Kasutera: Japanese Castella Cake – Soft, Fluffy Perfection

Kasutera Directions

• Prepare Your Baking Setup
  Preheat your oven to 180°C (355°F). Line an 18cm cake pan with parchment paper, extending the paper slightly above the edges. Fill a baking tray with hot water about 2cm deep - this will become your water bath. The water bath provides gentle, even heat that's essential for the cake's texture.
• Separate Eggs Properly
  Carefully separate 2 large eggs, placing yolks and whites in different bowls. Ensure absolutely no yolk contaminates the whites, as even a small amount will prevent proper meringue formation. Let eggs reach room temperature for optimal volume when beaten.
• Create Base Mixture
  In the bowl with yolks, add 12g honey, 30g vegetable oil, and 30ml milk. Mix thoroughly until completely blended and smooth. The honey provides both sweetness and the characteristic moisture that makes castella special.
• Prepare Meringue
  Using clean beaters, whip egg whites until foamy. Gradually add 35g granulated sugar while continuing to beat. Whip to medium-soft peaks where the meringue forms gentle peaks that slightly bend at the tips. Overbeating will create a dry cake, while underbeating results in insufficient rise.
• Fold With Precision
  Gently sift 35g cake flour over the yolk mixture. Fold carefully until just incorporated. Add a large spoonful of meringue to lighten the batter. Then fold in remaining meringue using a large spatula with a cutting motion, maintaining as much air as possible in the batter.
• Bake Gently
  Pour batter into prepared pan. Drop the pan from a height of 10cm twice to release large air bubbles. Place pan in the water bath and bake at 160°C for approximately 30 minutes. The cake should rise evenly and develop a golden top.
• Test For Doneness
  Insert a skewer or toothpick into the center - it should come out clean. The cake should feel springy when gently pressed. Surface temperature should be hot to the touch. If underbaked, the cake will collapse when cooling.
• Cool Properly
  Remove from oven and cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Gently remove and place on a cooling rack. For traditional presentation, dust lightly with powdered sugar just before serving. The cake will have a slight spring-back texture when properly baked.