Japanese Sponge Cake

Here is the ultimate soft and fluffy Japanese sponge cake, the secret to creating those stunning Japanese style cakes. With just 5 simple ingredients, this cake is baked to absolute perfection.

Are you a cake baker looking for your next baking challenge? If you have already mastered Italian Pan di Spagna, Genoise cake, and chocolate sponge cake, it is time to take you on an adventure with Japanese sponge cakes.

Jump to:

• Japanese cake: sponge cake vs. cotton sponge cake
• Japanese sponge cake recipe
• Ingredients
• Recipe variations
• How to make Japanese sponge cake
• Expert Tips
• Storing and freezing
• Recipe FAQ
• Love sponge cake recipes? Try these next!
• Recipe card
• Comments

Light and airy, Japanese fluffy cake is known for its melt-in-your-mouth texture and subtle sweetness. Mastering the art of making this type of sponge cake opens the door to Japanese pastry making.

So grab your mixing bowl and get ready to whisk your way to cake perfection.

Japanese cake: sponge cake vs. cotton sponge cake

While both are high in eggs and low in flour, they have different preparation methods.

The Japanese sponge cake is a drier option that rises thanks to the whipping of whole eggs and sugar.

On the other hand, the Japanese cotton sponge cake uses a meringue with stiff peaks made from beaten egg whites and egg yolks, resulting in a moist texture of the cake, thanks to the water-bath baking method.

However, when it comes down to it, both types of cake are equally delicious and beloved in the Japanese pastry world.

Japanese sponge cake recipe

• Japanese sponge cake recipe is one of the best basic recipes to make Japanese strawberry cream cakes: Japanese strawberry shortcake (aka Japanese Christmas cake), Asian fresh fruit cake, etc.

• It is quick and straightforward, with 20 minutes of hands-on time, and is made with basic ingredients.

• Unlike butter cakes, Japanese sponge cake is made without leavening agents. Instead, the beaten eggs act as a rising agent.

• Finally, it is perfect for making a birthday cake, a two-tire wedding cake, or a cake for a special occasion.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Eggs: Use whole eggs at room temperature for the best results. Bring eggs to the counter an hour before making the cake. Using a digital scale when weighing the eggs is essential to ensure accurate measurements.

• Sugar: The recipe calls for caster or baker's sugar. Authentically, Japanese sponge cake is made with fine-grained granulated sugar. You can make it yourself: process regular granulated sugar in a food processor a few times.

• Flour: Use cake flour, which has a lighter protein content than all-purpose flour. In Japan, soft and very fine flour with low protein content (6.5±0.5%) is used for making sponge cakes. It also has a low ash content (0.35%) and enhances the flavor of eggs and dairy products.

• Butter brings flavor, taste, and moisture to the sponge cake. Opt for high-top quality unsalted butter with 82% fat content.

• Milk is another ingredient that provides moisture to the cake.

Recipe variations

• Add 0.35 oz. (10 g) of trehalose to make the sponge cake of a finer texture and bring moisture. Trehalose is a natural sugar made from yeast and is about 45% as sweet as regular sugar.
• Add 0.35 oz. (10 g) of dried strawberry powder to create strawberry sponge cake.
• Replace 2 tablespoons (31 g) of butter with 1 oz. (28 g) of Taihaku sesame oil, maximizing the cake's flavor and providing a delicate and melt-in-the-mouth texture.

How to make Japanese sponge cake

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C). Sift flour with a flour sifter in a clean mixing bowl and put aside.

Step 2. Place butter and milk in a small bowl over another container with hot water and warm them up at 122°F (50°C).

Step 3. Grease a 6-inch (15 cm) springform pan with softened butter, dust with flour, and remove excess. Or line the bottom of the pan with a parchment paper circle and the sides with parchment strips.

Step 4. Place whole eggs and granulated sugar in a heat-resistant bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk a few times using a hand whisk (photo 1).

Step 5. Bring the bowl over a bain-marie or water bath, and beat with a handheld mixer at medium speed until the temperature reaches 97°F to 100°F (36°C to 38°C), 104°F (40°C) at maximum.

Pro tip: For the best results, keep 97°F (36°C) in summer and 100°F (38°C) in wintertime.

Step 6. Remove the bowl from the hot water bath, and beat with an electric or stand mixer at high speed for 8 minutes (photo 2).

Step 7. Lower the speed to medium and beat for 1 minute. Then switch to low speed and beat for the remaining 2 minutes. The egg mixture must triple in volume and reach a ribbon stage (photo 3).

Pro tip: If using a hand mixer, turn the bowl counterclockwise with an undominant hand to adjust the texture of the dough. Coarse air bubbles will crush, and the finished cake will get the perfect texture.

Step 8. Stop the mixer and stick a toothpick into the beaten eggs. If it holds upright, you are done with whipping (photo 4).

Step 9. Add the sifted cake flour while sifting again over the bowl and gently mix it with a rubber spatula. Turn the bowl counterclockwise, scooping the batter from the bottom of the bowl until the flour disappears.

Pro tip: Regarding spatula movements, it has to draw the letter "J," passing the bottom of the bowl from 2 to 8 o'clock, lifting the batter, and returning it.

Step 10. Add a scoop of the batter into a bowl with milk and butter preheated to 122°F (50°C) and mix with a spatula.

Pro tip: For the best results, the milk and butter mixture must be at 122°F (50°C); if lower, it will sink and won't mix well.

Step 11. Pour the cake batter mixture back into the principal preparation, and scoop the batter from the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Turn the bowl counterclockwise at the same time.

Step 12. Pour the batter into the prepared mold, and tap the bottom lightly against the table to remove air bubbles (photo 5).

Pro tip: Coarse air bubbles are easy to crush, and the finished product will be poor, so prepare the texture well.

Step 14. Lower the oven temperature from 390°F to 340°F (200°C to 170°C), and bake for 27-30 minutes.

Pro tip: Check the oven temperature with an oven thermometer for accurate baking results.

Step 15. Remove the baking pan from the oven and tap the mold from about 4 inches (10 cm) against the table to prevent it from shrinking. Let the cake cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes (photo 6).

Step 16. Turn the mold upside down on a wire rack and let it cool for 5 minutes. Then turn it over so that the grilled side faces up, and let it cool with the paper still on until cooled down completely.

Expert Tips

1. Use a kitchen scale that provides the most accurate measurements and baking results.
2. To make an 8-inch (20 cm) cake, multiply the recipe ingredients by 1.78 or use this simple cake pan converter. You may need to adjust the baking time.
3. Follow the recommended temperature carefully to bake the perfect sponge cake.
4. Gently incorporate the flour into the batter to maintain its lightness and avoid any deflation.
5. Bring the batter to the oven without delay to ensure optimal results.
6. Don't open the oven door during baking.
7. To ensure evenly smooth layers, allow the cake to cool before slicing. For easier slicing, wait until the day after baking.
8. To slice a cake, use a cake knife, a long serrated knife, or a cake leveler for perfectly even slices.
9. Soak the cake layers when assembling: this type of sponge has a dry texture compared to a moist vanilla sponge cake.

Storing and freezing

Store Japanese sponge cake well-wrapped with plastic film in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Can you freeze it? You can freeze it covered with plastic wrap and aluminum foil for three months.

Recipe FAQ

Love sponge cake recipes? Try these next!

If you enjoy this Japanese soft cake, you will also love the other plain sponge cakes on the website.

• Italian sponge cake
• Genoise Sponge Cake
• Korean Sponge Cake

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Recipe card

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.