Japan: Castella Cake
I am so excited for Japan! Great track, fantastic fans, and so much good food. We had a fabulous trip to Japan in 2017 and I am always thinking about ways to get back there and visit again… someday!
For this year’s race I made Castella Cake, a classic tea cake from Japan. Okay, so I realize this isn’t a savory pastry, but I felt I couldn’t resist making this recipe because it just felt too much of a coincidence or even kismet that this particular recipe popped up for me in my research. I recently listened to the book ‘What You Are Looking For Is in the Library’ by Michiko Aoyama, which is such a sweet novel about people coming to terms with transitions in their lives. One of the stories follows a young adult learning to be independent and trust herself. As part of her story she reads a kid’s story about two mice who make Castella Cake, and she decides she will try her hand at making it. After trying time and again, she finally gets it right and is so happy and proud!
This recipe from Nami at Just One Cookbook is perfect and you won’t have to try ten different versions before making your own triumphant Castella Cake, just this one!
I hope you try it, and I hope you find a copy of ‘What You Are Looking For Is in the Library’, both will do nothing but cheer you up.
Castella Cake
Makes two loaf cakes
1⅔ cup (200g) bread flour
2½ Tbsp water (warm)
⅓ cup (80 ml) honey
6 large eggs, at room temperature (—very important)
1 cup (200g) sugar
For the Honey Syrup (optional)
1 Tbsp honey
½ Tbsp water (warm)
Before You Start: Please note that this cake must rest in the fridge overnight (or at least 8-12 hours).
To get started, gather all the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 320ºF (160ºC).
Cut parchment paper to fit two loaf pans.
Sift the bread flour into a large bowl.
In a small measuring cup or bowl, combine 2½ Tbsp water to ⅓ cup honey and whisk well.
Fit a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Crack all six eggs into the bowl of the mixer and vigorously whisk until combined.
Add 1 cup sugar. Beat the eggs and sugar on high speed (Speed 10) for 5 minutes. The beaten eggs will quadruple in volume. The texture will be thick and the color will be pale yellow. When you stop the mixer and lift the whisk attachment, the mixture should fall in ribbons.
Add the honey and water mixture into the egg mixture and whisk on low speed (Speed 2) until combined, about 30 seconds.
Add the bread flour in three parts. Add one-third of the bread flour and whisk at low speed (Speed 2) for 15 seconds. Then, add another third and whisk for another 15 seconds. Finally, add the last remaining portion and whisk until just combined for about 1 minute. Do not overmix.
Spray the loaf pans with oil evenly, put the parchment paper in the pans and make sure the paper sticks to the pans.
Pour the batter into the pans about 80% full. Using a skewer, draw a zigzag line through the batter to remove the air bubbles in the batter.
Bake at 320ºF (160ºC) in the middle rack of the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool slightly. When ready to remove from the pans, the cake sides will pull away from the pan slightly; the top will be flat and feel spongy when pressed with a finger.
If you like your cake a little sweeter and with a sticky top, use this honey syrup: To make the honey syrup, mix 1 Tbsp honey and ½ Tbsp warm water in a bowl. Immediately apply the honey syrup over the tops of the hot cakes with a pastry brush.
For each cake, place a sheet of plastic wrap on the countertop. Take out the hot cakes from the pan and place them top down on the plastic wrap. Gently peel off the parchment paper. Immediately wrap the cakes with the plastic film. Let the cake cool to room temperature. Then, put the wrapped cakes in the refrigerator and chill them overnight (or at least 8-12 hours), keeping the top side facing down. This will help the cakes develop a moist texture.
To Serve: Remove the cake from the refrigerator. Bring the cake to room temperature. Slice off the four sides of the cake with a sharp bread knife. Then, cut the cake into ¾- to 1-inch-thick slices (you will get 7–8 slices total). Serve it with tea or coffee.
Adapted (only to simplify) from Just One Cookbook - she has a video and more detailed recipe on her absolutely lovely blog!