Midori (Japanese Melon

Liqueur) Cake

April 29/May 4: Greenery Day (Japan) [みどりの日Midori no Hi]

We missed Greenery Day in Japan by just one day when we flew into the “Land of the Rising Sun” in 2019 for Highlander’s belated kanreki. But we arrived in time for Boys’ Day (May 5) and the culmination of Golden Week.  As spring has already sprung, the pink cherry blossoms have given way to all the natural green beauty of the country.

Greenery Day in Japan began on April 29, 1948, to celebrate the birthday of the emperor. In 1989, the Emperor’s Birthday was renamed as Greenery Day. In 2007, the date was moved from April 29 to May 4. The whole week includes holidays commemorating the Emperor’s Birthday, Constitution Day, Greenery Day and Boys’ Day (also known as Children’s Day).

We celebrated our own Greenery Day at home in Texas and reminisced about our trip to Japan by making a green cake. We even used a Japanese melon liqueur called midori to give it a little culture and color! And we ate a few slices of midori cake while we drank green (matcha) tea.

Make a midori cake for tea time and on Japanese Greenery Day.

Recipe

(Adapted from Food.com)

Ingredients

  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • 1 small (3 ½ ounce) instant pistachio pudding mix
  • 4 eggs
  • ½ cup plain yogurt
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • ¾ cup Midori (melon liqueur)
  • ½ teaspoon coconut extract or flavor

Directions

In a mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs and yogurt.

Stir in the oil, Midori and coconut flavor. Mix until smooth.

Pour into a greased bundt pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Overturn cake onto a plate or cutting board. Slice and serve.

Notes

  • Feel free to add a few drops of green food coloring to the batter to boost the hue of the Midori cake.
  • Sprinkle the top of the bundt cake with powdered sugar for a prettier presentation (optional).