{"id":166269,"title":"Banana Matcha Cake","modified":"2026-08-25T19:16:04+02:00","plain":"Craving a cake with the aroma of ripe banana, the grassy bitterness of matcha, and a layer of deep dark chocolate? This one is all about contrast: candied orange, intense ganache, coffee syrup, and a yellow-green glaze. It has several components, but each step is simple if you tackle them in order. Slice into it and you\u2019ll find clean, distinct layers, soaked just enough. You\u2019ll find the rest of my gluten-free cakes and entremets in the same category.\n\n\n\nAnother layered vegan cake: the three-layer gluten-free pumpkin cake.\n\n\n\nWhat is banana-matcha cake?\n\n\n\nIn chef Rommel Reyes\u2019s version, it\u2019s an egg-free banana loaf scented with matcha and orange (juice and candied peel), then layered with dark chocolate ganache and coffee syrup. The whole thing is coated in a yellow-green vegan white chocolate mirror glaze and finished with an egg-free vegan meringue.\n\n\n\nThe standout feature here is that everything is gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan. The structure comes from an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend, while the richness comes from the ganache and glaze rather than butter or eggs.\n\n\n\nA bit of background\n\n\n\nRommel says he made this cake because someone asked him to. On paper, the combination of banana, chocolate, matcha, and candied orange might seem a little unlikely, especially in a vegan, nut-free, and gluten-free version. And yet it works, precisely because each element has a clear role: the fruit for tenderness, the matcha for bitterness, the orange for brightness, and the chocolate for depth.\n\n\n\nThe main ingredients\n\n\n\nThe foundation is very ripe bananas: more aromatic, sweeter, and above all easier to blend into a pur\u00e9e (you want a smooth batter, not a lumpy mash). Orange juice and candied orange bring the citrus notes, with a touch of bitterness to balance the banana\u2019s sweetness.\n\n\n\nFor the gluten-free flour, Rommel simply uses an all-purpose gluten-free blend. For the matcha, he recommends a pastry-grade matcha, though tea-grade matcha works too; it\u2019s just more expensive.\n\n\n\nThe ganache is made with 70 to 80% dark chocolate (Rommel prefers Guanaja) and a plant-based cream with 25 to 35% fat (such as Silk). The mirror glaze, meanwhile, is based on vegan white chocolate (Felchlin or Pascha), with a natural yellow-green coloring added to the cream.\n\n\n\nFor the vegan meringue, Rommel\u2019s version uses potato protein, but an aquafaba meringue works well too. And if you don\u2019t have candied orange, you can swap in other candied fruits.\n\n\n\nWant something simpler? Head straight for the gluten-free chocolate banana bread.\n\n\n\nTechnical notes and pitfalls to avoid\n\n\n\nThis cake has several components, so it pays to plan ahead. Rommel recommends watching the video: it saves time and makes the process much easier to follow.\n\n\n\nOne more practical note: the recipe is written by weight, in metric, for accuracy. If you need to convert it, use a unit converter, but keep the main idea in mind: this is a weighed recipe.\n\n\n\nBaking the banana-matcha cake\n\n\n\nPreheat the oven to 175\u00b0C. Use a 30 x 11 x 9 cm loaf pan lined with parchment paper; otherwise, unmolding will be a hassle.\n\n\n\nFor the batter, blend the bananas, orange juice, and melted vegan butter until completely smooth. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, combine all the dry ingredients, then add the banana pur\u00e9e and beat until the batter is smooth and evenly mixed.\n\n\n\nOnce the batter is smooth, add the chopped candied orange and mix. Pour into the pan and level the surface with a spatula for even baking.\n\n\n\nBake for about 40 to 45 minutes. Check with a toothpick inserted into the center: it should come out clean. Once out of the oven, let the cake cool completely on a rack before handling it, otherwise it may tear when sliced.\n\n\n\nOnce cold, trim off the top, then cut the cake into four slices about 1 cm thick. If you\u2019re not assembling it right away, keep the slices in the refrigerator.\n\n\n\nChocolate ganache\n\n\n\nHeat the plant-based cream in a saucepan just until it starts to boil. As soon as it begins to bubble, remove it from the heat without letting it reduce.\n\n\n\nPour it over the dark chocolate, then blend with an immersion blender until you have a smooth, glossy ganache. Keep it covered and warm while you assemble the cake, ideally with plastic wrap, so it stays supple.\n\n\n\nCoffee syrup\n\n\n\nFor the syrup, bring the water and sugar to a boil. Turn off the heat, then add the instant coffee, in that order. Set aside.\n\n\n\nAssembly and freezing\n\n\n\nPrepare the pan for assembly: lightly oil it (with spray or a paper towel), then line it with plastic wrap so you can unmold the cake cleanly. Place the first cake slice in the bottom, brush it with coffee syrup, then spread over \u2153 of the ganache.