Matcha Vanilla Cake Pops
1½ cups sifted cake flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
½ cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
12 ounces white chocolate bark
2-3 tablespoons matcha (green tea powder)
8 ounces slivered almonds, chopped
24 lollipop sticks
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and lightly flour cake pop pan.
Sift cake flour with baking powder into a medium bowl.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream butter until smooth; gradually add sugar, creaming until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to a creamed mixture. Add vanilla extract and blend well.
Add flour mixture alternatively with buttermilk, blending after each addition until smooth (make sure that you do not overbeat).
Pour batter into prepared cake pop pan and bake about 15 minutes (depending on your oven) or until tester inserted into cake comes out clean. Cool in pans for about 10 minutes.
Remove from pans and finish cooling on racks.
To decorate: Chop white chocolate into small pieces and place in a heatproof bowl. Boil water in a deep pan and put the bowl over the plan to melt the chocolate. Stir as you melt the chocolate to get rid of lumps. You want the chocolate to be smooth.
Dip the end of the lollipop stick in a little melted chocolate and insert into cake pops. Let it sit for about 20 minutes so the sticks stay in place.
Dip one pop at a time into the melted chocolate; gently tap the stick against the side of the bowl to remove excess melted chocolate. Dip the bottom half of the pops into the slivered almonds and sprinkle the top half of the pops with matcha. Set the pops onto parchment paper to harden.
Makes 24.
Cook's note: If you are not able to find matcha, you can always substitute it with cocoa powder or chocolate sprinkles.