Fluffy Hojicha Cake (Print view)

A delicate, airy genoise sponge infused with roasted hojicha tea, layered with silky cream for a fragrant, subtly smoky Japanese-inspired treat.

# List of Ingredients:

→ Sponge Cake

01 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
02 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 cup cake flour, sifted
04 - 2 tablespoons hojicha powder
05 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
06 - 2 tablespoons whole milk, room temperature
07 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Hojicha Whipped Cream

08 - 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, minimum 35% fat
09 - 1/3 cup powdered sugar
10 - 1 tablespoon hojicha powder
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

# Step-by-Step Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 340°F. Line the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper; do not grease the sides.
02 - In a heatproof bowl, combine eggs and granulated sugar. Place over a pot of simmering water, whisking constantly, until the mixture reaches 104°F.
03 - Remove from heat and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until thick, pale, and tripled in volume, approximately 7 minutes. Reduce speed and beat 1 additional minute.
04 - Sift together cake flour, hojicha powder, and salt. Gently fold into the egg mixture in two additions, preserving the batter's volume.
05 - Combine melted butter and milk in a small bowl. Add a scoop of batter to this mixture, stir to combine, then gently fold all back into the main batter.
06 - Pour batter into the prepared pan. Tap gently to remove air bubbles.
07 - Bake for 23 to 25 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly touched and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and invert onto a cooling rack. Remove parchment paper and cool completely.
09 - In a chilled bowl, sift in hojicha powder and powdered sugar. Add heavy cream and vanilla extract, then whip to medium-stiff peaks.
10 - Slice the cooled sponge horizontally into two or three layers. Spread hojicha whipped cream between each layer and over the top surface.
11 - Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow cleaner, more defined slices.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The hojicha flavor is sophisticated but not intimidating—it whispers rather than shouts, making it perfect for people who think they don't like tea desserts.
  • A genoise sponge is one of those magical techniques that feels fancy but doesn't require any special equipment beyond an electric mixer and a patient hand.
  • The cake stays moist and tender for days because of how the batter is constructed, so you can actually make it ahead without stress.
02 -
  • Do not skip the gentle folding step—overmixing the flour into the whipped eggs immediately deflates all your hard work and results in a dense, heavy cake that tastes more like pound cake than genoise.
  • The temperature of your ingredients matters more than you'd think; if your eggs are cold, the batter won't whip to the right volume, and if your cream is warm, it will split when you whip it.
  • Hojicha powder can sometimes be bitter if you use too much or if it's been sitting open for months—taste a tiny bit before adding it, and store it in an airtight container away from light.
03 -
  • Invest in a kitchen scale if you don't have one—measuring by weight rather than volume is the difference between a reliable cake and one that's sometimes dense and sometimes fluffy, depending on how you scoop your flour.
  • If your whipped cream starts to look grainy or broken during whipping, add a tablespoon of cold milk and whip gently for a few more seconds—it often comes back together instead of being ruined.
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