Soft and fluffy sponge cake filled with fresh strawberries and lightly whipped vanilla cream. The classic Japanese strawberry shortcake, with an Asian bakery style sponge and fluffy cream that melts in your mouth.
This Japanese strawberry shortcake recipe makes the cake you find in Asian bakeries: a light, cottony genoise sponge, softly whipped vanilla cream, and fresh strawberries layered into a tall celebration cake. Below you will find what each ingredient does, how to get a sponge that will not collapse, how to keep the cream stable, and how to assemble the layers so nothing slides.
I’m finally sharing my ultimate cake. If I had to eat one thing for the rest of my life it would probably be this. This cake means so much to me because it was the first cake I had ever baked and it has been with me from the very beginning of my baking career.
Growing up, strawberry cream cakes from Asian bakeries were my favorite thing ever. I have had strawberries and cream cake every single birthday of my life, which is why it was the one cake I wanted to perfect.
This sponge is soft and delicate, flavorsome, and has enough structural integrity to be a base for decoration.
UPDATED RECIPE: 22 May 2023
During the creation of my first cookbook “Mochi, Cakes, and Bakes” I retested this recipe many times, and this is the improved version. You don’t need to buy the book for this recipe, but if you are after more desserts you can get it here.
What makes a Japanese strawberry shortcake different
“Strawberry shortcake” means different desserts depending on where you are. In the United States it is a flaky biscuit topped with cream and macerated strawberries. In Britain the closest thing is a Victoria sponge: a buttery cake sandwiched with jam and cream.
Japanese strawberry cake is completely different. The base is a very light, airy sponge. The cream goes between the layers with sliced strawberries and also covers the whole cake, which keeps the sponge moist. It is so popular in Japan that it is the Christmas cake, the one families buy to celebrate Christmas.
The same sponge is used across Asian bakeries: it is the base of Chinese bakery cream cakes and Korean fresh cream cakes too. The strawberries are what make this one a strawberry shortcake.
| Dessert | Base | Cream and filling | Texture | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese Strawberry Shortcake | Light genoise style sponge | Fresh whipped cream and strawberries | Soft, airy, moist and delicate | Birthdays, Christmas, Asian bakery style cakes |
| American Strawberry Shortcake | Biscuit or scone style base | Cream and macerated strawberries | Crumbly, richer and heavier | Summer desserts, often served as individual biscuits |
| British Victoria Sponge | Butter sponge cake | Jam and cream | Denser, buttery and sweeter | Afternoon tea and classic cake slices |
The Japanese version is the lightest of the three because the sponge gets its lift from whipped eggs instead of baking powder or a heavy butter base, and the frosting is softly whipped cream rather than buttercream. A light brush of simple syrup keeps the sponge tender after chilling.
Sponge, syrup, cream and strawberries: what each part needs
The recipe makes one 8 inch cake, with about 45 minutes of prep and 60 minutes of cooking, and it is an intermediate level bake. It has four components. Exact quantities are in the recipe card below.
Sponge
Eggs, whole milk, vegetable oil, cornstarch, all purpose flour and sugar. The eggs are separated: the yolks go into a smooth batter and the whites are whipped into a meringue that provides all the rise. Any mild neutral oil works in place of vegetable oil. Cake flour can replace the all purpose flour if you want an even finer crumb.
Simple syrup
Equal parts sugar and hot water, cooled completely so it soaks in without making the sponge soggy. For a more aromatic cake, stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons of kirsch or Grand Marnier; it adds warmth without tasting boozy. Leave it out for a kid friendly cake.
Whipped cream (Chantilly cream)
Thickened cream, sugar and vanilla. Chantilly cream is simply whipped cream lightly sweetened and flavoured with vanilla, which is what most Japanese strawberry shortcake recipes use. Plain whipped cream has no sugar or flavour, so Chantilly tastes softer and more bakery style. A little extra vanilla bean gives the cream a deeper flavour and those small specks.
Strawberries
The berries are eaten fresh, not cooked into jam, so choose the best you can find: firm, glossy and similar in size. Avoid berries that look wet, bruised or pale around the shoulders. Use the prettiest berries on top and the smaller ones sliced inside.
| Season | What to look for | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Early season | Firm, bright red berries with a little tartness | Neat slicing inside the cake |
| Peak season | Sweet, fragrant berries with deep colour | Decorating the top of the cake |
| Late season | Softer, juicier berries | Filling, but pat them very dry |
| Off season | Smaller or less fragrant berries | Use a little extra vanilla in the cream, or mix in blueberries or raspberries |
How to bake a Japanese sponge cake that stays tall
This sponge has no baking powder or other leavening. It relies entirely on the air whipped into the eggs, which expands in the oven and creates the soft, cloud like crumb. Everything in the method is about protecting that air, then baking long enough that the cake can hold it.
