This is very soft cake, light cottony and fluffy with a hint of cream cheese in it…delicious just as it is or if you prefer with fresh cream, fruits or jams.
Due to the lock down to keep my mind out of this unreal situation I have been baking lots of cake…and so far this cake is one of the best I have ever baked…even my husband gave 11 out of 10…he liked so much that I already made 3 batches and have send a few cakes to our neighbors/friends.
– What is Taiwanese Castella Cake?
According to the internet Taiwanese Castella cake was originated from Japan, it is the simplest cake made with just a handful of ingredients.
My mom tells me that when castella cake reached Taiwan it was considered a delicacy since most of the sweets/desserts at the time was made using rice flour and sugar, therefore desserts made egg and flour was a real treat.
– Why Taiwanese Castella Cake is different?
Now, Castella cake is a staple in Taiwan, we find people lining up to buy freshly baked cake just out of the oven and cut in front of you…how much fresher can it be?
This cake in spite of just a few ingredients is super light, soft and fluffy…resembling a sponge cake. This cake does not use any rising agent such as baking powder…only the foam produced by the egg white.
– Is it hard to bake Castella cake?
Not at all, once you have the right ratio of ingredients, there is no room for mistake. It is true that you will need a few bowls and more gadgets to wash, but all the efforts are well worth it. Once you get to bake this cake you will be hooked, and many versions can be made using the basic ingredients…any citrus, chocolate, coffee, cheese, carrot, sweet potato and so on…
– Cream cheese in the cake batter?
Yes, the small amount of cream cheese in the cake batter will give this cake a creamier texture with a lightly hint of cheese…
– Did I convince you to try baking Castella cake?
Ingredients:
- 6 large eggs (total weight of approximately 300g) separated, (make sure the bowl with egg white does not contain any trace of grease)
- 120 g cream cheese
- 70 g vegetable oil (I used sunflower)
- 70 g milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 90 g cake flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 10 g white vinegar
- 95 to 115 g white sugar (depending on your taste)
Method:
Preheat oven at 285oF
In a small bowl melt together the cream cheese and milk over a double boiler. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Place the vegetable oil in a small pan, heat (low) the oil until approximately 85oC to 90oC (185oF to 194oF). Remove the pan from the heat and pour into the sifted cake flour, mix well to form a thick paste.
Add the cream cheese/milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir, then add the egg yolks 3 at the time, mixing well into the batter each time.
Add the vanilla extract and the salt, the mixture will resemble a pancake batter.
In a large bowl of a hand-held mixer or stand mixer whisk the egg white with the vinegar until large bubbles form.
Add the sugar slowly into thirds. Whisk until soft peaks form (very important that the egg whites are SOFT PEAKS). Do not over beat, the meringue should be shiny and form soft peaks.
Add about ⅓ of the meringue to the egg yolk mixture and mix gently until all the egg white is incorporated to the batter.
Pour the egg yolk mix to the remaining meringue and fold gently until all the egg white is combined to the batter. Do not over mix.
Pour the batter into 2 loaf pans (20 cm x 7 cm or 7 ¾ x 2 ¾ inch) lined with parchment paper. Tap gently the pan to remove excess of air bubbles.
Place the pan into a tray and fill with approximately 2 cm or ¾ inch of room temperature water and place into the oven.
Bake for 60 to 70 minutes and increase the temperature to 300oF and bake for another 5 minutes.
Remove the pans from the oven and the cake from the pans. Let is sit on a wire rack.
Gently remove the parchment paper and let it cool completely on the wire rack.
Serve at room temperature or cold.
Keep the cake at room temperature for about 3 days and in the refrigerator for up to 7 days, but I guarantee you that it will be gone way before the 3 days.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do…
This looks fantastic! Do you happen to have US conversions for the measurements? Would love to make it but doing the conversions online have really irregular measurements. Thank you.
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The recipe is perfect. The cake turned out so soft n delicious. Thank u for the recipe.
It looks like a confectionery cloud. Brilliant!
