Kasutera (Castella Cake)

Name: Kasutera (Castella Cake)
Yield: 16cm Square Tin OR Similar Size Loaf Tin
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 4 Large Eggs *yellower egg yolk recommended, room temperature; 3/4 cup Sugar; 1 cup Bread Flour *shifted; 2 tablespoons Honey; 1 tablespoon Raw Sugar

Hiroko Liston @hirokoliston

Melbourne, Australia

At the end of 16th century, Portuguese drifted to a southern island of Japan. After that event, western culture was introduced to Japan by mainly Portuguese and Spanish. I was taught that this Japanese sponge cake is called ‘Kasutera’ after ‘Castilla’ the name of a region in Spain. The origin of this cake might be in Spain or Portugal, but this is a Japanese sweet.

My mother used to make it using a thick pot as my family didn’t have the oven just like everyone else didn’t. This cake is served as it is with no cream or no sauce. The raw sugar on the bottom is optional. Some people don’t like the crunchy texture of it, but I love it.

Hiroko Liston @hirokoliston

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Ingredients

16cm Square Tin OR Similar Size Loaf Tin

4Large Eggs *yellower egg yolk recommended, room temperature
3/4 cupSugar
1 cupBread Flour *shifted
2 tablespoonsHoney
1 tablespoonRaw Sugar

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Steps

1

Line the bottom and sides of the tin with baking paper. Sprinkle Raw Sugar on the base evenly.
2

Preheat the oven to 160C.
3

In a clean dry bowl, using an electric beater or a hand mixer, beat Egg Whites until soft peaks form. Add Egg Yolks, beating. Gradually add Sugar, softened Honey and shifted Bread Flour, beating until the mixture is well combined.
4

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 50 minutes or until cooked though and well browned.
5

When the cake is not hot, remove the baking paper and wrap it with plastic food wrap and rest for at least one day. The cake tastes nicer in that way.