Folding the meringue
- Mix the yolk batter until smooth first.
- Always lighten the yolk mixture with 1/3 of the meringue before folding in the rest. This makes the remaining meringue much easier to incorporate without losing air.
- Fold with a spatula, slowly, scraping from the bottom of the bowl each time. Heavy batter hides underneath.
- Never stir it like pancake batter. Stirring knocks out the air and gives a flat, tight or gummy sponge.
- Do not under fold either. The batter should look smooth, light and glossy with no white streaks of meringue and no dense yolk mixture at the base.
No stand mixer? A hand mixer works for both the sponge and the cream; it just takes a little longer to reach full volume. Whisking the eggs and sugar over a bowl of warm water first helps them whip up faster, which is the trick to a tall, airy genoise by hand.
How to tell the sponge is done
Every oven is different, so you can’t rely on the time alone. Use these signs:
- The sides pull away: when the sponge begins to come away from the sides of the tin, it is ready. This is the most reliable sign.
- Spring test: press the top with your finger. It should spring back slowly. If it leaves an indent, bake it longer.
- Toothpick test: a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and dry.
To be even safer, leave it in the oven for another 15 minutes with the heat turned off.
Why the sponge shrinks or sinks
The most common reason a sponge collapses is bake time. It needs to bake long enough for the moisture to be baked out, otherwise it sinks as soon as it leaves the oven. The moisture level in your oven also matters, and it rises if there is too much hot water in the bain marie.
As soon as the cake comes out, give the tin one firm tap on the counter. This releases trapped hot air and lowers the risk of deflating. Then let it cool gently.
Why the bottom is dense or raw
- Over folding: too much air was knocked out of the meringue, so the cake couldn’t rise.
- Under folding: the meringue was not folded through enough, so the heavier batter sank to the bottom of the tin.
- Underbaking: the sponge deflates when it comes out of the oven, leaving a fluffier top and a much denser bottom.
Love airy textures? You’ll adore my Japanese Souffle Cheesecake
Whipping cream that holds its shape
Use cold heavy, double or thickened cream with at least 35 percent fat. Keep the cream, bowl and whisk cold; cold cream whips faster and holds its shape longer. Whipping over an ice bath helps on warm days.
Whip only to soft to medium peaks: the spatula should leave slow, soft waves. At that point the cream spreads smoothly, holds the strawberries in place and still melts when you eat it. Stop the moment it holds its shape. Over whipped cream turns grainy and weeps, and cream that is too warm or under whipped stays runny (chill the bowl and cream, then whip again slowly).
If the cake has to sit out in a warm kitchen or hold for hours, stabilise the cream without losing its softness:
- Blend in 5 to 8 percent mascarpone by weight of the cream before whipping, or replace a small portion of the cream with cream cheese. Neither changes the flavour much.
- Or bloom 1 percent gelatin in water and whip it in once the cream reaches soft peaks.
Assembling the layers so nothing slides
- Cool the sponge completely before it meets the cream. A warm cake melts the cream instantly and gives rough sides.
- Trim the layers flat so the cake doesn’t lean.
- Brush each cut surface lightly with syrup. A glossy, wet surface means you have over brushed, which leads to soggy, sliding layers.
- Prepare the berries: hull and pat them completely dry, then slice to 3 to 5 mm for the filling. Reserve the juiciest halves for the top so their moisture stays away from the cream inside.
- Fill with a thin, even layer of cream and the sliced strawberries. A thick filling makes the cake lean.
- Crumb coat, then chill 20 to 30 minutes before the final coat of cream.
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Sponge collapsed after baking or cooling | Underbaked, too much moisture, or cooled too quickly | Bake until the edges pull away, rest it in the oven with the heat off, tap the tin once, then cool gently |
| Dense bottom layer | Meringue not folded evenly | Fold more slowly and scrape the bottom of the bowl |
| Cream grainy or splitting | Over whipped | Stop at soft to medium peaks; it should look smooth, not grainy |
| Cream too runny | Cream too warm or under whipped | Chill the bowl and cream, then whip again slowly |
| Strawberries or layers sliding | Too much syrup, wet berries, or thick slices | Brush lightly, dry the berries, slice them evenly |
| Cake leaning | Uneven layers or too much filling | Trim flat and use a thinner, even layer of cream |
| Rough sides when frosting | Cake too warm | Chill the sponge before coating with cream |
Matcha, chocolate and Christmas cake versions
- Matcha strawberry shortcake: sift 1 teaspoon of matcha powder into the flour before folding it into the batter. The green crumb contrasts with the red strawberries.
- Chocolate sponge: replace 10 percent of the flour with Dutch process cocoa, then layer with fresh strawberries and fine chocolate shavings.
