Super Fluffy Taiwanese Cream Cheese Castella Cake
This Taiwanese Cream Cheese Castella Cake is a unique cake that is filled with cheddar cheese and has an extremely fluffy texture, reminiscent of Japanese cheesecake. Although it has savory elements, it makes a wonderful dessert for those who love cake but prefer their desserts to be less sweet.
To make the cake, you start by mixing egg yolks with salt, vanilla, honey, oil, and milk in a bowl. Then, you sift flour over the top before mixing it into the wet ingredients. After that, you beat egg whites to stiff peaks before folding them into the egg yolk mixture. The final step is layering the batter with slices of cheddar cheese before baking it in the oven. The results are an extremely fluffy and spongy cake with a light and airy texture.
What is Taiwanese Cream Cheese Castella Cake?
This Taiwanese cream cheese castella cake is inspired by Japanese castella cake, which is incredibly moist with plenty of eggs. While the Japanese version of the cake is a moister version of Western sponge cake, the Taiwanese version is even fluffier and includes cheese in the middle. It is wonderful served with fresh fruit and whipped cream, which add sweetness and texture to this delightful cake!
Pro Tips
- When whipping the egg whites, it is best to bring them to room temperature before whipping them as they will likely gain better volume than if they are cold.
- Make sure there isn’t any oil residue on the mixing bowl or beaters that you use to whip the egg whites as it could hinder how the egg whites whip up.
- Choose a medium or aged cheddar cheese for the best flavor.
- Line the baking dish to ensure that the cake is easy to remove.
- You will know the cake is baked when it is golden on top, and is completely set.
What's The Difference Between Japanese and Taiwanese Castella Cake?
Japanese castella, originating from Portugal and brought to Japan in the 16th century, is known for its fluffy, light texture and subtle sweetness, achieved through a long, slow baking process in a rectangular mold. It has a smooth, fine crumb and a slightly denser texture than its Taiwanese counterpart.
Taiwanese castella, though also soft and airy, tends to be slightly sweeter and often incorporates a richer, buttery flavor, with some variations including milk or cream for added richness. Taiwanese versions can also be more moist and spongier, sometimes with a slightly more golden crust due to the baking technique.
What to Serve with Taiwanese Cream Cheese Castella Cake?
This cake recipe can be sliced and served as a tea cake alongside a pot of tea. It is also great with garnishes like powdered sugar, whipped cream, and fresh berries or other fruit.
What Does This Castella Cake Taste Like?
This castella cake has a light, fluffy texture with a subtle sweetness from the honey and sugar. The addition of cheddar cheese gives it a savory richness and a hint of tanginess that contrasts nicely with the sweetness. The result is a delicate balance of sweet and savory flavors, making it a unique and delicious treat.
Why Did My Castella Cake Shrink in Size?
Since Taiwanese cream cheese castella cake is a souffle-style cake, meaning that it relies on whipped egg whites to help it rise in the oven, it will inevitably deflate slightly when it is removed from the oven. To ensure that the cake doesn’t lose too much volume, you should ensure that you don’t deflate the egg whites when you mix them into your batter and that you thoroughly bake the cake in the oven.
Why Did the Castella Cake Crack?
If you notice cracks on top of your castella cake, it could be due to several factors. For one thing, your oven may have heated too hot, while overwhipping the egg whites may also be a factor. You can use an oven thermometer to check that your oven is actually heating to the temperature you set it to to address the challenge of your oven being too hot. Meanwhile, to address overwhipping the egg whites, you should simply whip them to medium to medium-hard peaks.
Can I Make Taiwanese Cream Cheese Castella Cake Dairy-Free?
Yes, you definitely could! While this cake includes cheese and milk, you could easily replace it with dairy-free cheese and plant-based milk to make this cake more suitable to who you are serving it to.
How to Store Taiwanese Cream Cheese Castella Cake
This cake should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. After that, the cake will be at risk of drying out.
Ingredients
How to Make Taiwanese Cream Cheese Castella Cake
Step 1: In a bowl, mix the egg yolks with the salt, vanilla, honey, oil, and milk until combined.
Step 1: In a bowl, mix the egg yolks with the salt, vanilla, honey, oil, and milk until combined.
Step 2: Sift in the flour and whisk it until combined.
Step 2: Sift in the flour and whisk it until combined.
Step 3: In a bowl, beat the egg whites with the sugar until whipped to stiff peaks.
Step 3: In a bowl, beat the egg whites with the sugar until whipped to stiff peaks.
Step 4: Fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture.
Step 4: Fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture.
Step 5: Pour half of the mixture into a square baking dish.
Step 5: Pour half of the mixture into a square baking dish.
Step 6: Place the cheese on top of the first layer of batter.
Step 6: Place the cheese on top of the first layer of batter.
Step 7: Pour the remaining batter on top of the cheese layer.
Step 7: Pour the remaining batter on top of the cheese layer.
Step 8: Place the baking dish in a larger baking pan and fill it with water. Bake in a 300 F/150 C oven for 1 hour.
Step 8: Place the baking dish in a larger baking pan and fill it with water. Bake in a 300 F/150 C oven for 1 hour.
Step 9: Once cooled, slice and serve the cake.
Step 9: Once cooled, slice and serve the cake.
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