Thanks Balvinder!
Dear Juliana, now this is a cake that I have to try and serve it to my kids – it looks incredibly soft and tender and utterly delicious. You are right when you say it’s a bit like a sponge cake – I would love to serve it with fresh seasonal fruit. Thank you for the wonderful (and very helpful) tutorial!
Happy Saturday!
Andrea
You are right this cake with fresh fruit will be delicious…let me know if you like it.
This looks so creamy and light! Also thinking it would easily go low carb. Will have to try that! Have a good week!
Thanks Inger…you too have a good week!
Your cake does look light and exceptional! Your husband is a lucky man that you are baking such great cakes during this difficult time. Thank you for such an interesting background about the cake and the recipe
Thanks Judee, and yes, my husband is a great supporter…
What a gorgeous cake! I know I’d rate it an 11, too! And serve it with some raspberry sauce and a dollop of whipped cream!!
Thanks Liz, yes, it would be perfect with a dollop of whipped cream and berry sauce.
Oh, a cream cheesecake cake! It does look pillowy. Have you tried the new Japanese cheesecakes that are wobbly? Have a great weekend.
Actually this cake is very similar to the Japanese version…you too Evelyne, have a great rest of weekend!
This cake looks very yummy!
Thanks Josiah!
Yum! Love Taiwanese cream cheese cake! This cake is incredibly popular here too!
Hi Sam, good to see you back…
Wow this cake looks so light and delicious! I’ve never seen this type of cake before.
Thanks Amy, it is very popular cake in Asian Countries…
I have wanted to try this cake for a long time but didn’t have the courage. Now, with your tutorial, I’m going to try making it. Thank you, Juliana, it looks so soft and delicious!
You need to try this cake, it is indeed very easy…
Juliana
This cake sounds interesting and your pictures are very helpful.
You certainly bought me to make this cake. Yes lockdown has turned me into a baker, I hear you.
Thanks for an amazing recipe.
I hope you get to try, this is super easy and yet delicious. Good thing about the lock down…everyone is baking…
Those close up shots are making us drool. We can imagine how moist and rich but yet light this cake is. By the way love your new website design and your step by step photos are super helpful.
Thanks Bobbi, this is super easy to make…soft and cottony…
Wow never heard of this one. Looks so moist and so inviting:). Love it. Bookmarking this one. You have a lovely blog!
Thanks Nithya, and yes, the cake is super soft with great texture, I hope you get to try.
It was perfect the first time. I learn so much from you as well! Keep it up great post.
Thanks Ghulam…
This looks terrific! I haven’t had his, and love the cream cheese in this. Neat recipe — thanks.
Thanks John! The cream cheese gives this cake a unique flavor…light but enough to be noticed.
Thank you for sharing your recipe. Your cake looks so beautiful and yummy. Can I substitute the vege oil with butter?
Hi Shu Ding,
I believe that butter will make the cake a bit heavier…I really prefer adding vegetable oil in this recipe. Please let me know if you try the recipe with butter.
Thanks for stopping by…have a great week!
Mercy, this cake sounds really delicious! Love that it’s so light and airy and with cream cheese in the batter, it’s very unique! A great treat for any time, thanks for the recipe, Juliana! Take care
Thanks Pam…the cake is indeed very light and airy…I hope you get to try one day.
I love how light, tender and airy it looks! Wish I could reach into the screen and grab a piece for my tea, Julianna.
Thanks Angie, I would love to send you a piece of this cake…
That looks like a dessert that came from the heavens, looks so light, airy, pillowy delicious delight!
Thanks Raymund…indeed very light and fluffy.
This would go so amazing with all those fresh, beautiful strawberries in the store right now. So yummy!
Definitely Heidi…strawberries will be a perfect match with this cake.
Oh boy, this cake has two of my favorite things in it- cream cheese and ‘regular’ cake. So light and fluffy- I could gulp it down. This would also be nice with a little strawberry sauce draped over it!
Yes Fran a bit of strawberry sauce or fresh would be great…