- Christmas cake: pipe cream rosettes around the top edge and set a strawberry half upright in each one, add small rosemary sprigs between the berries and dust lightly with icing sugar. For a wreath, ring the edge with strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. For more festive bakes, see my Christmas desserts collection.
- Mini cakes: bake the sponge in 6 cm ring moulds and layer each one with cream and strawberries as usual.
Serve slices chilled. Roasted Japanese teas such as hojicha or genmaicha balance the richness of the cream.
If you love strawberry and cream combos, try my Strawberry Shortcake McFlurry
Making it ahead, storing and freezing
Make ahead: the cake often tastes better the next day once the syrup soaks in. Assemble it, chill it uncovered for 30 minutes so the cream sets, then cover loosely and keep it in the fridge for up to 24 hours before serving. Add the top strawberries just before serving so they stay glossy.
Storing: because it is made with fresh cream and fruit, keep it in the fridge in an airtight container or under a cake dome. It is best within 2 to 3 days. After that the sponge soaks up moisture from the strawberries and the cream loses its lift.
Freezing: the plain sponge layers freeze well. Wrap them well, freeze for up to 1 month, and thaw at room temperature before assembling. Don’t freeze the assembled cake: whipped cream and fresh strawberries turn watery once thawed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does this cake last?
This cake lasts up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. As this cake is made with fresh cream make sure you store it in the fridge until ready to serve.
A lot of cakes use cake flour, why do you use all-purpose flour?
Cake flour is great for giving cakes a lighter texture, however, the cooked dough method removes the need to use it! Even without cake flour, the resulting sponge cake will be equally as light and fluffy.
What’s the difference between Japanese Christmas cake and regular strawberry shortcake?
Japanese Christmas cake is a light sponge layered with cream and strawberries, often decorated to resemble red and white holiday colours; US shortcake is biscuit-based.
How do I stabilise whipped cream without gelatin?
Blend in 10% mascarpone or cream cheese by cream weight, or substitute some sugar with powdered sugar (cornstarch aids stability).
Why bake Japanese shortcake sponge in a water bath?
A bain-marie cushions the cake from harsh heat, preventing tough edges and helping the crumb set evenly for that signature cloud-soft texture.
What makes Japanese strawberry shortcake different from American?
Japanese strawberry shortcake uses a soft sponge cake layered with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. American strawberry shortcake usually uses a biscuit or scone-style base with cream and strawberries served more casually.
The Japanese version is lighter, softer, and more elegant. It feels closer to an Asian bakery cream cake than a biscuit dessert.
Why is Japanese sponge cake so fluffy?
Japanese sponge cake is fluffy because it relies on whipped eggs for lift. The air trapped in the meringue expands as the cake bakes, giving the sponge its soft and delicate texture.
Gentle folding is the most important part. If you knock out too much air, the cake can turn dense or flat.
What is Chantilly cream?
Chantilly cream is whipped cream sweetened with sugar and flavoured with vanilla. It is soft, light, and perfect for cakes that need a fresh cream finish.
For Japanese strawberry shortcake, Chantilly-style cream gives the cake that classic bakery flavour without making it heavy.
Can you use store-bought sponge cake?
Yes, you can use store-bought sponge cake if you want a quicker version. Choose a plain vanilla sponge that is soft, light, and not too buttery.
Brush the layers lightly with simple syrup before adding the cream and strawberries. This helps the cake taste fresher and closer to a homemade Japanese strawberry shortcake.
How do you prevent the sponge from collapsing?
Bake the sponge until it is fully set and the edges start to pull away from the cake tin. Underbaked sponge has too much moisture inside, which can make it sink as it cools.
Also fold the batter gently and evenly. Over-folding removes air, while under-folding leaves heavy batter at the bottom.
How far ahead can you assemble Japanese strawberry shortcake?
You can assemble Japanese strawberry shortcake one day ahead. In fact, a short chill helps the cream settle and makes the cake easier to slice.
For the freshest look, decorate the top with strawberries on the day you plan to serve it. This keeps the berries glossy and the cream clean.
What strawberries are best for Japanese strawberry shortcake?
Firm, sweet, fresh strawberries are best. Choose berries that are bright red, fragrant, and similar in size so the cake layers and decoration look neat.
Avoid very soft or watery strawberries because they can leak juice into the cream. Always pat the berries dry before slicing.
How do you store Japanese strawberry shortcake?
Store Japanese strawberry shortcake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Because it is made with fresh cream and fresh fruit, it should stay chilled until you are ready to serve.
For the cleanest slices, keep the cake cold and cut it with a warm, dry knife.
Let’s Get Cooking
If you liked this recipe make sure to leave me a comment and rating down below. I’d love to know how it went! Also, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @catherine.desserts.
