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Japanese Sponge Cake

Four Japanese sponge cake layers on a marble board.
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This ultimate soft and fluffy Japanese sponge cake is the secret to creating those stunning Japanese-style cakes. With just 5 simple ingredients, this cake is baked to absolute perfection.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 1/2 large eggs (173 g), room temperature
  • 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon (92 g) caster sugar
  • 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon (92 g) cake flour
  • 2 tablespoons (31 g) whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons (31 g) unsalted butter

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C). Sift flour through a flour sifter in a clean mixing bowl and put aside. Place butter and milk in a small bowl over a container of hot water and warm them to 122°F (50°C).
  2. 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.
  3. Place whole eggs and granulated sugar in a heat-resistant bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Bring it 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.
  4. Remove the bowl from the hot water bath, and beat with an electric or stand mixer at high speed for 8 minutes. Lower the speed to medium and beat for 1 minute. Then switch to low speed and beat for the other 2 minutes. The egg mixture must triple in volume and reach a ribbon stage. Stop the mixer and stick a toothpick into the beaten eggs. If it holds upright, you are done with whipping.
  5. Add the sifted cake flour, then sift it again over the bowl, and gently mix it with a rubber spatula. Turn the bowl counterclockwise and scoop the batter from the bottom of the bowl until the flour disappears. In terms of 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.
  6. Add a scoop of the batter to a bowl with milk and butter preheated to 122°F (50°C), then mix with a spatula. Pour the cake batter back into the main bowl, and scoop the batter from the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Turn the bowl counterclockwise at the same time.
  7. Pour the batter into the prepared mold, then tap the bottom lightly on the table to release air bubbles. Lower the oven temperature from 390°F to 340°F (200°C to 170°C), and bake for 27-30 minutes.
  8. Remove the baking pan from the oven and tap the mold from about 4 inches (10 cm) above the table to prevent it from shrinking. Let the cake cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes.
  9. Turn the mold upside down on a wire rack and let it cool for 5 minutes. Then turn it over so the grilled side is facing up, and let it cool with the paper still on until it is completely cooled.

Notes

  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 retain its lightness and prevent deflation.
  5. Bake the batter 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 drier texture than a moist vanilla sponge cake.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.bakinglikeachef.com/japanese-sponge-cake/