** When I originally made this post, I put these adorable panda cookies on cupcakes that didn’t turn out so well. I was unsatisfied with the cupcakes, so I just had to remake the cupcakes. As a result, I’ve edited this post to include a matcha green tea cupcake recipe I enjoyed and that is suitable for these cute little pandas.
I’ve been in love with these cute little panda cookies I found at the Sogo bakery chain from the Bay Area. I’ve searched for them elsewhere, and while I’ve seen other imitations, these are the cutest I’ve found. I also looked into trying to make them myself, but according to the employees of Sogo, they use a special machine.
Every time I go visit my parents, I pick up some cookies to take home. For a while now, I’ve been wanting to make some cupcakes with these cookies as toppers. In my mind, I always imagined matcha flavored because I think of the green bamboo that the pandas are always eating at the zoo.
So this weekend, I made some matcha cupcakes and whipped up some matcha whipped cream frosting. I used the recipe for the chocolate matcha swirl cupcakes, but without the chocolate part. The matcha whipped cream frosting I made came out a bit lighter than I wanted it to, so I put a few drops of green food coloring. But then the green didn’t really match the cupcakes anymore. And it came out more like a seafoam green rather than a matcha green.
To make the frosting, I simply added 1 tablespoon of matcha powder and a few drops of green food coloring to the heavy cream and sugar before whipping it. Perhaps next time I’ll stick with the original color. Or maybe I’ll try a matcha buttercream to get a darker green.
I constantly see giveaways on other blogs. I’ve been thinking of doing one for a while. So on my last trip home, I picked up some extra cookies. I know this is a small giveaway, but it’s my first one, and I wanted to do a test run first.
Two lucky readers will get a chance to win a pack of cookies. A cookie pack has about 16 cookies. I’ll do my best to ship these in enough padding that they reach the readers without getting crushed by the postal service.
The winners will be selected at random. The first winner will be selected from the comments on this post. Simply leave a comment and make sure to include a valid email address so that I can contact you.
The second winner will be selected from twitter. I joined twitter a few months ago, and really like how it works. I like having access to so many foodies and being able to ask questions and get instant answers. Add me to your twitter account and send me a message to let me know you’ve added me, and you’ll be entered to win. Or, if you have already added me, simply send me a message to let me know you want to be considered in the drawing.
Sorry, international readers. This contest is only open to US readers. Hopefully, I’ve remembered everything. I hope this contest goes well and I hope to hold other giveaways in the future. Deadline to enter is by June 25, 2010.
Matcha Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg white
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup low fat yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tbsp matcha powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin baking pan with cupcake liners. Use a whisk to combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sift together. Set aside. In another small bowl, whisk whole egg with egg white. Set aside.
- Cut the butter into pieces and place in an electric mixing bowl. Beat for 1 minute to soften. Gradually add remaining 1 cup of sugar and beat at high speed for about 3 minutes. Add in egg mixture, beating constantly for about 2 minutes.
- On low speed, beat in a third of the flour mixture. On medium-high speed, beat in half of the yogurt. On low speed, beat in half of the remaining flour. On high speed, beat in the rest of the yogurt and the vanilla. On low speed, beat in the remaining flour. Add matcha powder to the yogurt batter in the mixing bowl.
- Bake for about 30-35 minutes until toothpick inserted in comes out clean.
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
The Pandas are adorable!!
super cute cupcakes!!! I was wondering if you used regular size muffin trays or mini trays to make these cakes? thanks
I used regular size muffin trays for these
Love Theese!
I Am Putting Them On My Youtube Channel : Dancingdog01
Will give comments on what i recieve on the video 🙂
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Glad you liked the coffee cake. Thanks for visiting!
Good luck with your search. Or if you are in the Bay Area, all the Sogo bakeries carry them.
I’m always searching for panda cookies. Most of the ones I see aren’t very cute, but I absolutely adore these ones!
They do taste good! like chocolate and vanilla butter cookies!
Found your site on FB. Love the Blueberry Coffee cake recipe and these cookies! My email addy is
[email protected]. Glad I found your site!
the panda cookies are adorable my two and 5 year old would love them im going to try to find them online
that’s are the best panda cookies I’ve seen yet
Those Panda cookies are soooo cute, and they
look delicious!
You should try matcha. I love the flavor. You can buy matcha powder at Japanese and chinese markets.
I’m not quite sure how I got such a shade of green. Something about the matcha and food coloring I guess.
They are quite huggable aren’t they?
i haven’t tried matcha. this would be a fun use for it. the pandas are so cute!
Eek! Kawaii! The little pandas are so adorable..I almost can’t bear to eat them…but I will ^-^. The frosting on the cupcakes is a cool shade of green, bluer than a pastel green and nice matcha cupcakes!
Your cupcakes look so cute I could hug them. But I’d rather eat them.
Good luck in the random drawing =)
I like the use of yogurt also. Makes me feel like it’s healthier.
They are like butter cookies. Definitely yum!
Those pandas are absolutely adorable! Love the color on the icing, too. I love recipes that use yogurt, will have to try this one. Thanks 🙂
I want them!
(please?)
[email protected]
Panda cookies! Yum.
These are definitely the cutest ones I’ve seen. Thanks for commenting.
Yes, for the matcha frosting, I just added about 1 tablespoon of matcha powder into my whipped cream mixture. I also ended up having to add more sugar than usual to my whipped cream because of the bitterness of the matcha.
No chocolate base in these cupcakes. I was originally going to take the matcha chocolate ones and just double the matcha and not do the chocolate. Instead I tried a completely different matcha cupcake recipe. The outside came out light brown instead of green (which is why they look like vanilla). Though the inside was green. Other than looking bad they didn’t taste great either. Oh well. I might edit this post with a better recipe later.
You can eat them with your eyes closed =)
=)
Hmm, mine always turn out too puffy! I actually had to cut the tops off to make them flatter.
Thanks! I love these pandas..wish I had my own machine.
I think the panda bears could make anything look good =)
p.s. i follow you on twitter as @discojing ^_^
these panda cookies are so cute!
Oh please enter me for the panda cookies giveaway!
How did you make the matcha frosting? Just whipped cream and matcha powder? The cupcakes in the picture didn’t look like a chocolate base – did you use w/ vanilla cupcake recipe?
I still think the cupcakes look cute!
Those panda cookies are almost too cute to eat, but I’ll give it a try!
Want cookies!!! 🙂
I have such a hard time making cupcakes…I always end up overfilling the tins or liners so I end up with batter everywhere and then they always turn out flat. I like that you added that cute little cookie, that would help disguise my flat cupcakes: )
Love reading your blog, especially your restaurant reviews! These panda cookies are too cute!
Those pandas are so cute! too bad the frosting didn’t come out as you liked. at least the the cupcakes looked good 🙂