Tappy's Rainy Day Kitchen: カステラ

Dear Reader,

In a recent project which involved moving heavy objects, I hurt my left pinky and right middle finger. This has reduced my ability to type efficiently. I never realized how difficult it is to type without the pinky until just now.The point of this story is the excuse I am going to use to explain why I am less wordy than usual.

I love カステラ (castella). My father used to bring them home and we'd call it the "honey cake", it wasn't until I was much older and watching the anime "焼きたて!! ジャぱん" in my dorm room that I realized what this cake was really called. I have been wanting to make this ever since.

Don't know why I waited this long, but I finally busted out the eggs and tried to make it. While the result is good, I feel there is plenty of room for improvement. It's not "spongy" enough and it's still very coarse, I'll get there I'm sure. But...them is a lot of cake for 1 person! No matter how much I love this cake, I still need a break from them.

Anyhow, lets get bakin'!

There really isn't too many ingredients to this cake. Over the years, I've learned (from various sources of media) whenever possible, use weight rather than volume when it comes to measuring baking ingredients. This ingredient list makes for 1 cake loaf, the pictures show the making for 2 loaves.

3 eggs
105g granulated sugar*
100g bread flour, sifted
3 + 1/2 TBSP honey
2 TBSP water

*I chose to use "washed raw sugar" because I had it on-hand and the label makes the use of this type of sugar sound like anything you make with it will turn out extra wonderful. And 'cause, it's me, I just wanted an excuse to play with it.

1. Whisk the eggs until foamy (medium-high speed).

2. While the egg is whisking, combine the water and honey.
3. When the eggs are ready, add the sugar and crank up the whisking. Keep at it until the mixture is thick and when you lift the whisk from the mixture, it falls in ribbons. (This is when I'm really thankful the kitchen has a standing mixer, because it's going to take a while)

4. Lower the whisking speed and add 4 TBSP of the honey-water to the mixture.

5. Slowly add the flour, whisk until just combined.

6. Preheat the oven to 320°F

7. Line the pan with parchment paper (makes a clean and easy removal). The cake will rise as it is baked, so chose your pan appropriately. To prevent overflow, the pan should only be 2/3 full of batter.

8. Pour the batter into the pan.

9. Chopstick into the batter, draw some figure-8s to clear out any large air bubble that may have occurred during the pouring.

10. Into the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Do the toothpick test. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is done! Remove from oven onto a hotpad.

11. Stir up the remaining honey-water mixture. While the cake is still hot, brush it on the cake. The cake will soak up the liquid goodness.

12. Wait until it has cooled, cut off the sides (do not discard! just eat it). Slice...criticize... curse at it's lack of spongy-ness...wonder at the amazing properties of egg... and Enjoy!