Green Tea and Banana Cake with Sake Syrup

A LOT OF THE TRENDY SUSHI RESTAURANTS in my neighborhood serve fancy fusion rolls with ingredients like mango and papaya. The delicate flavors commonly associated with Japanese cuisine (and Japanese wine) pair especially well with tropical fruits. Here, I’ve given a traditional banana loaf cake an Eastern twist with fragrant green tea powder and a floral sake glaze. Boozy Baker

MAKES8 TO 12 SERVINGS

FOR THE CAKE:
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
½ cup sour cream
1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 bananas)
1 tablespoon green tea powder (matcha)
FOR THE GLAZE:
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons sake

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 × 5-inch loaf pan with butter, or spray it with nonstick spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper and butter or spray the paper. Dust the pan with flour and tap out the excess.
TO MAKE THE CAKE, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, and then beat in the sour cream and the banana. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat just until combined.
Scoop 1 cup of the batter out of the bowl and pour it into a smaller bowl. Add the green tea powder to the cup of batter and stir with a whisk until well blended.
Spoon the “plain” batter alternately with the green tea batter into the prepared pan. Swirl the batters together with a knife. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool the cake for 20 minutes in the pan. Remove the cake from the pan, peel off the parchment paper, and cool completely on a wire rack.
TO MAKE THE GLAZE, combine the confectioners’ sugar and the sake in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Drizzle over the cake.