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Japanese Strawberry Shortcake
Soft and fluffy sponge cake filled with fresh strawberries lightly whipped vanilla cream. The perfect version of the classic Japanese-style strawberry shortcake. A classic asian-bakery style sponge and fluffy cream that melts in your mouth like a dream!
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 105 minutes
- Yield: 1 x 8-inch cake 1x
- Category: Cake
- Method: Intermediate
- Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients
Sponge
- 4 large eggs
- 60g Whole milk (1/4 cup)
- 45ml Vegetable oil (3 tbsp)
- 55g Cornstarch (1/3 cup 2 tbsp)
- 55g All-purpose flour (1/3 cup 2 tbsp)
- 90g Granulated sugar (1/3 cup 2 tbsp)
Simple syrup
- 65g Granulated sugar (1/3 cup)
- 80ml Water (1/3 cup)
Whipped Cream
- 600ml Whipped Cream (2 1/2 cups)
- 100g Granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Assembly
- 370g Strawberries (13oz)
Instructions
Sponge
- Preheat the oven to 140°C fan forced/ 150°C convection
- Line the bottom of an 8-inch cake tin with parchment paper
- In a medium-sized bowl whisk the egg yolks, mil, and oil
- Sift the flour and cornstarch into the egg yolk mixture and mix until combined
- In another bowl with an electric whisk, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the egg whites with sugar until stiff peaks
- Add 1/3 of the meringue into the egg yolk mixture and mix until smooth
- Transfer the lightened egg yolk mixture to the remaining meringue and fold carefully until just combined
- Transfer the batter to the cake tin
- Place the cake tin in a water bath (a tray/tin of boiling water) and bake for 70 minutes
- Remove from the oven and allow it to cool completely
- Once cooled run a knife around the edge of the cake tin and invert the pan
- Wrap in cling wrap and place in the fridge until assembly
Whipped Cream
- Whip the cream with an electric whisk and slowly stream the sugar in
- Beat until stiff peaks
Assembly
- Combine the sugar and water in a small bowl and microwave for 30 seconds until melted, cool
- Slice half the punnet of strawberries
- Slice the cooled cake into three layers
- Lay one layer of cake down and brush with the sugar syrup
- Spread on a layer of cream, a layer of strawberries and then cover with another layer of cream, repeat
- Place the last layer of sponge on top and give the cake a thin crumb coat before icing the entire cake with cream
- Place star tip into a piping bag and fill it with the remaining cream
- Pipe a border around the edge of the cake and decorate with the remaining strawberries
Can you try add the cup measurements please? Thank You!
Hi Aleeya, I will try to add cup measurements when I can, but for recipes like this more exact measurements are needed, so I would strongly suggest using a kitchen scale! 🙂
I dunno if it’s the recipe or what but when I made the sponge cake it just came out smelling like raw eggy butter it even taste like sweet buttery eggs the water bath just boiled the eggs in it and now there’s a layer of egg on the bottom I wasted a bunch of ingredients and a bunch of time also are the directions incomplete or something where does the cornstarch come in?
Fantastic! Video is great. Thanks for sharing your talent!
Thank you Jeff!
Any way I could make this on a baking tray? I want to make a square cake and wanted to use tray instead of a baking tin
Hi Cat, just wondering what’s the height of the cake tin you were using? 🙂
Hi Naomi, the cake tin that I use is about 3 inches high 🙂
Thanks a lot for the reply! Hopefully will make this one soon 😉
Hi Catherine! Loved you in Zumbo Just Desserts! I followed this recipe, however after baking, when the sides come off, when I let it cool down in the tin, the cake shrinks, not in height but in diameter. It makes it a bit harder to do the icing since the sides are not straight anymore (bottom is wider than the top). Do you have any idea how come this happens? The sides are also not brown like yours! Thanks in advance!!
Hi Claudia! It sounds like the moisture hadn’t been fully baked out of the cake. Some ovens runs hotter than others so all you need to do is adjust the recipe to suit your oven! I would recommend baking the cake 10C higher and for a little longer. If you need visual cues, you can tell the cake is ready when the sides shrink away slightly from the tin while still in the oven. Hope this helps!
Hi Catherine! This is just another suggestion but I really want you to make an Aussie Classic. Thank You!
The vanilla paste is very expensive where i live. Should i just do the cream without it or replace it with something else?
i wrote "cream", it was supposed to be "sponje"!!
Your written recipe lists 0.1 g vanilla but the video shows 1/2 a tsp.
If baking as an 8 inch diam cake and scaling up the ingredients as required what do you think the baking time would be.
Sorry about that! It should be 1/2 tsp. I’ll fix that up. I would recommend baking for 90 minutes.
Hi Leticia, you can use vanilla extract or just leave it out entirely!
When are we supposed to use the cornstarch?
