Korean Fresh Cream Cake (Saeng Cream Cake)

Quick Summary: Korean fresh cream cake, called saeng cream cake (생크림 케이크) in Korean, is a light layer cake made with soft sponge cake, fresh whipped cream, and fruit like strawberries.

"Saeng cream" means fresh cream, and the whole cake takes about 1 hour 30 minutes to make. It is the airy, lightly sweet cake sold in Korean bakeries for birthdays and celebrations, similar to Japanese strawberry shortcake but made with a simpler sponge.

If you have ever admired the delicate, cloud-like cakes in a Korean bakery window, this is how you make one at home. With a handful of basic ingredients and a little care, you can create this eye-catching celebration cake yourself, and the results taste every bit as good as they look.

The Japanese sponge cake recipe uses a whole-egg method, so you must pay attention to temperature, egg-beating, and mixing for success. The Korean sponge cake recipe is a bit different.

It separates egg whites and yolks without a cooking thermometer and is made without butter. The Korean sponge cake 한국 스펀지 케이크 레시피 is a simplified take on classic Genoise cake. But despite its simplicity, it is yummy and delicious.

Filled and decorated with light and airy whipped cream and fresh fruit, it is absolutely divine.

What is Korean fresh cream cake?

Korean fresh cream cake is a signature layer cake of Asian bakeries made with layers of soft sponge cake, fluffy whipped cream, and luscious fresh fruit.

One of the most popular variations is the Korean Strawberry Shortcake, which showcases juicy, fresh strawberries. This cake resembles the Japanese strawberry shortcake, a Chinese sponge cake with fruit, and a Western-style fresh fruit cake.

A fresh cream cake is known as a Korean birthday cake, a strawberry cream cake, and Saeng cream cake 생크림 케이크 in Korean, which means whipped cream cake.

The first whipped cream cake was introduced in Korea at 'Ryeomen Bakery' (now 'Shinmyeong Confectionery') in 1977.

Why you'll love this recipe

• It is light and not too sweet. Korean fresh cream cake is famous for its airy sponge and delicate whipped cream frosting, so it feels refreshing rather than heavy.
• It is easy and quick. The recipe needs only a few minutes of hands-on time and simple ingredients you likely already have.
• It has a signature Asian-style sponge. Like other Asian cakes, this sponge uses oil instead of baking powder or soda for a soft, tender crumb.
• It is endlessly customizable. Layer it with fresh strawberries, peaches, or mixed berries to suit the season and the occasion.
• It is perfect for celebrations. This is the classic Korean cake for birthdays, weddings, and special events, and it looks as elegant as it tastes.

Ingredients

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

High-quality ingredients are the key to making fresh cream cakes.

• Eggs: The recipe calls for separated egg whites and egg yolks at room temperature. Use chilled eggs and an egg separator to separate egg whites from the yolks. Then bring them to room temperature. To ensure accurate measurements, use a digital scale.

For the best results, choose fresh eggs. Fresh egg whites whip up more easily, while older ones struggle to retain air.

• Sugar: Use granulated, baker's, or caster sugar for the sponge cake, and icing (powdered) sugar for the fresh whipped cream.

• Flour: The recipe calls for cake flour, which has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour.

• Oil brings moisture to the sponge cake. Opt for neutral flavorless grapeseed or vegetable oil. Also, read about how to make a cake moist.

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

• Heavy cream: Opt for heavy or heavy whipping cream with a high fat content of at least 30%. In Korea, fresh cream has a minimal fat content of 18%. The higher the milk fat content, the easier it is to whip the cream.

• Fresh strawberries are the stars of the cake. Use frozen strawberries to make a cake filling if desired.

• Lemon juice: Make fresh lemon juice using a citrus juicer or buy it at a grocery store.

• Flavoring: Opt for Kirsch or vanilla extract.

Recipe variations

• Number of cake layers: Experiment with a range of layered cakes, from two to four layers.

• Fresh berries: Replace the strawberry cake filling with fresh strawberry halves, just like in a Japanese Strawberry Shortcake.

