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Monday, October 14, 2013

Easy Castella Cake (cold eggs method) 蜂蜜长崎蛋糕 (冷全蛋打发)


I was accidently broken four eggs when I tried to close the fridge door on last weekend. Then I asked to Jane what to do with these four eggs, then Jane suggested me to make a castella cake since she just done one. I recalled a castella recipe that shared by Helena earlier, so I immediately make it. But i can't use her method which using separation of eggs since four eggs were mixed up together. So i use back the cold eggs method (you can refer to orange sponge cupcake) . To my surprise, this easy castella recipe yield very nice cake, light, moist, little QQ texture (texture like cross between sponge cake and bread), very nice honey aroma, no oil and no SP or ovalette is added.

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There is a special maltose using in this recipe, maltose sugar 水麦芽
I can't find it here, Thanks to Helena brought back some for me (left bottle), and i managed to found it (right bottle) at the Daimaru Hokkaido during the trip to Japan.

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I always amazed with the outcome with simple beating cold eggs method, cake no shrinkage at all !
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Ok, i know many of you don't own a castella box. So I told Helena that i have to try a version using normal loaf tin, and i am glad that it turn out as good as like the castella using special box, not much difference in taste. Also i omit the maltose sugar since it is hard to get it here.
So there is no excuses that you can't make a castella now, go ahead and make it !

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The only difference is using normal loaf pan, all the sides has brown skin, simply slice it off, then it will look like a castella cake, ^_^

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This is how you should wrap the cake and store in the fridge for overnight to develop better flavour!

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Easy Castella Cake 蜂蜜长崎蛋糕
(recipe source: adapted from Helena’s kitchen, with modification)
*for a castella box internal size 11x7.7x21cm or a loaf tin 11.5x11.3x22.7cm )

4 whole large eggs (cold from fridge)
3tbsp honey
cas10 copy 2 tbsp milk
1 tsp maltose sugar 水麦芽, optional (you may omit)
120g bread flour, sifted twice
75g caster sugar
1tbsp mirin

Method

  1. Preheat oven at 180C.
  2. Remove eggs from the fridge, add into the mixing bowl, add in caster sugar, immediately beat it till pale, thick and fluffy (I use KA mixer with balloon whisk, 3mins at speed 8-9, 12-15mins at speed 4-5, 5mins at Speed 1-2 ).
  3. Switch your mixer to the lowest setting then add sifted flour slowly until mixture well incorporated (Do not over mix).
  4. Put honey, milk, maltose sugar and mirin in a mixing bowl, then microwave for 15seconds to warm.
  5. Take a small portion of batter and mix it with honey mixture, stir to combine.
  6. Then add back into the batter, slowly fold to incorporate, do not over mix.
  7. Pour the batter (from one feet height, as to minimize air bubbles) into prepared baking pan lined with paper (special castella box or loaf pan). Gently drop the baking pan on the bench top to minimize air bubbles.
  8. Reduce oven temperature to 155C, bake the cake at middle rack for 60mins (if using castella box) or 50mins (if using normal loaf pan).
  9. Once the cake is done, just cool it on a wire rack or you can invert the cake. When the cake is cool enough to handle but still warm (about 15mins), remove the pan, wooden box or loaf pan and baking paper. Continue to cool on a wire rack.
  10. Once cake is cooled, wrap nicely with paper and cling film. Refrigerate overnight. (This step is critical to ensure the Castella has a moist texture).

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest #1 Oct 2013 : Japan , hosted by Alan from travelling-foodies

33 comments:

  1. I have yet to try castella cake because I know I wont made this as good like yours. But of course I like to give this a try one day and thank you for sharing with us.

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  2. Thank you for experimenting and sharing this out! A big kamsia :)

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  3. That's eureka for u... Bookmarked this.

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  4. That's eureka for u... Bookmarked this.

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  5. These few days have been chatting so much about this cake & finally I can see clearer pictures of these cakes both baked in the mould & loaf pan.Good effort for trying it in the loaf pan.