Hi Catherine! My son and I tried to make the sponge cake yesterday. However it didn’t go well ????. I think my problem was that i did it in the conventional oven and not fan based oven. Also I don’t know if I had the amount of water right. With creme brûlée you make sure the tins are 2/3 in water. I did that here. Is that correct? My cake wasn’t baked at 60 min and 15 min wait ????. Hope you have time to see my question. We really really want to make and eat your beautiful cake for his birthday tomorrow ????. Thanks a lot for posting you creations! Greetings Tanya
Hi Tanya,
I’m so sorry to hear that! Using a convectional oven shouldn’t be too big of a problem. When baking cakes the water bath doesn’t need to be that high, as you said that’s what you do when making custards! just a centimetre or two of water in a tray beneath your cake tin is enough to provide some steam to help your cake rise. Hope my reply wasn’t too late and you can still bake the cake! 🙁 Let me know if you need any more help!
Catherine
Hi Catherine, I saw you on Zumbo’s Just Desserts and you were amazing. I hope you make more creations in the future.
Hi Alexander,
Thank you so much! I will definitely be making more creations in the future!
Would any size cake pan work?
6 inch works best!
Hi Catherine, thank you for sharing your brilliance with us. I took a stab at making this cake today. I had a minor issue with the sponge. After it cooled the cake shrunk away from the sides of the pan about a centimeter or two, primarily at the top of the cake. Additionally, the top, sides and bottom were very moist and would peel off if touched. The only deviation I did from your instructions was to grease and flower the sides of the pan to prevent sticking. Any thoughts on what may have caused my problem?
I’m in the middle of the second season of Zumbo’s Just Desserts and love everything you do. I honestly believe the egg you made was out of this world!
Hoping you and your loved ones are safe and healthy!
Hi Matthew,
I would say there could be a few things… First the sides of the pan help the cake rise so theres no need to grease your pan, it’ll give your cake a better rise too! Another problem may be too much moisture, reducing your water bath by a little and uping the temperature to 140/150 could help. As my oven is fan forced it seems to be better at working at lower temperatures than other ovens… I will be updating the recipe to account for ovens like yours! Hopefully these tips help and you will have a successful sponge 🙂
Thank you so much for all the love and I’m so happy you are enjoying Zumbo’s Just Desserts. Hope you are staying healthy too!
Hello! Do you have a video on how to make the Japanese strawberry shortcake?
Hi Catherrine!
Thanks for answering my questions! I made your cake again the next day. I had to turn up the oven temperature to 170 degrees in stead of 130. That did the trick and I love the texture and taste! I made it again ????. Do you really bake it at 130 degrees?
Greetings Tanya
Hi Tanya
So happy that the sponge worked! Fan forced ovens tend to work better at lower temperatures than convectional ovens which is probably why I could bake it at a lower temperature without a problem. I will be updating the recipe for convection ovens now! 🙂
Hi!
Thanks for sharing us this recipe! I’m planning to do this on my birthday next month. I’m using a 7.5 inch wide (2.5 inch high) tin, do I still bake it at 140C fan forced? 🙂
Hi Chelsi
I would recommend times the whole recipe by 4/3 and then baking it at 140C fan forced for 70 minutes 🙂
You are amazing !! You inspire me me a lot , I am 12 years old and I want to be like you 🙂
Hi Val, Thank you!
Hi Catherine! Any tips on how to cut the cake evenly? I’ve found it really hard to cut the cake. Thanks.
Hi Clarissa,
I find that after letting the cake sit for one day the sponge absorbs a little more moisture making it easier to cut. Also using a sharp knife heated in hot water will help.
Hi Catherine. What kind of flour do you use? Thanks
Hi Kim,
I use plain flour aka all purpose flour
Hi Catherine!
I am a huge fan of all your creations and cannot wait time make this one 🙂
Just curious – what type of flour did you use?
Hi Michelle,
Thank you! I use all purpose flour
Is it 55 g cornstarch and 55 g ap flour ?
Hi Catherine,
Thank you for sharing your recipe! It looks like the volume of cake batter that you have in your video is a lot more than what I’ve made based on the written recipe.. I’m using a 6 inch cake tin with 2 inch height and my uncooked batter reaches about 1.5 inch height, but in the video, your cake tin looks taller and it looks like there’s a lot more batter? Does your video have the same measurements as your recipe?
Thanks so much!
Jenny
Hi Jenny,
Yes my tin is 3-inches tall, but the measurements were the same as what I have written. I would suggest the reason for it having less volume would be the deflation of your whipped egg whites. Hope that helps!
Hi Catherine!
How would you suggest changing the baking times/temps if I’m baking this in an 8 in cake pan and doubling the recipe?
Hi Elizabeth I would suggest baking it at 140C for 75 minutes and then leaving it in the oven for 20 minutes with the heat turned off 🙂
Hi Catherine!!!
