Chocolate Castella Cake: the simple, chocolatey dessert recipe

This Chocolate Castella Cake is an easy dessert recipe and is basically the chocolate version of the traditional Japanese Castella Cake. Unlike a regular cake, which relies on leavening agents like baking powder to make it rise, the Castella Cake only uses eggs, which makes it super delicate, fluffy, and moist.

In this recipe, we add cocoa powder which gives it a rich, yummy taste. It’s super light and fluffy, and it will melt in your mouth! You don’t need any special ingredients either. With a few pantry staples like flour, eggs, cocoa powder, and sugar, you can whip up this cake in no time!

What Is Chocolate Castella Cake?

The traditional Castella Cake is said to have been introduced in the Nagasaki area (back in the 16th century), by Portuguese merchants. The full Portuguese name “Pao de Castela” means bread from Castile—it’s therefore named Castella Cake.

While the traditional Castella Cake uses only four ingredients (flour, eggs, sugar, and honey), this one has a few extras, one of which is cocoa powder. Because let’s be honest, everything is better with chocolate!

How To Make Chocolate Castella Cake

Sift flour, cacao powder, and corn starch into a large mixing bowl. Add the milk, oil, and egg yolks and mix well. Whisk the egg whites in another bowl with egg whites and lemon juice until soft peaks form.

Pour the batter into a baking tin lined with parchment paper and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Bake and enjoy!

Tips

For best results, use a kitchen scale to measure out the ingredients, this will be more accurate than using cup measurements.

Whip the egg whites up to the soft peak stage, and no further than that. If the peaks are too stiff, your cake will still taste great, but won't look as great!

If your castella cake collapses, it means it’s underbaked. Bake it long enough to ensure it’s fully cooked and that it won’t collapse.

Use high-protein flour. This means the flour will have enough gluten to allow the cake to rise properly.

To make sure the cake rises enough, you must beat the egg yolk mixture until thick and creamy.

Don’t skip the sifting process, otherwise, the cake won’t be as light and fluffy. And once you add the flour, don’t overbeat the mixture, it will make it dense!

Some cracks may appear because of the chocolate chips. If you see a lot of cracks on top, it could be that your oven temperature is too high (use an oven thermometer to make sure your oven is accurate). Leave the cake in the oven to cool, if it cools too fast, it might also start to crack.

How To Store Chocolate Castella Cake

Store the Chocolate Castelle Cake in the fridge (in an airtight container) for up to 2 days. You can also freeze individual slices. Wrap the slices in plastic wrap and store them in the freezer for up to 1 month.

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Instructions

Divide egg yolks from egg whites.

Sift in the flour, cacao powder and corn starch.

Add the corn oil and mix well.

Then add in milk and egg yolks.

In another bowl beat egg whites with sugar and lemon juice, mix with the first mixture, and add in chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into a baking tin lined with parchment paper.

Sprinkle with chocolate chips.

Bake at 165°С (329°F) for 60 minutes.

Notes

Allow the cake to cool in the oven completely before removing it.