For those who are huge fans of popular Japanese desserts, there's no doubt that you know all about castella cake. Light, fluffy and perfectly pillowy, this sponge cake is an absolute dream to eat ? Using basic ingredients (some of which you may already have in your kitchen!), all it takes to put together this delightful treat are a couple of steps that aren't too far from making your standard, traditional cakes. So, if you're ready to indulge yourself in one of the most popular Japanese confections, this halal castella cake recipe is perfect for you.
Ingredients (yields 1 cake)
For the sponge cake
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup sugar
- ¾ cup + 1 tbsp bread flour
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp warm water
For the honey mixture to brush the cake
- 1 tbsp honey
- ½ tbsp warm water
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 160°C.
- In a mixing bowl, sift flour through a fine sieve and set aside.
- In a small bowl, add warm water to honey and stir.
- Using a stand or hand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar on high speed for about 5 minutes until the mixture thickens. It should turn to a pale yellow colour.
- Add the honey and egg mixture and whisk on low speed or about 30 seconds until everything’s combined.
- Add ⅓ of bread flour and whisk on low speed for 15 seconds. Add the next ⅓ of flour and whisk for another 15 seconds. Add the remaining flour and combine for 1 minute, making sure not to overmix.
- Lightly grease your baking pan, line with parchment paper and grease the insides as well. Pour the batter in and tap the pan against the counter gently several times to release any air bubbles in the batter.
- Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. You can check to see if it’s done by poking a toothpick in the middle and see if it comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven.
- In a small dish, combine the honey mixture and brush it on top of the cake.
- When the cake is cool enough to handle, remove from the pan and peel off the parchment paper. Wrap it in a fresh piece of parchment paper and cover with a layer of plastic wrap, leaving it overnight at room temperature. This helps the cake to keep its moisture and for the flavour to properly develop. Alternatively, you can always keep the parchment paper on and cover with plastic wrap on top like how Cooking With Dog demonstrates in the video below:
- When ready to serve, simply unwrap and cut off the edges on all sides (except the top and bottom). Then, enjoy!
Treating yourself to a yummy castella cake is easy and with this recipe, you’ll be able to whip it up anytime you’d like without having to book that flight to Japan ?
Want more delicious cake recipes? Then make sure to check these out: