Fluffy Hojicha Cake (Print Version)

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

# What You Need:

→ 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 Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 340°F. Line the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper without greasing 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 volume and avoiding overworking the batter.
05 - Combine melted butter and milk in a small bowl. Add one scoop of batter to this mixture and stir to combine, then gently fold the entire mixture back into the main batter.
06 - Pour batter into the prepared pan and tap gently to release 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. Optionally dust with additional hojicha powder.
11 - Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to achieve clean slices and allow flavors to meld.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sponge stays feather-light and tender because you're folding, not stirring, which means your cake won't taste dense or overmixed.
  • Hojicha gives you an unexpected depth that coffee or vanilla can't quite match—people will ask what that beautiful flavor is.
  • It's actually forgiving once you understand the batter technique; the real challenge is just patience with the whisking.
02 -
  • If your cake batter looks grainy or separated after folding in the butter mixture, you didn't temper it properly first—next time, that extra step of mixing a scoop of batter into the butter will save you.
  • Hojicha powder can clump terribly, so sifting it directly into the flour (not just stirring) prevents bitter little pockets from appearing in your finished cake.
03 -
  • Keep your mixer bowl and beaters in the freezer for ten minutes before whipping cream; cold tools whip faster and reach better peaks.
  • If your sponge cracks when you flip it out of the pan, don't panic—that's what the frosting is for, and the cracks will seal when you layer and chill it.
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