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  6. Friend, you are very efficient , I tot I can only see this post a few days later as we were just talking about this cake yesterday n now it's all done and still have step by step photos...gaolat! Haha...

    I have not try a real castella before, some say it is sponge cake texture with honey flavour, some say it has to be a bit chewy cross over between sponge and bread. However, I like this recipe because it makes sponge/ bread chewy texture castella which I think is very special and up to my liking.

    Congratulations u has successfully made your castella in a loaf pan..:) nice one.

    Thanks for linking back to my site.

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  7. Thanks for your experiments and now I don't have excuss not to try :D Thanks for the effort of making it sounds easy (not sure mine can be like yours or not :P).

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  8. Even though this is challenging cake to me, but with your experiment and no maltose sugar and castella box required. I have no excuse to escape,hahaha...

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  9. Isn't all right if I'm using hi protein bread flour?

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  10. Thanks for sharing this version of Castella cake.... I really like the taste of Castella.

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  11. Thea, bread flour I mentioned here is high protein flour..

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  12. I used Nami's recipe also to make Castella. Very authentic flavour. Yours look beautiful too.

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  13. Nice rescue with the 4 eggs really c:
    This castella cake looks fluffy and
    delicious! Xx

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  14. I have not courage to make it, heard its not eary, hehe..

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  15. Thx for the info, i guess i won't bring it to romm temperature later on...
    btw, my mom said the other most important thing is using the very fresh eggs, thats why my mom usually picked the egg rigt away from the farm before making christmas cake...

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  16. True enough you made this cake sound so easy to make, but then an expert like you would definitely turn a complicated cake/dish into something super easy! I've never tried castella cake before nor have I the inclination to bake one as it requires a wooden mould. However now that you've used a normal pan, what are we waiting for. I think there will be more castella cakes coming up ... Thanks for sharing Sonia.

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  17. Sonia, I also saw Yen (Baby Sumo)bake this Castella cake. I always thought this cake is complicated. Saw video they beat over a bowl of hot water, I see I also feel so tired already! Now I can try it with simple method :)

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  18. Hi Sonia

    Thank you for the recipe. Yes, no excuse for me not to try out your Castella cake recipe as no oil involved and not necessary use of oblong wooden box.

    Just one question: can I replace mirin (I do not have) with other rice wine such a good quality Chinese cooking rice wine?

    Blessings
    Priscilla Poh

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  19. G'day Sonia! Beautiful, moist looking cake, true!
    Thank you today for allowing me to learn something new!
    Cheers! Joanne

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  20. Sonia, you are wonderful in baking and your castella cake looks so great. I definitely will try out this recipe, thanks for sharing!

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  21. Priscilla, I am not sure, have yet to use Chinese rice wine to replace, but I guess Chinese rice wine is a bit stronger than Mirin, you can get Mirin at Jusco easily, why not get a bottle then you can use it to cook other Japanese dishes too.

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  22. Beautiful cake - now I have not excuse not to try since you have a simple way of making castella cake.

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  23. hi Sonia, thks for sharing
    word 'easy' always intrigues me :)
    no maltose, no castella wooden box but i'm ready to bake this! :)

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  24. Excellent, the above cake is so good and different. the creating procedure of this cake is very regular. it looks so delicious.

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  25. Hi NLL,

    Love your blog so much and I think my first time leaving a comment despite a fan of yours.

    Can ask if we can substitute 水麥糖 with normal Malt sugar? The Malt sugar I see in Singapore looks like the one you have but not sure if its feasible to use.

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  26. Manfei, if it is not maltose that we use in Chinese cooking, then I guess they are the same. This malt sugar I used is in liquid type and it is quite watery but not like maltose that is sticky and thick. Hope this helps.

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  27. Another wonderful recipe , Sonia ! Thanks for the baking tips :D Will try to make it someday !

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  28. Hi Sonia,

    I saw this recipe at Jeannie's and really like to bake this recipe too. Bookmarked!!!

    Zoe

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