Vegan Matcha Mochi Cake (Butter-Free & Gluten-Free)
This mochi cake recipe bakes up into a chewy, golden brown treat with crisp edges, a rich buttery flavor, and earthy matcha undertones. Inspired by the classic Hawaiian butter mochi but made vegan, it’s a must-try dessert that’s both gluten-free and dairy free!
Ingredients
- 3-5 oz silken tofu
- 1/4 cup vegan butter or use coconut oil
- 1 cup organic cane sugar
- 2 cans full-fat coconut milk or evaporated coconut milk
- 1 lb glutinous rice flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 tbsp ceremonial grade matcha powder
- 1/4 tsp salt kosher
- 2 tbsp pistachios finely chopped
- 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350.
- Line and grease a 10x10 square baking pan with parchment paper, then vegan butter or coconut oil.
- First, we're going to break down the tofu. You can do this in a food processor or simply pass it through a sieve to get a nice, smooth liquid!
- Next, melt the butter over low heat in a saucepan. Once the butter is mostly melted, remove from heat, add the sugar, coconut milk, tofu, vanilla bean paste, or extract, and whisk until evenly incorporated. Don't whisk too vigorously--avoid creating too many bubbles! Set the wet ingredients aside.
- In a large bowl, sift in your dry ingredients--matcha powder, glutinous rice flour, baking powder, and salt. Add your melted butter mixture to the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until completely smooth.
- Transfer your mixture to your prepared pan and tap the pan on a hard surface to remove any air bubbles. If desired, cover the surface with your pistachio and coconut mixture.
- Bake in the oven for 1 hour, until the surface is golden brown. Let cool completely, then cut into small squares. Traditionally, it is cut into 24 pieces!
Notes
- Chewy but soft is the goal – If your mochi cake turns out tough, you may have over baked it. Stick to the time and let it cool fully before slicing.
- Avoid bubbles – Whisk gently and tap the pan to remove excess air bubbles.
- Don't refrigerate – Storing in the fridge will firm up the cake too much. Use an airtight container at room temp.
- Cut clean slices – Always let the cake cool fully. Use a lightly oiled knife to avoid sticking!
- First time making butter mochi? I highly recommend sticking to the recipe for the best results with this cake. After all, this is a treat, you want it to taste good, and texture is key!