• Flavorings: Add some lemon zest to the cake batter or flavor the simple syrup with vanilla extract, cognac, dark rum, or other flavors. Get a free fruit flavor pairing chart.

• Cake decoration is the best part of cake making. Add an extra batch of fresh whipped cream to decorate the cake with your favorite pastry tip, creating a range of stylish, creative designs.

How to make Korean fresh cream cake

Making a Korean fresh cream cake involves a few steps: preparing a sponge cake, making a fresh strawberry filling, making a sugar syrup, making whipped cream frosting, and assembling the cake.

Step 1. To make a sponge cake, preheat the oven to 305°F (150°C). Sift cake flour twice through a flour sifter into a large mixing bowl.

Step 2. Butter and dust a 7-inch (18 cm) pan with flour, then remove the excess. Or line the bottom and sides of the baking pan with a parchment paper circle and strips.

Step 3. Place egg whites in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, and beat on low to medium speed until frothy.

Step 4. Divide the sugar into three equal parts. Add ⅓ of the sugar and continue whisking on low speed. Add another ⅓ of sugar and continue whisking on low speed. Add the last ⅓ of the sugar, and beat the egg whites until soft peaks (photo 1). Avoid stiff peaks and glossy meringue.

Step 5. Add egg yolks and gently mix with a hand whisk with circular movements (photo 2). Avoid any up-and-down whisking motions.

Step 6. Sift ½ of the flour over the bowl and carefully mix with a hand whisk without whisking. Add the remaining flour and mix until it is no longer visible.

Step 7. Place the oil and milk in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 20 seconds. Add the warm milk and oil mixture to the main preparation.

Step 8. Gently mix by scooping the batter from the bottom with a spatula until it is uniform (photo 3).

Step 9. Pour the batter into the prepared pan (photo 4), then tap it on the table a couple of times. Stir the batter with a bamboo screw with circular movements.

Pro tip: These tricks help eliminate air bubbles and create an ideal texture for the cake.

Step 10. Bake the cake for 60 minutes. Remove the baking pan from the oven and tap the mold on the table. Let the cake cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes (photo 4).

Pro tip: Baking a sponge cake at a low temperature for an extended period provides the best cake rise. Baking at higher oven temperatures results in a lower cake not being enough for all four layers.

Step 11. Turn the pan upside down on a wire rack and let the cake cool for 5 minutes. Then turn it over and, while the cake is warm, scrape the crust from the top with a thin, sharp knife (photo 5).

Step 12. Don't trim the cake yet; just remove the top crust. Let the cake cool down completely.

Step 13. To make sugar syrup, pour water and sugar into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Out of the heat, add kirsch, and let it cool.

Step 14. To make fresh whipped cream, pour ⅔ cup + 3 tablespoons (200 g) of chilled heavy cream and icing sugar into a cold bowl and whip the cream with a hand whisk until soft-medium peaks.

Pro tip: Consult a Japanese strawberry shortcake for how to make fresh whipped cream. It is different from the Westen-style homemade whipped cream. If desired, opt for stabilized whipped cream.

Step 15. To make the strawberry cake filling, wash and pat dry the strawberries. Hull and cut strawberries into halves, then quarters. Mash using a potato masher or a fork.

Step 16. Combine mashed strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. The sauce will thicken as it cools.

Step 17. To assemble the cake, measure its height. You will need to get four 0.4-inch (1 cm) thick cake layers. If the cake size allows, cut the bottom of the cake. Otherwise, leave the bottom crust.

Pro tip: Asian-style cakes usually omit the crust to achieve ultra-white layers.

Step 18. Use a serrated knife or a cake leveler to slice the cake into thin layers, each 1 cm thick. Adjust a mousse cake mold to 6.4 inches (16 cm) and trim each layer to fit.

Step 19. Place the first layer on a turntable. Soak it with syrup using a pastry brush. Spread ¼ of the cream evenly with a bent spatula.

Pro tip: To achieve a clean and stylish look, assemble the cake using a mousse cake mold with an acetate cake collar.

Step 20. Then, using a pastry bag or spoon, add ⅓ of the strawberry filling on top of the cream. Make sure to leave a ½-inch (1.5 cm) gap from the edge (photo 7).

