Matcha Hojicha Vanilla Angel Cake Slices

These Matcha Hojicha Vanilla Angel Cake Slices are a triple layered cake, infused with tea flavours and sandwiched with black sesame and yuzu jam. They're perfect for afternoon tea, or even as petit fours.

These Matcha Hojicha Vanilla Angel Cake slices are my tea-inspired take on Prue Leith's recipe from the Great British Bake Off (GBBO).

I decided to do somewhat of an ode to tea with my Matcha Hojicha Vanilla Angel Cake Slices with black sesame and yuzu jam sandwiched in between, topped with a genmaicha icing.

What are Angel Cake slices?

I actually hadn't heard of angel cake slices until I watched the Great British Bake Off.

Not to be confused with angel food cake, Angel Cake Slices are a packaged treat from a company branded "Mr. Kipling."

The packaged Angel Cake Slices contain a pink and yellow sponge cake, layered with vanilla buttercream and a fondant icing.

Prue's Angel Cake Slices recipe is based on a genoise cake.

What is a genoise cake?

A genoise cake is a type of sponge cake. Its baking technique is different than a chiffon cake.

The genoise sponge cake involves heating whole eggs and sugar over a double-boiler, and then whipping it up on high speed until tripled or quadrupled in volume.

There are no chemical leaveners (baking soda, baking powder) in the cake batter.

Eggs are the only leavener for the cake, which is why it's important to whip the eggs up to incorporate air into the batter.

The cake has an elastic and slightly dry texture, which makes it suitable as a jelly roll cake.

Ingredients in the cake

I won't lie, this cake has many components so it's probably not the best one to attempt if you're a beginner.

You'll need the following ingredients for the cake:

• whole large eggs: at room temperature; it's important that the eggs are not cold so that the eggs can trap air bubbles and create more volume when beaten.
• cake flour: lends a soft, tender texture to the cake; you can make this with all-purpose flour, but the texture may be a little more dense.
• granulated sugar: adds a little sweetness to the cake and helps the eggs whip up greater volume
• melted butter: adds a little moisture and flavour to the cake
• matcha: sifted; use a high quality matcha powder for the best taste and colour
• hojicha: as with matcha, sifted; use a high quality finely ground powder for great flavour
• vanilla extract: flavours the vanilla portion of the angel cake; use a high quality vanilla extract and not imitation vanilla

Tip: You can quickly bring refrigerated eggs to room temperature by submerging the cold eggs in a bowl of lukewarm water for 10 minutes.

How to make the cake

Prepare the baking pan:

Prepare a 9" by 12" (or 9" by 13") baking pan with an extra large piece of aluminum foil [8" by 20" in diameter]. Divide the pan equally into 3rds with the foil.

Cut out 3 pieces of parchment paper [8" by 3" each] and line the bottom of each section of the baking pan.

Lightly mist the parchment and aluminum foil with a little oil using an oil spray bottle.

Divide the flour and butter:

Divide the sifted cake flour into 3 different bowls (30g each).

• Add sifted matcha powder into one bowl.
• Add sifted hojicha powder to another bowl.
• Leave one plain.

Set aside.

Divide the melted butter into 3 different small bowls (20g each).

• Add vanilla extract to one bowl.
• Leave the two other bowls.

Set aside.

Prepare the egg mixture:

Weigh a heat-safe stand mixer bowl. Record its weight.

Add the eggs and sugar to the mixer bowl.

Place the mixer bowl over top of a small pot of simmering water (ensuring that the bottom of the mixer bowl doesn't touch the water). [This is a bain-marie, or double boiler].

Whisk the egg mixture over the simmering water until it reaches a temperature of 109F.

Once the egg mixture reaches 109F, remove from the heat.

Attach a wire whisk attachment to the mixer and whip the egg mixture on high speed until it reaches "ribbon stage."

How to tell the egg is at "ribbon stage":

• That's when the eggs are foamy and voluminous, light and pale in colour, and when you lift the whisk, it should fall on itself and hold its shape for a moment.
• It can take anywhere from 4-5 minutes of beating the eggs and sugar at high speed in an electric mixer.

Once the eggs are at "ribbon stage," record the weight with the bowl.

Subtract the weight of the bowl (recorded from before adding the eggs and sugar). This is the total amount of egg mixture that you have.

Divide the whipped egg mixture into 3 separate bowls.

Preparing the cake batter:

Working with one bowl of whipped egg mixture at a time:

• sift the cake flour over the egg mixture
• fold in the cake flour, being careful not to deflate all the air
• pour in the melted butter + vanilla extract on the side of the bowl
• continue to fold the butter into the flour mixture until almost homogenous
• pour the cake batter into 1 section (⅓rd) of the the prepared baking pan

Repeat with the remaining two bowls of flour:

Next with the cake flour + matcha, and then with the cake flour + hojicha.

Give the baking pan a few raps to release any trapped air bubbles.

Bake the cake at 375F for 10-12 minutes, or until the surface of the cake feels dry and springy to the touch.

Remove the cake from the oven, carefully peel off the aluminum foil and let it cool on a cooling rack.

How to make the filling & icing

Simple syrup:

• granulated sugar
• water

Bring the sugar and water to a simmer over medium heat, until the sugar has dissolved.

Remove from heat and cool.

Note: You may not need to use all of the syrup.

Black sesame filling:

• tahini (sesame paste)
• black sesame powder
• honey (or any sweetener you like)

In a small bowl, combine the tahini, black sesame powder and honey. Stir the mixture until combined.

If the filling appears too thick, add a little bit of vegetable oil to loosen.

For the genmaicha icing:

• genmaicha tea
• powdered/icing sugar
• milk of your choice

Add the contents from 1 genmaicha tea bag to 1 C of powdered sugar and 1-2 teaspoon of milk.

Stir together until it reaches a spreadable consistency.

Time to assemble

Peel off the parchment paper from each cake.

Trim the cakes with a sharp serrated knife so that they're even.

Brush a little simple syrup on the surface of each cake, just so it's moistened.

Spread a thin layer of the black sesame filling on one cake layer. (You can choose whichever layer -- I did it on the hojicha layer).

Place another layer of cake on top (vanilla).

Spread a thin layer of yuzu jam on the vanilla cake.

Top with the matcha cake layer.

Spread a thin layer of genmaicha icing over the top of the cake and decorate with rose petals.

Let the icing set.

Cut the cake into 6 equal slices with a sharp, serrated knife and serve.

How to serve & store the cake

Store the Angel Cake Slices in an airtight container in the fridge if not ready to eat right away.

Cake slices can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Let the cake slices come to room temperature for 20-30 minutes prior to serving.

Other recipes you may like

Be sure to check out my other Matcha & Hojicha recipes:

Mini Matcha & Hojicha Pancakes Cereal

Hojicha Matcha Swirl Bread

Mini Triple Layer Matcha & Hojicha Burnt Basque Cheesecake

This cake does take some time to make, and it's a little complicated by the fact that there's 3 different layers. But I love the flavours of all the different teas sandwiched with the black sesame and yuzu jam.

Let me know if you try out this recipe -- tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment/rating below.

Inspired by Prue Leith's Angel Cake Slices.