This recipe for Taiwanese Castella Cake yields a light, tender and fluffy sponge cake with a fine crumb and golden crust that is slightly sweet.
What is a castella cake?
Castella cake was made popular in Japan and originated from the Portuguese merchants who brought their Bolo de Castela or Pão de Castela ("bread from Castile") in the 16th century.
Typically, the cakes are baked in a long, rectangular shape.
It has a baked, golden brown surface.
Taiwanese vs. Japanese castella
A Taiwanese Castella cake is a souffle-like sponge cake with a fluffy texture that is baked in a water bath.
Japanese Castella cake uses bread flour and has a more denser texture.
It also uses honey which makes it more moist and sweeter than its Taiwanese counterpart.
Why this recipe works
This butter-free recipe for Taiwanese Castella Cake is light, fluffy and not overly sweet.
Castella cakes are typically baked in wooden molds, which can be hard to find but this recipe uses a 6" round cake pan.
Baking the cake at a lower temperature keeps the surface smooth, without cracking.
Using a water bath keeps the baking temperature more even.
Increasing the oven temperature later in the baking cycle develops that golden brown crust and gives the cake its final lift.
Special equipment you'll need
- 6" round cake pan: at least 3" deep, preferably with a removable bottom
- instant-read thermometer: for gauging the water bath temperature and oil temperature
Ingredients you'll need
The ingredients you'll need are the same as in making my chiffon-style Perfect Swiss Roll Cake:
- avocado oil: or neutral vegetable oil; you can also use melted unsalted butter
- cake flour: has a lower protein content than regular all-purpose flour and yields a lighter cake texture
- whole milk: cold
- large eggs: egg whites separated from egg yolks
- vanilla extract: use a pure vanilla extract for the best flavour
- cream of tartar: is an acid that helps stabilize the egg white meringue; you can use 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar as a substitute
- granulated sugar: for sweetness and helps with the cake's structure
How to make it
Preheat oven to 250F.
Line a piece of parchment paper at the bottom of the 6" round cake pan.
Separate the egg whites from egg yolks (while cold).
Make the egg yolk batter:
Sift cake flour into a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
Pour 30ml avocado oil in a small pot and heat until the oil reaches 75-80C.
Add the flour mixture into the hot oil and mix well with a spatula.
Pour cold milk into the flour mixture to reduce the temperature and mix well.
Add all the egg yolks in at once, and mix until very smooth. Set aside.
Whip the egg whites:
Place the egg whites in a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment.
Whip egg whites, and add in cream of tartar when it becomes foamy.
Gradually add in sugar and whip until soft peaks.
Combine the mixtures:
Fold in egg whites into the yolk flour mixture in 3 batches, until well combined with no white streaks.
Pour cake batter at a height of 8-10" to break any air bubbles, and into the baking pan/baking tray.
Tap the pan a few times on the counter to release any remaining bubbles.
Place cake pan into an aluminum foil dish/baking pan and place into a roasting pan in the centre of the oven.
Pour in body temperature tap water (35C) into the roasting pan to ½" deep.
Bake:
Bake the castella cake at 250F for 60 minutes.
Increase the oven temperature to 300F and bake for 15 minutes.
Test for doneness by gently tapping on the cake with a silicone spatula. If it feels springy, it is done. If not, extend the time for 5 more minutes.
Turn off heat.
Remove water bath and leave cake in the oven for another 5 minutes to dry up.
Take the cake out of the oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Give the cake a good tap around the edges to loosen.
Remove bottom from the pan and cool completely on a rack.
Cover and chill the cake or slice and serve.
How to store
Cover the Taiwanese Castella Cake well and store at room temperature for up to 2 days.
You can individually wrap each slice of cake and store in the fridge or freezer.
Note: if the golden brown crust is not fully dry, the "skin" may peel off when covered with plastic wrap.
Expert tips & troubleshooting
Why is the water bath at body temperature?
Instead of a hot water bath (using boiling water), using body temperature water provides an even and gentle temperature for the cake to bake.
Why did the surface of the cake crack?
It's very possible that your oven temperature may have been too high.
A sudden fluctuation in temperature can cause the cake to crack.
Next time, try baking the cake at a lower temperature (lower by 25 degrees).
The egg white meringue could also be overwhipped (past soft peaks), which can cause the cake to overrise and crack.
Can I make this in a loaf pan or square cake pan?
Yes, however, you will need to adjust the baking time.
Other cake recipes you may like
Be sure to check out these recipes:
Matcha Jasmine Cake with Yuzu Curd
Let me know if you try out this recipe -- tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment/rating below!
Taiwanese Castella Cake
For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.
Ingredients
- 60 g cake flour
- 30 ml avocado oil or melted unsalted butter
- 50 ml whole milk cold
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 egg yolks
- 3 extra large egg whites at least 105g in total
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 40 g granulated sugar
Instructions
For key visual step-by-step photos, refer to the body of the post.
Prep:
- Preheat oven to 250°F/121°C.
- Line a piece of parchment paper at the bottom of the 6" round cake pan.
- Separate the egg whites from egg yolks (while cold).
Make the egg yolk batter:
- Sift cake flour into a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Pour 30ml oil in a small pot and heat until the oil reaches 75°-80°C.
- Add the flour mixture into the hot oil and mix well with a spatula.
- Pour cold milk and vanilla extract into the flour mixture to reduce the temperature and mix well.
- Add all the egg yolks in at once, and mix until very smooth. Set aside.
Whip the egg whites:
- Place the egg whites in a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment.
- Whip egg whites, and add in cream of tartar when it becomes foamy.
- Gradually add in sugar and whip until soft peaks.
Combine the mixtures:
- Fold in egg whites into the yolk flour mixture in 3 batches, until well combined with no white streaks.
- Pour cake batter at a height of 8-10" to break any air bubbles, and into the baking pan/baking tray.
- Tap the pan a few times on the counter to release any remaining bubbles.
- Place cake pan into an aluminum foil dish/baking pan and place into a roasting pan in the centre of the oven.
- Pour in body temperature tap water (35°C) into the roasting pan to ½" deep.
Bake:
- Bake the castella cake at 250°F/121°C for 60 minutes.
- Increase the oven temperature to 300°F/149°C and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
- Test for doneness by gently tapping on the cake with a silicone spatula. If it feels springy, it is done. If not, extend the time for 5 more minutes.
- Turn off heat.
- Remove water bath and leave cake in the oven for another 5 minutes to dry up.
- Take the cake out of the oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
- Give the cake a good tap around the edges to loosen.
- Remove bottom from the pan and cool completely on a rack.
- Cover and chill the cake or slice and serve.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
What a beautiful cake with a light and fluffy texture - just like a cloud! I can imagine enjoying a slice with whipped cream and fruit jam or even something more refined, like jasmine or rose-infused.
Tasia
The fluffy texture of this cake looks phenomenal! I would love a slice with some fresh berries.
Dawn
Such a lovely cake with a beautiful texture! I would certainly love to try it out - perfect for kicking off the weekend with as a little treat. 🙂
David @ Spiced
I've never heard of a castella cake, but I've rarely met a cake that I didn't like! The texture of this cake looks amazing!!
Raymund | angsarap.net
That Taiwanese Castella cake looks so light and fluffy, I think I can devour the whole thing 😂
Ana
Just want to confirm that the temperature is correct, bake at 250F? Because after that it says to reduce oven temperature to 300F.
Michelle
Hi Ana, sorry there was a typo. The initial baking temperature is at 250F, and then it is increased to 300F to develop the brown crust at the end of the bake. Hope that helps.