I’m baking the cake at the moment and it doesn’t seems to be rising, its been in the oven for over an hour now and I don’t know what to do. I had to bake it a glass container instead of a tin and lined it all with parchment paper (including the sides) what should I do next time????
Thank you!!!
Hi Sof,
The reason why I don’t line my cake tin is because the sides of the tin actually help the cake crawl up the sides and rise. Glass also isn’t the best baking vessel because of its heat distribution, so that might be the reason why… I would suggest trying to bake it in a tin next time! Hope that helps 🙂
Hi Catherine!
So i tried making this cake with a bigger pan and doubled the recipe but despite how long I baked it (i took it out of the oven after leaving in the oven for 15 minutes and then baked it again for 30 minutes and did that again for another 30 minutes after realising that it still wasnt cooked) and it just stayed mushy. Was this because the pan was too big?
Hi Alannah, It’s definitely possible to double this recipe but I would recommend increasing the temperature to 160C and baking fo 90 minutes. With sponge cakes once they have been removed from the oven they won’t rise anymore- and will probably a lot more mushy than usual. Keep the cake in the oven and bake it longer! You’ll know the cake is ready when it begins to come away from the sides of the pan. Hope this helps!
Hi Catherine! I’m so excited to try this recipe! Is it possible to substitute all purpose flour with cake flour?
Hi Em, Yep you should be able to with no problems 🙂
Hi Catherine if I wanted to make this in 2 8-inch tins, what should the baking time be?
Hi Jas, I would suggest baking it in 1 tin as it will help with the rise and give a fluffier sponge.
Hi- If the cake pan is bigger, how do we adjust the baking time?
It depends on how much larger your cake tin is, I suggest reducing by half and then keeping an eye on it
Hi! Should I use cake flour or plain all-purpose for this recipe? thanks!
Also, how many tablespoons are in 40 grams of milk?
just all purpose is fine!
Hey!
I was wondering whether or not the cake pan should be non-stick.
Thx!
Shouldn’t be non-stick! 🙂
Hi Catherine, i ask nicely of you to please be a bit more specific what type of sugar we are supposed to add, please and thank you! have a wonderful day!
Hi Gabby,
I just use granulated/white sugar 🙂
Hello from Thailand. Today I have tried 2 of your receipes but I didn’t get good results in both of them. For this one I had the following issues:
1) The sponge was as brown as yours and it was very very sticky. I baked for 1 hour at 140 Celsius in a fan assisted oven. The water bath was 1.5 cm in height. I then turned of the heat and waited 15 minutes. The sponge was pale all around, and it grew almost 4 inches in height (my tin is 2 inches high). It also smells a bit eggy.
2) The other issues is with the whipped cream. It doesn’t get as smooth as in the video. I whip it in low-medium speed and in 2 minutes it reaches stiff peaks. If I let it run more it starts to crumble. Should I whip in low speed? In average how long do you need to whisk in a stand mixer to reach the correct consistency?
Something about the written version. You do mention the tangmian version but I think you don’t use it, unless the flour “cooking” happens with the eggs in step 5. Also, in the video you use the vanilla paste in the eggs and not in the heavy cream yet in the ingredients you have it under the heavy cream and not the sponge.
I really look forward for your recommedations as I wish to do the dessert for my wife in Valentine’s day.
Hi Dimosthensis,
Sorry you didn’t get the result you were after. More than happy to help!
1) The stickiness of a cake depends on the humidity of your climate. Sugar absorbs water and if it is humid or raining on the day you make the cake the caramelised layer on the cake will absorb moisture. This is nothing to worry about, you can either remove the layer of caramelisation or just cover it up with cream.
2) Yes, if you overwhip cream it will become curdle and become butter. The timing needed varies between different brands of cream and the temperature of your kitchen. If you find it to be at stiff peaks at 2 minutes I would recommend beating on low speed until medium peaks. Then stop and whisk by hand to prevent the chance of curdling.
3) The tangmian method is the incorporation of the egg/milk mixture which is still hot with the flour. The heat provides the “cooking”, although it is called the cooked dough method there is no necessary cooking of the dough.
As with the vanilla you can add it to the sponge or cream, or both! I guess the more you add the more vanilla you get, it won’t effect the texture of anything.
Hope the dessert goes well for Valentine’s day!
Thank you for taking the time to answer Catherine. I will try again and let you know the results. I did try a different brand of heavy cream that has stabilizers and got different results. I will have to keep experimenting.
Keep up the great work!
Second time worked like a charm. Just a few tips that worked for me and might work for people that have similar issues.
1) Since I also didn’t have 3 inch deep cake tin and the 1st time the sponge turned out like a mushroom, the 2nd time I used a cake tin belt and the sponge was perfect and smooth.
