These little cute cakes were not supposed to be made. They were not planned. At all. In fact, I should have happily boarded a flight on Friday night and gone home to Luxembourg, where I would have spent the weekend with my family and friends. Instead, that Volcano decided to erupt. Thanks!

Yes, I was one of the Volcano victims. Not one of those tragic stuck-in-the-middle-of-nowhere-and-no-way-to-get-home people (and here my heart goes all to those stranded, you must have had the week from hell!). I was one of the oh-now-I’m-stuck-at-home-and-have-no-plans-for-the-weekend people. So what to do?

Well, I decided to take myself to places I hadn’t been to in a while. On top of my list: the Japan Centre. A little piece of Japan in London: a massive selection of sushi, all kinds of obscure condiments and sauces and everything you really need to make some damn good Japanese food. It’s here where I stumbled across Matcha Green Tea Powder. I’ve been meaning to bake with this for like ages, but never got around to it! So, I decided this weekend is going to be the perfect occasion…

That’s how these mini cakes were born. And they were well worth it. The slight bitterness of the matcha harmonizes perfectly with the sweetness of the almonds and the tartness of the raspberries.

So, let’s thank that stupid volcano for at least having at least done one good thing! It led me to make these delicious little matcha cakes.