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–+ servings

Honey Castella Cake

This recipe makes a delectable Castella cake with an incredibly fine crumb and flat, wrinkle-free crust. You won't be able to resist its springy fluffiness. And you won't have to because there's no oil or butter in the cake.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Japanese, Portuguese
Servings 6
Calories 127 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 85 g egg whites
  • 60 g castor sugar
  • 60 g egg yolks
  • 20 g honey
  • 60 g bread flour
  • 20 g full-fat milk

Instructions
 

  • Cut 5 mm thick corrugated cardboard to fit 4 sides of 23 x 15 cm cake pan. Wrap tightly in aluminium foil, shiny side facing out. Line 4 sides of cake pan with cardboard.
  • Cut parchment paper to fit bottom of 20 x 12 x 5 cm cake pan. Grease lightly with vegetable oil. Place paper in cake pan, oiled side up.
  • Preheat oven to 160°C.
  • Whisk egg whites till bubbles are very small. Gradually add castor sugar whilst still whisking. Continue to whisk till firm (not stiff) peak stage, reducing speed towards the end to remove big air bubbles and prevent overwhisking.
    85 g egg whites, 60 g castor sugar
  • Add yolks to whisked egg white in 4 batches. Whisk on low speed till evenly mixed after each addition.
    60 g egg yolks
  • Add honey. Repeat whisking as before.
    20 g honey
  • Sift half of bread flour into batter. Mix with whisk till almost even. Sift remaining flour. Mix till just even.
    60 g bread flour
  • Drizzle milk around bowl. Whisk, skimming just top part of batter, till you don't see any milk.
    20 g full-fat milk
  • Scrape down and fold with spatula, banging bowl against worktop from time to time, till everything is just evenly mixed. Let batter rest 10 seconds or so midway, then bang bowl against worktop.
  • Pour batter into lined cake pan, slowly and from about 30 cm high so that air bubbles burst as they flow out of bowl. Tap pan against worktop 3-4 times. Place in bigger cake pan prepared earlier.
  • Bake in bottom of oven till cake is brown and makes a soft squishing sound when pressed lightly, about 35 minutes. (If squishing is loud, cake is still too wet. If there's no sound at all, cake is overbaked and too dry.)
  • Remove pans from oven. Remove cardboard and outer pan. Drop smaller cake pan from about 30 cm high, 2-3 times. Wait a few moments till top of cake starts to wrinkle slightly. Invert pan onto wooden chopping board. Wait till top of cake is flat and smooth, about 30 seconds. Re-invert pan. Leave on wire rack till cool. Unmould, trim edges, cut and serve.
  • Cake is best eaten on day it's made, especially if it's cut. If serving the next day, or if cake is overbaked, wrap in plastic whilst still warm and unmoulded, till serving time.