Step 21. Place the second cake layer and repeat the above procedure. Finish the cake with the third cake disk and soak it. Crumb coat the top and sides of the cake with a thin layer of cream.

Step 22. Whisk ⅔ cup (150 g) of the cold heavy cream with a hand whisk until soft peaks, and cover the entire cake (photo 8).

Step 23. Decorate the cake with an angled spatula: read a Wilton tutorial on making spatula icing. Arrange a few fresh strawberries on top.

Expert Tips

1. Keep the top and bottom crust if desired, but make sure the cake layers are 6.4 inches (16 cm) in diameter. The fresh whipped cream recipe is created for this cake size.
2. Use a digital scale for accurate ingredient measurements.
3. Make sure the ingredients are at room temperature. 
4. To recalculate ingredients for another cake pan size, use a simple cake pan converter. You may need to adjust the baking time.
5. Don't overmix the cake batter: overmixing results in a heavier cake.
6. Don't open the oven door during baking.
7. For evenly smooth layers, let the cake cool before slicing. For easier slicing, wait until the day after baking.
8. Use a hand mixer with caution: it is easy to overwhip the cream filling.
9. Make-ahead option: Bake a sponge cake and make strawberry cake filling in the evening, then finish the cake the next day.

How do you stabilize the whipped cream frosting?

Because this cake is frosted with fresh whipped cream rather than buttercream, stabilizing the cream helps it hold its shape and stay smooth when piped and chilled. A few simple methods keep the frosting firm without changing its light taste.

• Chill everything. Whip cold heavy cream in a chilled bowl with cold beaters, which helps it hold soft peaks longer.
• Add a stabilizer. Whip in a little gelatin, cream cheese, mascarpone, or a spoon of instant pudding mix to keep the frosting sturdy for decorating.
• Do not overwhip. Stop as soon as the cream holds firm peaks, since overwhipping turns it grainy and prone to weeping.

Storing & freezing

Store Korean fresh cream cake under a cake dome in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Keep the leftover cake refrigerated in an airtight container. You can't freeze the whole cake, but you can freeze the sponge cake for up to 3 months.

Recipe FAQ

What does saeng cream cake mean, and what is cake called in Korean?
Saeng cream cake (생크림 케이크) simply means fresh cream cake in Korean. The word for cake in Korean is 케이크 (pronounced "ke-i-keu"), borrowed from English, while "saeng cream" refers to the fresh whipped cream that coats the sponge layers.

What cream is used for Korean cream cake?
Korean cream cake uses fresh whipped heavy cream (dairy whipping cream), lightly sweetened with a little powdered sugar. This fresh cream is what gives the cake its soft, clean, not-too-sweet flavor, unlike the heavier buttercream used on Western cakes.

What is sponge cake in baking?
Sponge cake is made with eggs, flour, and sugar, giving it a light and airy texture. The secret is beating the eggs with sugar to create air bubbles that give the cake its fluffy rise.

What are the different methods of sponge cake making?
In Korea, there are two methods: the "public method" and the "separate method." The public method beats whole eggs to create airy bubbles, resulting in a soft, moist texture. The separate method whips the whites into a meringue, then folds them back into the batter, making the cake even fluffier.

What is the best method for preparing sponge cake?
If you use the whole-egg method, you will need a mixer and a cooking thermometer to watch the batter temperature. If you separate the yolks from the whites, the method is less demanding and needs only an electric mixer.

Love cake recipes? Try these next!

If you enjoy Korean fresh cream cake, you will also love the other sponge cakes on the blog.

• Italian Pan di Spagna
• Genoise Sponge Cake
• Chiffon cake
• Angel Food Cake
• Japanese Sponge Cake
• Vietnamese Bánh Bông Lan
• Asian Sponge Cake (Chinese sponge cake)
• Wagashi Sponge Cake (Japanese castella cake)
• Japanese Roll Cake
• Korean Lunchbox Cake
• Bento Cakes

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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.

The recipe was adapted from https://en.cooking-tree.com/