2) You might need to bake for a bit longer than 60 minutes in a fan assisted oven, need to keep an eye on it. Mine took 75 minutes. Looked a bit uncooked around but it actually wasn’t.
Thank you very much for the great recipe Catherine.
So glad it worked out well! Love the tips too, it will definitely help everyone trying this recipe out 🙂
hey, may i know how i can keep the cream from melting??
As long as you keep the cake refrigerated until serving it shouldn’t melt!
This makes the perfect, most fluffy sponge cake. Finally found my favourite recipe. Thank you!
best sponge recipe yet! it yields a super soft and fluffy cake that’s very moist!
Hi Aly, So glad you liked the recipe thank you!!
Hi Catherine,
What will be the measurements to use if I am using an 8 inch round tin (20cm x 5cm)
Hi Sarah you can multiply the quantities of ingredients by 4/3! Hope it goes well 🙂
Thank you so much for your response. It came on time and the cake turned out perfectly!
Hi Catherine,
I have 8” and 9” cake pan, can you suggest how much should i multiply for the recipe for both cake size and baking time?
Also, do you know if there will be any different on the texture if i use cake flour?
Thank you
Irene
The cake is so delicious! The video is very easy to follow
Hi Danni, thank you!
Hi! Thanks for this beautiful recipe… Questions before attempting this recipe:
1. Does the acid in the strawberries melt the whipped cream at all? I’ve heard from friends that putting fresh strawberries in the whipped cream (unless served immediately) will turn the whipped cream back into liquid unless using a stabilized whipped cream
2. Can this cake be made 24 hours in advance? Will the whipped cream deflate?
Hi Catherine! Nope, I’ve never had any problems with strawberries melting whipped cream. As long as you aren’t adding a watery puree to the cream it’ll be fine. The cake can definitely be made 24 hours in advance. If you store it in the fridge there won’t be any deflating. Hope you like the recipe!
Hello! I can’t wait to make this for my husband’s birthday in a few weeks – he is from Japan and has been craving this cake for ages! I just wanted to check if using caster sugar instead of granulated sugar would yield the same results? Thank you!
Hi Shan, Hope he likes it. Using caster sugar will work great too!
This cake is amazing and delicious! The best Asian bakery style cake recipe I’ve come across. It’s now going to be the go-to birthday/celebration cake in our family!
So glad you love this! It’s one of my fave’s too 🙂
Hi! How many tsp of vanilla extract can I substitute to the vanilla bean paste? So difficult to find one where I am at 🙁
Tried the recipe and the sponge cake was so good!! However, it shrank into a 5-inch cake. Will try it one more time and bake it a little bit longer and practice more on the frosting which I badly struggled. Thank you so much! Hoping to bake another one that is as perfect as yours!
Hi! You can use 1 tsp vanilla extract instead. As for the shrinkage, that usually happens when the cake is underbaked. Try baking it for a little longer next time 🙂
Hi, you mentioned the cooked dough method in the cake flour question. The instructions didn’t really say cook the dough.
Is this an error?
Hi, the recipe says to use 8 inch pan, can I do the same thing with 6 inch pan? TY
Hi Catherine!
I’m so exited to try this for a treat this weekend! I would love to know if you can make this cake in a bundt pan. And if so, would I need different quantities?
Thanks!
I’m thinking of making this for my boyfriend’s birthday. For a 13×9 pan, should I double the recipe? how long should it bake for?
Hi Catherine! This recipe looks absolutely delicious ???? Just wondering if it would be possible to convert it to a 6 inch sized cake, and how to convert the measurements? Thank you!
Hi, I wanted to ask will the whipping cream stay stable and not melt or fall?
hi, i am going to bake this cake this friday. i was wondering if i should use a 8 inch or 6 inch pan? all the comments replies show u saying 6 inch but the written recipe calls for 8 inch… love ur videos!
Hi! if I want to bake in 6 inch cake pans should I use a very tall one or three separate ones? How would I adjust the baking time and temperature?
Hello! I made this cake for my husband’s birthday today and it was a hit, but I had to double the whipped cream frosting part to have enough to cover the whole cake. I used 2.5 cups of whipped cream and 0.5 cups of sugar and then whipped until stiff peaks. It tastes fine and had a good texture but wasn’t enough. What kind of cream did you use? Was it already whipped?
Tried this recipe today, the cake was so unbelievably soft it broke apart a bit which is my fault lol but it’s the perfect amount of sweetness and melts in the mouth. Definitely reccomend ❤️
Hi catherine, I want to make this cake for Easter and was wondering if the cake tin needs to be made of a specific material or if you can just use the “normal” cheap ones. Thank you in advance! <3
Hi Catherine!
Massive fan of all your recipes 🙂
Just wanted to check – you mentioned the ‘cooked dough’ method in the description, but the actually recipe doesn’t seem to have this method in it at all.