\n\n\n\nAdd the second slice, brush with syrup, then spread over the second third of the ganache. Repeat with the third slice: syrup first, then the remaining ganache.\n\n\n\nFinish with the last slice, brush again with syrup, then press gently to level the surface. Transfer to the freezer for at least 3 hours; otherwise, the glaze won\u2019t set properly.\n\n\n\nYellow-green mirror glaze\n\n\n\nMelt the vegan white chocolate over a double boiler until it reaches about 50\u00b0C. Meanwhile, heat the plant-based cream to just below a simmer, then add the yellow-green coloring.\n\n\n\nBlend the melted chocolate and hot cream with an immersion blender until smooth and glossy. To glaze, the cake must be cold: invert it onto a rack, then remove the plastic wrap.\n\n\n\nWarm the glaze to 35\u00b0C, then pour it evenly over the entire cake. Use an offset spatula to remove any excess and smooth the surface. Refrigerate for 10 minutes so the glaze can set.\n\n\n\nMeringue finish\n\n\n\nThe finish is a vegan Italian meringue, made without eggs. For piping, Rommel uses a Saint-Honor\u00e9 tip, and he recommends watching the video for the technique, since the final shape really depends on how you pull the tip.\n\n\n\nThe same vegan cream and the same meringue appear on the mango and passion fruit cake.\n\n\n\nYou\u2019ll find more gluten-free vegan recipes in the same section.\n\n\n\nRecipe developed by chef Rommel Reyes. Find his work on Instagram, his Substack newsletter, and his YouTube channel.\n\n\n\n\n\n\tGluten-Free Matcha Banana Cake\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t700 g ripe bananas (weighed after peeling)150 ml orange juice80 ml Violife vegan butter, melted480 g gluten-free all-purpose flour (sifted)300 g brown sugar30 g matcha powder (pastry-grade)28 g baking powder12 g baking soda2 g salt2 g cinnamon (ground)1 g nutmeg (ground)180 g candied orange (chopped)190 g 70-80% dark chocolate (preferably Guanaja)280 g vegan cream (25-35% fat) (preferably Silk)250 g vegan white chocolate (preferably Pascha)250 g vegan cream (25-35% fat) (preferably Silk)natural yellow-green food coloring, as needed10 g potato protein100 g water1 pinch xanthan gum120 g sugar70 g water120 ml water20 g sugar20 g instant coffee powder\t\n\t\n\t\tChocolate Matcha Banana CakePreheat the oven to 175\u00b0C. Line a 30 x 11 x 9 cm loaf pan with parchment paper.Blend the bananas, orange juice, and melted vegan butter until smooth.Combine all the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the banana pur\u00e9e and beat until smooth. Fold in the chopped candied orange and mix well.Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly with a spatula.Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.Transfer the cake to a wire rack and let it cool completely.Trim the top, then cut the cake into four layers, each about 1 cm thick. Refrigerate until needed.Chocolate GanacheHeat the whipping cream in a saucepan until it just begins to boil. Remove from the heat.Pour it over the chocolate, then blend with an immersion blender until smooth and glossy. Cover and keep warm.Coffee SyrupIn a saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil. Remove from the heat, stir in the coffee powder, and set aside.Cake AssemblyLightly grease the loaf pan, then line it with plastic wrap.Place the first banana cake layer in the bottom of the pan and soak it with coffee syrup. Spread 1\/3 of the chocolate ganache evenly over the top.Add the second banana cake layer, soak it with coffee syrup, and spread over the next third of the chocolate ganache.Add the third banana cake layer, soak it with coffee syrup, then spread over the remaining chocolate ganache.Top with the final banana cake layer, soak it with coffee syrup, then press gently to level the surface.Freeze for at least 3 hours.Yellow-Green Chocolate GlazeMelt the white chocolate over a double boiler until it reaches about 50\u00b0C.Heat the vegan cream to just below a boil, then add the food coloring.Blend the melted white chocolate with the hot cream using an immersion blender until smooth and glossy.Invert the fully assembled, well-chilled cake onto a wire rack. Remove the plastic wrap.Reheat the glaze to 35\u00b0C, then pour it evenly over the cake. Remove any excess glaze with an offset spatula to smooth the surface.Refrigerate the glazed cake for 10 minutes to set.Vegan Italian MeringueMake a vegan Italian meringue: whip the potato protein with the water and xanthan gum, then stream in the cooked sugar syrup to stabilize it.Use a Saint-Honor\u00e9 tip to pipe the vegan meringue decoration. Watch the video for the proper piping technique.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/166269","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=166269"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/166269\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/164336"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=166269"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=166269"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=166269"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}