Description
This Japanese Strawberry Cake is a delicate and airy sponge cake layered with lightly sweetened whipped cream and fresh macerated strawberries. Featuring a moist texture from a gentle water bath baking technique and a smooth whipped cream frosting, this cake captures the subtle sweetness and freshness that makes it a classic in Japanese patisserie. Perfect for special occasions, it combines elegant simplicity with fresh fruit flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 80 g (1/3 cup) whole milk
- 50 g (3 1/2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- 75 g (1/2 cup + 1/2 tablespoon) cake flour
- 4 large egg yolks
- 4 large egg whites
- 70 g (5 1/2 tablespoons) sugar (caster sugar if available)
Strawberries
- 12 oz to 1 lb (340 g to 450 g) strawberries, divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
Whipped Cream Frosting
- 280 g (10 oz) heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon gelatin (Optional)
- 2 tablespoons cold water (Optional)
Cake Syrup
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 3 tablespoons hot water
Instructions
- Prepare the cake: Line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Prepare a water bath by ensuring you have a high-walled pan for the cake pan with about 1 inch of hot water to bake the cake gently.
- Make cake batter: Melt the butter in milk and mix together. Sift cake flour into the mixture and fold gently until smooth. Incorporate the egg yolks evenly.
- Whip egg whites: Beat egg whites until frothy, gradually adding sugar to reach glossy medium peaks. Fold a quarter of the whites into the yolk mixture to lighten, then fold this mixture back into the remaining whites until smooth, taking care not to overmix.
- Bake the cake: Pour batter into prepared pan, tap to release air bubbles, and place the pan in the water bath. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean and the cake pulls away from the pan. Cool completely after removing from pan.
- Macerate strawberries: Slice 225 g (8 oz) strawberries, toss with sugar, and let sit for 1 to 2 hours until glossy. Reserve the juice for syrup.
- Prepare cake syrup: Dissolve sugar in hot water and optionally mix in reserved strawberry juice to enhance flavor and add a slight pink tint to the cake layers.
- Prepare whipped cream: For stabilized cream, soften gelatin in cold water, melt, then whip cream with confectioners sugar to soft peaks. Fold gelatin mixture gently into the cream, whipping briefly to soft peaks. For regular cream, whip heavy cream with confectioners sugar to firm peaks.
- Assemble the cake: Level the cake top and slice the cake horizontally into two layers. Brush both layers with cake syrup. Spread a thin, even layer of whipped cream on the bottom layer, add sliced strawberries evenly, top with more whipped cream, then place the second cake layer on top.
- Frost the cake: Apply a crumb coat with thin cream layer all over the cake and smooth out the sides. Add a thicker layer of cream on top and sides and smooth. Optionally decorate with remaining strawberries and additional piped cream.
- Chill and serve: Chill stabilized cream cake in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. If using regular whipped cream, serve immediately or refrigerate and consume within a few hours. Slice with a serrated knife, preferably after resting to room temperature for best texture.
Notes
- If you do not have a spinning cake stand, you can improvise by turning a bowl or the cake pan upside down and placing a flat plate or removable bottom pie pan on top to rotate easily.
- Use a water bath while baking to ensure even, gentle heat and moist sponge texture.
- Do not open the oven for the first hour of baking to prevent the cake from collapsing.
- Whip the cream just to soft peaks to prevent over-whipping and separation, especially when using gelatin.
- Macerating strawberries enhances their sweetness and moisture, improving flavor integration in the cake.
- Use a serrated knife for clean and neat slicing of the delicate sponge layers.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 cake)
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 105 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 105 mg
