Taiwanese Castella Cake

Ingredients

• 6 large Eggs (Bring to room temperature before use to prevent cold dough and half-cooked texture.)
• 60 grams Unsalted butter (Melt and keep warm at about 50°C before mixing.)
• 70 grams Cake flour (Add to melted butter while hot and mix well.)
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract (Optional, recommended to mask egg smell.)
• 90 grams Granulated sugar (Add from the beginning when whipping egg whites to create fine foam meringue.)

Instructions

1. Prepare ingredients and equipment

   Bring 6 large eggs to room temperature (about 25°C) to prevent cold dough and half-cooked texture. Preheat oven to 150°C. Line an 18cm square cake pan with parchment paper up to 9cm high. Seal the removable bottom with plastic wrap and aluminum foil to prevent water ingress during the water bath.

   Time: PT20M

   Temperature: 25-27°C

2. Melt butter and mix with cake flour

   Melt 60g unsalted butter in a saucepan or microwave. Keep the melted butter warm at about 50°C. While still hot, add 70g cake flour to the melted butter and mix thoroughly to form a smooth paste.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 50°C

3. Add egg yolks and vanilla extract

   Add the 6 egg yolks to the butter-flour mixture and mix well using a whisk until smooth. Optionally, add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to mask egg smell and enhance flavor.

   Time: PT5M

4. Make meringue with egg whites and sugar

   In a clean mixing bowl, add 6 egg whites and 90g granulated sugar from the beginning. Whip the egg whites and sugar together to form a soft, fine foam meringue. The meringue should be softer than stiff peaks, not too firm, to avoid cracks during baking.

   Time: PT25M

5. Combine meringue with batter

   Gently fold the meringue into the butter-flour-egg yolk mixture using a rubber spatula. First, mix with a whisk to combine, then finish folding with a spatula to keep the batter soft and airy. The final batter should be soft and drop slowly when lifted.

   Time: PT10M

6. Prepare cake pan and bake in water bath

   Pour the batter into the prepared 18cm square pan. Level the surface gently. Place the cake pan into a larger roasting pan or baking tray. Pour 80°C hot water into the larger pan to create a water bath, filling about halfway up the cake pan sides. Bake in the preheated oven at 150°C for 30 minutes.

   Time: PT35M

   Temperature: 150°C

7. Cool and remove from pan

   Remove the cake from the oven and immediately take it out of the water bath. Remove the parchment paper carefully. The cake will be jiggly and will begin to deflate as it cools. Allow to cool slightly before serving or layering with whipped cream.

   Time: PT10M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

280

Protein

7g

Carbohydrates

30g

Fat

15g

Fiber

0.5g