Is this due to the 22 May 2023 recipe update?
I notice that this sponge cake recipe is now the same as that of the mango/ube/matcha recipes (yes i’ve done them all!). Is this correct?
Love the recipe and made it twice! However, the ingredients for the sponge cake include corn starch but the instructions only say “sift the flour.” I added and sifted the flour and cornstarch together and mine turned out great!
Hi! I am planning on making your recipe but I have one quick question. The ingredient list says cornstarch, but where in the recipe do we add it?
How much water do you use for the water bath? Is it half way up the cake pan?
Hi there Catherine. Just wanna ask if I can make this sponge cake much earlier and freeze them for future use? Have you done it before? will it affect the cake texture?
Did no one actually read the recipe? It doesn’t say when to add the cornstarch. It doesn’t say when to add the vanilla. In a recipe, details matter. Why would I want to buy a book of poorly written recipes?
Hey Catherine, I love this recipe and have made it successfully before it was gorgeous. But every single time I’ve tried it recently, the egg yolk-flour mixture clumps up soon after putting the flour in and develops thick chunks, I think because of the cornflour?
I don’t leave it too long, e.g. I’ll combine the yolks-milk-oil then get the stiff peaks with the whites & sugar, and only then will I add the sifted flour to the yolk mix, not mixing too much either. I have no idea why this is happening at least 4 times now. The only thing I can think of is a tiny amount of yolk/white crossover but this is again tiny. Is it the cornstarch quality?
Pls help I love this recipe but I can’t get back the same cake that I used to make.
Hi I’m just wondering if I can use cake flour and eliminate cornstarch in your recipes? If so how much cake flour would I use?
Thank you
Just a thought. You may want to edit the recipe directions slightly to say that the eggs should be separated. Yolk/whites. If I had not read through the whole recipe I could have made a big mistake by mixing the whole eggs with the flour instead of just the yolks.
Hi Catherine, do you have the same recipe for a 10″ cake pan?
Hi Catherine,
could I make this cake twice as tall? Double the recipe and stack it or will it collapse? any suggestions?
Can you use 1:1 gluten free flour?
Hi, cornstarch is listed as an ingredient but it’s not mentioned in the directions?
Hi, I was wondering at what point do you put the corn starch in the sponge cake? It isn’t written in the directions that I see. Also there isn’t instructions how to make the simple syrup. Thank you.
Hiii, your instructions for the sponge left out the part about adding the cornstarch :,( Just realized that I didn’t add it…wondering how that affects the structural integrity of the cake?
Can i use sugarfree sweetener like erythritol instead? Have you tried or heard about it? I love the recipe but want to make it a little bit healthier????
Hey Catherine, I was just wondering what would i do if i was using a 24cm cake tin instead of a 8 inch tin?
The recipe calls for cornstarch but the instructions do not mention corn starch. Is this meant to be added to the flour?
Hey, what measurements would i use if im using a 24cm tin isntead of a 8 inch tin?
Hi Catherine! Where do I add in the cornstarch? Thanks!
Hi Catherine, my oven only goes as low as 175F, in this case what can I do?
Hi Catherine! Can you add matcha to this recipe? and how much? 🙂
Hi! Can this recipe be used if I have a regular convention oven (no fan/air circulation system). The cake looks delicious!
Hi Catherine! First of all this recipe is amazing!!!! I baked it and everybody love it! 🙂
It’s so soft, fluffy and light!
I just have one question. Do you use a specific brand/type of tin? Because the one I used keeps leaking water in the cake while it bakes 🙁
I use a two part tin (ring with bottom)
wondering what a crumb coat is before icing? thank you
The recipe is very good, but it doesn’t specify adding cornstarch anywhere. It says to add flour, and I just assumed it meant to add the flour and cornstarch mixture. That could be confusing to some people because they could add just the flour instead of both the dry ingredients. Also you wrote mil instead of milk just btw 🙂
Hi! I was wondering if I can make this in a 9 x 13 pan?
Hi, can i use this recipe as a sheet cake instead of a cake pan? if so what would the temperture and time be averagely?
Hi Just wondering if this cake can be baked and then frozen until ready to decorate?
Thanks
This is one of the easiest cakes I’ve ever made! I’m a teenager with very little experience and needed something easy for my bro’s birthday. I lowkey cried when I tried the cake. Thank you so much!
How much does the entire cake weigh?
Hello. Your recipe calls for 55g of cornstarch which seems like a lot, can you confirm that’s right? Also if I wanted to substitute AP for cake flour, what amount should I use?
Precise recipe, good cake the only flaw was that once it was cooked the bottom shrunk so when i was layering it was uneven and the bottom was wet. Do you know why this happened Catherine?
Hi may I know what type of cream is used for the whipped cream.thickened cream? Whipping cream?