Treat yourself with these honey castella which is a very fine textured Japanese sponge cake with a hint of sweetness from the honey. This cake is sweeter and moister than sponge cakes which are often designed to be eaten with cream or some kind of frosting. You can eat honey castella cake as it is, and it is perfect for tea time.
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 200 g sugar
- 200 g bread flour
- 80 ml of honey
- 2½ Tbsp water
- 1 Tbsp honey
- ½ Tbsp water
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
- Cut parchment paper to fit the baking pans
- Preheat oven to 320F (160C).
- Sift the bread flour with the sifter or a fine-meshed strainer twice.
- Holding the handle with one hand and tapping the strainer gently with the other, the flour will gradually sift through the strainer.
- Add 2½ Tbsp warm water to honey and whisk well.
- Fit the mixer with the whisk attachment. Crack eggs into the bowl and vigorously whisk until combined.
- Add the sugar then beat the eggs and sugar on high speed for 5 minutes.
- The volume of the beaten eggs will increase about 4 times. The texture will be thick and the color will be pale yellow.
- When you stop the mixer and lift the whisk attachment, the mixture should fall in ribbons.
- Add the honey mixture into the egg mixture and whisk on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds.
- Add the bread flour at three separate times: add 1/3 of the bread flour and whisk on low speed for 15 seconds, then add more flour and whisk for 15 seconds.
- Add the last remaining portion and whisk until just combined for about 1 minute. Do not overmix.
- Put the parchment paper in the pans and make sure the paper sticks to the pans. If not, add oil and spread out evenly with a brush.
- Pour the batter into the pans.
- Level batter in each pan by holding pan 2-inches above counter dropping it flat onto counter. Do this several times to release air bubbles.
- Bake at 320F (160C) on the middle rack of the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- When done, cake sides will pull away from the pan slightly; the top will be flat and feel spongy when pressed with a finger.
