484kcalCarbohydrates: 66gProtein: 4gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 63mgSodium: 131mgPotassium: 99mgFiber: 1gSugar: 53gVitamin A: 730IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 79mgIron: 0.3mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!