DessertSnack

Castella Cake

Name: Castella Cake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 3 h 25 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: japanese
Ingredients: 6 pcs egg large, room temperature; 150 g granulated sugar; 30 g honey; 30 ml milk warm; 100 g bread flour sifted; 10 g butter melted

Castella is a classic Japanese sponge cake, known for its moist and delicate texture. This recipe creates a subtly sweet cake with a beautiful golden crust, perfect for a light dessert or snack.

An original recipe by Forkin

Total time: 3 hr 25 min
Serves: 8
Difficulty: Medium
Per serving: 210 kcal

Vegetarian

Allergen information: may contain eggs, gluten, and milk. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.

Mise en place

Ingredients

6 pcsegg, large, room temperature
150 ggranulated sugar
30 ghoney
30 mlmilk, warm
100 gbread flour, sifted
10 gbutter, melted

Equipment

baking pan · saucepan · large bowl · spatula · wire rack · parchment paper · electric mixer · whisk · oven · measuring cups and spoons

The method

Step by step

1
Preheat your oven to 160°C (325°F). Line an 18cm (7-inch) square or rectangular baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring it extends above the pan's edges to create a collar.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Using a pan with high sides will help the cake rise evenly.
2
In a large heatproof bowl, combine the eggs and granulated sugar.
About 1 min
3
Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water (bain-marie) and whisk constantly until the mixture reaches 40°C (104°F) and the sugar has dissolved. Do not let the eggs scramble.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: This step helps create a stable foam and a finer crumb.
4
Remove the bowl from the heat and beat the egg mixture with an electric mixer on high speed for 8-10 minutes until it becomes pale, thick, and forms a ribbon when lifted.
About 9 min
Cook’s note: The ribbon stage means the batter falls slowly in a thick ribbon and holds its shape on the surface for a few seconds.
5
In a small bowl, whisk together the honey and warm milk until combined.
About 1 min
6
Gently fold the sifted bread flour into the egg mixture in three additions, being careful not to deflate the batter.
About 3 min
Cook’s note: Use a spatula and a 'cut and fold' motion to incorporate the flour.
7
Take a small amount of the batter and mix it with the honey milk mixture, then gently fold this back into the main batter.
About 2 min
Cook’s note: This tempering step prevents the honey milk from sinking to the bottom.
8
Next, take another small amount of batter and mix it with the melted butter, then gently fold this back into the main batter.
About 2 min
Cook’s note: Ensure the butter is fully incorporated without overmixing.
9
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
About 1 min
10
Gently tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any large air bubbles.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: This helps prevent large holes in the cake's texture.
11
Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
About 1 hr
Cook’s note: The top should be golden brown and spring back when lightly touched.
12
Once baked, immediately remove the cake from the oven and invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely. This helps prevent the cake from shrinking too much.
Cook’s note: You can place a clean kitchen towel over the inverted cake to keep it moist as it cools.
13
Once cool, wrap the castella tightly in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight, before slicing.
About 2 hr
Cook’s note: Resting allows the flavors to meld and the texture to become even more moist and uniform.

Per serving

Nutrition

61%Score

Calories: 209.8kcal
Protein: 7.3g
Carbs: 32g
Fat: 6.1g
Fibre: 0.4g
Sugar: 22.5g

Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.

Keep it good

Storage

Store leftover Castella cake tightly wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature.