Fluffy Hojicha Cake (Printable Version)

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

# Components:

→ 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

# Directions:

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 2 additions, taking care to preserve the batter's airiness.
05 - Combine melted butter and milk in a small bowl. Add a scoop of batter to this mixture, stir to combine, then gently fold all back into the main batter.
06 - Pour batter into the prepared pan. Tap gently to release excess air bubbles.
07 - Bake for 23 to 25 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly pressed 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 allow to 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. Dust with additional hojicha powder if desired.
11 - Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to achieve clean, stable slices.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The hojicha flavor is sophisticated and understated—it won't overpower you, just gently remind you why roasted things taste better.
  • It's lighter than traditional sponge cakes but still feels indulgent, especially when layered with that silky whipped cream.
02 -
  • Don't skip the warming step for the eggs; cold eggs won't whip to the same volume, and your cake will be dense instead of airy no matter what else you do right.
  • The hojicha powder must be sifted with the other dry ingredients (and again with the sugar for the cream) because it clumps easily and won't distribute evenly otherwise, leaving bitter pockets in your cake.
03 -
  • Use a cake turntable when frosting—it makes spreading the cream evenly so much easier, and your presentation will look intentional rather than homemade (even though homemade is the whole point).
  • If your cream starts looking grainy or over-whipped, stop immediately and don't try to fix it; instead, let it warm up slightly and start over with a fresh batch, because trying to rescue over-whipped cream usually makes it worse.
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