Castella Cake recipe
Castella cake (カステラ), also known as Kasutera, is a Portuguese-inspired Japanese cake introduced to Japan in the 16th century. Its light, fluffy texture makes it a much-loved pastry, often enjoyed with green tea. Unlike classic cakes, it contains no added fat such as butter: it's all about the eggs rising and the gentle baking. Perfect for a refined dessert or a gourmet snack, Castella seduces with its simplicity and delicately sweet taste.
- Prep Time
- 20 minutes
- Cooking Time
- 35 minutes
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 120 g sugar
- 100 g wheat flour, sifted
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 30 ml milk
- 2 tablespoons hot water
- Optional: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for extra flavor
Directions
- Preheat oven to 160°C (static heat). Butter and line a baking tin with baking paper. Ideally, use a rectangular mold with high sides, which is typical for castella cake. The baking paper should protrude from the tin to aid handling once the cake is baked.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar in a bain-marie until the mixture reaches around 40°C and becomes frothy.
- Take the dough out of the bain-marie and continue whisking (ideally with an electric mixer) until you obtain a light, thick, pale texture (like a sponge cake).
- Mix the honey with the water and warm milk to liquefy it, then gently add to the dough.
- Sift and add the flour in two or three additions, mixing gently with a spatula so as not to break the lightness of the dough and avoid lumps.
- Pour into mold and tap lightly to remove air bubbles.
- Castella cake is traditionally baked in a bain-marie in the oven. This ensures gentle, even cooking and prevents a dark crust from forming on top. To do this, place your mold in a larger dish and pour hot water over it to a height of about 2 cm before placing in the oven.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden and the cake comes out dry to the tip of the knife.
- Unmold, wrap in cling-film and leave to rest for a few hours (or even overnight) for the texture to become even softer.
