Taiwan Castella cake recipe is a cake made from castella flour with an almond filling. The cake is popular in Asian countries because it resembles traditional Chinese food.
Which was introduced by Marco Polo and other Italian traders to Taiwan during its early history in the 17th century.
Today, this cake is widely available throughout Taiwan and many other parts of the world.
The recipe varies widely as it varies according to the country and region where it was first created.
Taiwan, namely with vegetable oil instead of butter and castella flour instead of all-purpose flour.
The reason for using castella flour is that it creates a lighter texture than all-purpose flour. Actual sweet red bean paste is used to create the filling instead of the common canned one.
How To Prepare Taiwan Castella Cake Recipe?
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Serving Size: 8-10 slices
Ingredients:
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 120 grams granulated sugar
- 120 grams cake flour
- 30 grams milk
- 30 grams unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking Steps:
Step 1. Preheat your oven to 320°F (160°C). Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some excess paper on the sides for easy removal.
Step 2. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. Place the egg whites in a clean mixing bowl and set aside.
Step 3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and granulated sugar until the mixture becomes pale and creamy.
Step 4. Sift the cake flour into the egg yolk mixture and gently fold it in until well combined.
Step 5. Gradually add the milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract to the batter. Mix until all the ingredients are fully incorporated and the batter becomes smooth.
Step 6. In the bowl with the egg whites, beat them with an electric mixer or whisk until stiff peaks form. This may take a few minutes, so be patient.
Step 7. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the batter using a spatula. Make sure to incorporate them evenly without deflating the mixture.
Step 8. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it out evenly.
Step 9. Tap the pan lightly on the countertop to remove any air bubbles from the batter.
Step 10. Place the baking pan in a larger roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with hot water, reaching about halfway up the sides of the baking pan. This water bath method helps create a moist and even texture.
Step 11. Cover the baking pan with aluminum foil, making sure it’s tightly sealed.
Step 12. Carefully transfer the roasting pan with the cake batter into the preheated oven. Bake for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step 13. Once the cake is baked, remove it from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then transfer it to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Step 14. Once the cake has cooled, remove the parchment paper and slice it into desired portions.
Nutrition Facts Of Taiwan Castella Cake Recipe
| Nutrition | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 430.5 |
| Calories from fat | 104 |
| Total fat | 11.3g |
| Saturated fat | 1.5g |
| Cholesterol | 1mg |
| Sodium | 180mg |
| Carbohydrates | 65.0g |
| Dietary fiber | 2.7g |
| Sugars | 32 |
Amazing 5 Variations Of Taiwan Castella Cake Recipe
1. With Chocolate Filling:
Place white chocolate into a small plastic bag, and set aside. Heat in the microwave for about 10 seconds, until melted. Snip a very tiny corner of the bag and drizzle over the cake pieces.
2. With Mandarin Orange Filling:
Add mandarin orange juice to the sweetened red bean paste mixture. alternatively, add orange zest to the sweetened red bean paste mixture.
3. With Fresh Cream Filling:
Spread 1/2 cup whipped cream over the partially baked cake and top with the remaining 2/3rds dough, and proceed as usual.
This will yield a much lighter cake than using sweetened red bean paste because of the low-fat content in whipped cream(usually only 8g carbs).
4. With Strawberry And Custard Filling:
Blend ½ cup heavy cream with ½ tsp xanthan gum and place in the refrigerator until chilled before use, spread on partially baked cake, and top with remaining dough. The amount of egg cream will depend on the size of the iron pan used for baking.
5. With Custard And Chocolate Filling:
Blend ½ cup heavy cream with 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tsp vanilla essence, 2 tbsp cocoa powder, and 2 tbsp cornstarch.
Leave in the refrigerator until chilled before using. Spread on partially baked cake and top with remaining dough.
Is Taiwan Castella Cake Recipe Healthy?
Yes, it is. Its main ingredients are flour and sugar, which are both low in fat. Since the cake is baked in an oven, it eliminates all of the oil used in the preparation.
In addition, there is no hydrogenated vegetable oil used in any part of the recipe. The almonds used to create the filling also add healthy fats to this recipe while sugar gives you energy and helps boost your immune system.
Why Is It Called Taiwan Castella Cake Recipe?
The name comes from Taiwan castella cake recipe. The first castella cakes were made in Japan which is called castella, which is a portmanteau of ‘Castella’ and ‘Rusk’.
In the past, Castella cake only uses 2 ingredients Castella flour and water. It has remained quite popular throughout Japan even today.
Hence, many Japanese chose to call the Chinese version of Castella cake Kastela cake, thus forming the name pastel cake.
Is Castella Cake The Same As Sponge Cake?
Castella cake is much more similar to sponge cake than that a cake. Sponges are made with the same ingredients as Castella cake, but they are cooked at a higher temperature and therefore, they produce a softer texture.
The similarity between Castella cake and sponge doesn’t end there. After baking Castella cakes in the oven, you can bake another batch to use as biscuits or cookies without needing to reheat them.
Is It Suitable For Kids?
Yes, Taiwan castella cake recipe is great for all ages. Many children love to help out with their mothers during the making of the cake.
It helps to develop fine motor skills and simple maths skills.
How Many Calories Does A Taiwan Castella Cake Recipe Have?
This is a generally low-calorie dish. Just one piece of Taiwan Castella cake recipe only contains 34 calories and they are all from unsaturated fats. Moreover, there is no cholesterol in Castella cake.
It is a healthy alternative to those high carbohydrates, high fat cakes, and pastries that you see around at the same time of year.
How Long Can Castella Cake Last?
You can store cooked Castella cake in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days. We usually place it in the fridge and still, it tastes fresh the next day.
If you want to store it for longer, make sure you wrap it tightly and place it in a freezer bag. You can also freeze the unused portion of the cake.
Conclusion
There is nothing to be afraid of making a Taiwan castella cake recipe, it is really easy to make and even easier to eat.
You can either let your kids help you out or simply prepare it for your little angels. If you need more variety, you can even try mixing some tropical fruits into the dough.
It’s a great way to introduce your family to new food and ingredients.
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