Fluffy Hojicha Cake (Printer-friendly)

Delicate genoise sponge infused with roasted hojicha tea, layered with silky whipped cream for a fragrant, subtly smoky Japanese treat.

# Required 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

# How-To Steps:

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 2 additions, taking care not to deflate the batter.
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 in 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 hojicha powder and powdered sugar together. 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. Decorate with additional hojicha powder if desired.
11 - Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to achieve cleaner slices.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The hojicha gives you this sophisticated smoky-sweet flavor that tastes way more complex than the ingredient list suggests.
  • It's a genoise, so it's airy and delicate, nothing heavy or dense about it.
  • The whipped cream layer is silky and infused with the same tea, so every bite feels intentional and complete.
02 -
  • The ungreased pan sides are absolutely essential because they give the delicate sponge something to grip as it rises, and greased sides will cause it to slide back down.
  • If your hojicha powder is overly bitter or dusty, sift it through a fine-mesh strainer before using—sometimes the texture affects how it incorporates into the batter.
03 -
  • Keep your mixing bowl and beaters scrupulously clean and even slightly chilled because any trace of grease will prevent the eggs from whipping properly and you'll end up with a dense, flat cake.
  • Don't skip the tempering step with the butter and milk mixture—this prevents those dense streaks that sometimes appear in sponge cakes and ensures an even crumb throughout.
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