Description
This jiggly Hojicha Castella is a fluffy Japanese sponge cake with a unique roasted green tea flavour. It’s a satisfying baking project that’s easier than it looks and takes under 2 hours total.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Castella Batter:
- 1 cup (120 grams) cake flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (9 grams) hojicha powder
- 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 grams) fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) whole milk (or 2% / skim)
- 8 large eggs, separated
- 1/2 tablespoon (7.5 milliliters) vanilla extract
For the Meringue:
- 8 large egg whites (from separated eggs above)
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) cream of tartar or lemon juice
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Line an 8x8x3 inch (20x20x7.5 cm) square baking pan with parchment paper, making sure to leave at least a 1-inch (2.5 cm) overhang on all sides. This makes lifting the cake out super easy!
- Grab a large mixing bowl. Sift the cake flour, hojicha powder, and salt into it. Give it a quick whisk to make sure everything is evenly combined.
- In a small, microwave-safe bowl or mug, combine the milk and melted butter. Microwave this mixture until the butter is fully melted. Be careful not to let it get too hot – just warm enough to melt the butter.
- Pour the warm butter-milk mixture into the large bowl with your sifted dry ingredients. Whisk everything together until you have a smooth batter.
- Separate your 8 large eggs, placing the yolks into your batter bowl and the whites into a separate, very clean large mixing bowl (we’ll make meringue with these soon!). Whisk the egg yolks into the batter until they’re just combined. Then, stir in the vanilla extract. Set this bowl aside.
- Now, let’s make that fluffy meringue! Add the cream of tartar (or lemon juice) to the egg whites in your second large mixing bowl. Beat them on low speed with an electric mixer until they become foamy. Gradually, while still beating, slowly pour in about one-third of the granulated sugar. Increase the speed to medium. Repeat this process with the remaining sugar, adding it in two more batches. Continue beating until your meringue reaches soft peaks – when you lift the whisk, the tip of the meringue should flop over gently, like a soft serve ice cream cone that’s seen better days.
- Add about 1/3 of your meringue into the cake batter. Gently fold it in using a rubber spatula. Think of a “J” motion: scoop from the bottom of the bowl, lift, and fold over, rotating the bowl as you go. Repeat this two more times with the remaining meringue until your batter is a uniform colour and looks light and airy. Be gentle; we want to keep all that air!
- Pour your batter into the parchment-lined baking pan. Gently tap the pan on your counter a few times to release any large air bubbles. If you spot any big bubbles, pop them with a toothpick.
- Place your cake pan into a larger roasting pan or baking sheet. Carefully pour hot (but not boiling!) water into the larger pan, surrounding the cake pan, until the water level reaches about 1 to 1.5 inches (2.5-3.8 cm) up the sides of your cake pan.
- Carefully transfer the entire setup (baking sheet with water bath and cake pan) to the lower third rack of your preheated oven. Bake for 65-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
- Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and let it sit in its pan for about 5 minutes. Then, use the parchment paper overhang to gently lift the cake out of the pan. Peel off the parchment paper, cut the cake while it’s still warm, and serve immediately!
Notes
- Don’t rush the meringue! Achieving those perfect soft peaks is absolutely key for that signature jiggly, bouncy Castella texture. If it’s too stiff, your cake might be dense; too soft, and it might collapse.
- When you’re folding the meringue into the batter, pretend you’re handling a delicate cloud! Overmixing will deflate all the air you just worked so hard to whip in, leading to a less airy cake.
- That water bath creates a steamy environment in your oven, ensuring the Castella bakes evenly and stays incredibly moist and tender. It’s the secret to its signature delicate crumb and prevents the edges from drying out.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Cake
- Cuisine: Japanese