Castella Recipe - Japanese Honey Sponge Cake | CookOS

Castella Recipe - How to make (with detailed instruction)

Name: Castella Recipe - Japanese Honey Sponge Cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 7 egg whites; 100g castor sugar; 7 egg yolks; 35g honey; 100g bread flour; 35g milk

Castella (Kasutera) is a delicate Japanese sponge cake made with bread flour, egg whites, honey, and castor sugar that delivers a uniquely tender crumb. The recipe requires careful technique to avoid common pitfalls like overbeating or improper folding.

🌍Japanese 🏷️Castella 🏷️カステラ 🏷️Pão de castela 🏷️Pão de ló Sponge cake

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🏷️Castella cake

Castella Recipe - How to make (with detailed instruction)

Total

1h 20m

Servings

Difficulty

Hard

Est. Cost

$14–$23

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Tasteasianfood · by KP Kwan

Ingredients

7 egg whites
100g castor sugar
7 egg yolks
35g honey
100g bread flour
35g milk

6 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Beat the egg whites over a hot water bath with the electric mixer.
2
Add the castor sugar to the egg white in batches.
3
Stop beating when the meringue forms soft peaks.
4
Add the egg yolks, one by one into the meringue. Mix well.
5
Add the honey, mix well.
6
Add the sieved bread flour to the batter in two batches. Combine thoroughly.
7
Add the milk and mix well.
8
Use the silicone spatula to scrape the side of the mixing bowl to capture all the possible flour that has mixed well.
9
Prepare the cake pan lined with baking paper, and surrounded with corrugated cardboards wrapped with aluminum foil at all the sides. Pour the batter into the cake pan slowly from the position about one foot above the base. Slam the cake pan (with batter) onto the table to break the large bubbles. Use a wooden skewer to break the smaller bubbles on the surface.
10
Bake at 160°C/320°F uncovered for about 50 minutes.
11
Remove from the oven and slam it on the table to reduce shrinkage. Overturn the cake upended for one minute to flatten the surface. Wrap with cling film and leave it in the refrigerator for half a day.
12
Trim off the sides to make it a perfect rectangle. Cut it into slices and serve.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Separate eggs when cold, then bring whites to room temperature before whipping to achieve maximum volume and stable meringue.
Fold in bread flour gently in two additions using a spatula, cutting down the center and sweeping along the bottom to avoid deflating air.
Bake in a parchment-lined pan with a water bath at a steady, moderate temperature to prevent cracking and ensure even, level rise.
Invert the cake immediately after baking and cool upside-down to prevent the crumb from compressing under its own weight.

Substitutions

Castor sugar → superfine sugar (same result, slightly coarser granules dissolve just as easily)
Milk → heavy cream or buttermilk (adds richness; use same volume)
Honey → glucose syrup or light corn syrup (1:1 swap; avoid dark honey which darkens crumb)

Storage & make-ahead

Wrap cooled castella tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days; it tastes best after 24 hours as the crumb sets and flavors develop.

Equipment

Stand mixer (for stable meringue) · 9-inch loaf pan or square cake pan · Roasting pan (for water bath) · Parchment paper

Common Questions

Why use bread flour instead of cake flour in castella?

Bread flour's slightly higher protein content creates a more structured, tender crumb unique to authentic castella, rather than the dense result you'd get from cake flour.

Can I substitute honey in castella?

Yes—use glucose syrup or light corn syrup at a 1:1 ratio. Avoid dark honey as it alters the delicate flavor; avoid substitutes that crystallize.

What's the most common castella baking mistake?

Overbeating egg whites or overmixing the batter after folding in flour, which deflates air pockets and yields a dense, dry cake instead of a fluffy crumb.