Japanese Castella Cake

Japanese Castella Cake (Kasutera)

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

 • Bread flour: 1 cup (120 g)

(Bread flour gives the traditional stretchy, moist texture)

Wet Ingredients

 • Eggs: 4 large (200 g without shell)

 • Granulated sugar: ½ cup + 2 tbsp (130 g)

 • Honey: 2 tbsp (30 g)

 • Warm water: 2 tbsp (30 ml)

 • Vegetable oil: 1 tbsp (15 ml)

 • Vanilla extract: 1 tsp (5 ml) (optional)

Instructions 

Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Line a loaf pan (8×4 inch) with parchment paper, allowing overhang on all sides.

Mix the honey with warm water until smooth and set aside.

Place the eggs and sugar in a bowl and beat on high speed until the mixture becomes pale, thick, and increases significantly in volume. It should fall in long ribbons.

Add the honey mixture, oil, and vanilla to the whipped eggs and mix gently.

Sift the bread flour into the batter in two additions, folding slowly and carefully so the foam does not deflate.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and tap lightly to release large bubbles.

Place the loaf pan inside a larger baking tray. Pour hot water into the tray to create a warm-water bath (not boiling, just hot), keeping the water halfway up the sides of the loaf pan.

Bake for 45–55 minutes, or until the top is golden and springs back lightly.

Remove the cake from the pan using the parchment overhang. Peel back the sides of the parchment and wrap the warm cake fully in fresh parchment paper. Wrap again in plastic wrap to keep moisture in.

Let the cake rest for 12 hours or overnight before slicing. This resting time creates the signature moist, bouncy, honeyed texture.

Slice with a serrated knife and wipe the blade between cuts for clean edges.