Description
Super light and airy, these fluffy Japanese Honey Castella Muffins have a delicate, tender crumb and a subtle honey flavour. Baked in a water bath for ultimate moisture and finished with a shiny honey glaze!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Batter
- 2 tbsp (42 g) honey
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) warm milk
- 1/2 cup (60 g) cake flour, sifted
- 3 egg yolks, room temperature
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil (like vegetable or canola)
Meringue
- 3 egg whites, room temperature
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) lemon juice
Glaze
- 1 tbsp (21 g) honey
- 1 tsp (5 g) unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a muffin tray with cupcake liners.
- In a small bowl, mix the honey and warm milk until smooth. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks, vanilla, and oil. Slowly stir in the honey-milk mixture.
- Sift the cake flour into the yolk mixture and mix until the batter is smooth and thick, like pancake batter. Set aside.
- In a separate clean medium bowl, beat the egg whites with lemon juice until foamy. Gradually add the sugar in three additions, continuing to beat until you reach medium-stiff glossy peaks. The meringue should hold its shape but still look silky.
- Add one-third of the meringue into the yolk batter and fold it in with a “J” motion, scraping the bottom of the bowl until the colour is uniform. Gently fold in the remaining meringue in two parts using a spatula, being careful to preserve the air.
- Spoon the batter, or carefully pipe it, into the prepared muffin cups, filling them almost to the top (about 90%). Gently tap the tray once to release any large air pockets.
- Place the muffin tray into a shallow baking pan. Carefully pour warm water into the larger pan until it reaches about 1 inch (2.5 cm) up the sides of the muffin tray.
- Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- While the muffins bake, melt the butter and honey for the glaze together and mix.
- Once the muffins are out of the oven, brush the warm tops with the honey glaze for a shiny finish.
Notes
- Room temperature eggs are a must here. They whip up better and create a more stable meringue and a smoother, more emulsified batter, which is key for that fluffy castella texture.
- Be gentle when folding in the meringue. The air you’ve beaten into the egg whites is what gives these muffins their characteristic light and airy crumb, so try not to deflate it.
- The water bath helps the muffins bake evenly and keeps them moist. It prevents them from drying out too quickly and encourages a tender texture.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Category: Muffins
- Method: Baking
