Japanese Strawberry Cake (Print Version)

Tender cake, plump strawberries, and cool whipped cream come together for a light classic Japanese shortcake everyone will love.

# Ingredients:

→ Cake Base

01 - 90 g caster sugar
02 - 4 large egg whites
03 - 4 large egg yolks
04 - 85 g cake flour
05 - 50 g unsalted butter
06 - 80 ml whole milk

→ Macerated Strawberries

07 - 7 g granulated sugar
08 - 340–450 g fresh strawberries, some for filling and some for decorating

→ Whipped Cream Frosting

09 - 30 ml cold water (optional)
10 - 2 g powdered gelatin (optional)
11 - 16 g confectioners' sugar
12 - 300 ml heavy whipping cream

→ Cake Syrup

13 - 45 ml hot water
14 - 25 g sugar

# Steps:

01 - With stabilized cream, pop the cake in the fridge (uncovered) for 30 minutes so it holds up better. If you’re using regular cream, it’ll be at its best if you cut into it within a few hours. When you’re ready to slice, use a bread knife for nice clean pieces. If you used gelatin, let it sit an hour at room temp before slicing—makes it softer and easier to eat.
02 - Cover the whole cake in a thin layer of whipped cream to keep crumbs down. Slather a thicker coat on top. Go ahead and get creative—pipe some edges or smooth the sides with a spatula. Grab those leftover strawberries (sliced or whole) and finish the job.
03 - Stick the bottom half of the cake on your stand, cut side facing up. Spoon a thick layer of cream right on top, then lay down a bunch of strawberry slices. Smooth a bit more cream over those, then pop the other half of the cake over it—make sure it's even.
04 - Shave off any dark or browned top from the cake if you need to. Split it into two across the middle. Take your syrup and brush it onto both inside surfaces.
05 - If you want the creamy layer to stay firm, soak gelatin in cold water for about 5 minutes, then melt it. Whip heavy cream (straight from the fridge) with sifted powdered sugar until it starts getting thick and fluffy. Pour in your melted gelatin for sturdy cream, whip just a little more so it's thick but not stiff. For regular cream, keep whipping till it’s holding peaks.
06 - Stir sugar into hot water until it’s all dissolved. Got leftover juice from those strawberries? Add a splash for extra flavor.
07 - Take about 225 g of strawberries, chop off the stems, and slice them thin. Throw them in a bowl with sugar and toss it all together. Let them hang out for 1–2 hours till they’re shiny and juicy. Save the liquid separately for later.
08 - Run a knife around the edge to loosen the cake, then flip it onto a rack so it can cool off fully. Don’t touch it till it’s totally chilled if you plan to cut or decorate.
09 - Pour your finished batter into the lined pan. Smack the pan twice on the counter to shake out air bubbles. Set it in the water bath, pour in about 2.5 cm of hot water, and bake for an hour and a half. When a skewer comes out clean and the edges pull away, you’re good.
10 - Take a big spoonful of the whipped eggs and gently fold it into the yolk-milk mixture to lighten it up. Carefully fold the new mixture back into the rest of the whipped whites. Be slow—no rushing! You don’t want to knock out the fluff.
11 - Put your egg whites in a clean bowl. Whip them until they’re foamy, then add caster sugar slowly while whipping. Keep going till those whites are shiny and hold soft peaks.
12 - Heat up milk with butter until it’s just melted (use a microwave or gentle heat). Stir well so it’s smooth, then sift flour in and gently blend. Add all the yolks and mix again until it all looks even.
13 - Grab a deep baking dish and set the cake pan inside it. Boil water and pour enough so it reaches about 2.5 cm up the side of the cake pan. If you have a springform or pan with a loose base, wrap it in foil so no water gets in.
14 - Place parchment paper at the bottom of a 20 cm round pan, then crank the oven up to 163°C to warm up.

# Notes:

01 - Want your cake super light? Let egg whites warm up to room temp before whipping and don’t rush folding—keep it gentle!
02 - Stash your finished cake in the fridge for a little while—it’ll cut cleaner and the layers stick together better.

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