Japanese Strawberry Shortcake
This Japanese Strawberry Shortcake is a light and elegant dessert featuring an airy chiffon sponge, lightly sweetened whipped cream, and fresh strawberries. Less sweet than traditional Western cakes, it delivers a clean, balanced flavor perfect for celebrations or everyday indulgence.
Equipment
- 8-inch cake pan
- mixing bowls
- stand mixer or hand mixer
- whisk
- spatula
- water bath tray
- serrated knife
Ingredients
- 90 g cake flour
- 60 ml whole milk
- 60 g unsalted butter
- 6 eggs (separated)
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 400 ml heavy whipping cream
- 30 g confectioners sugar
- 300 g fresh strawberries
- 2 tbsp sugar (for macerating strawberries)
- 1 tsp gelatin (optional, for stabilizing cream)
- 2 tbsp water (for gelatin blooming)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Line an 8-inch round cake pan and prepare a water bath. Bring water to a boil.
- Melt butter with milk, then sift in cake flour and mix until smooth. Add egg yolks and combine until glossy.
- Beat egg whites until frothy, gradually add sugar, and whip to medium peaks.
- Fold one-quarter of the egg whites into the yolk mixture, then gently fold everything together until smooth.
- Pour batter into pan, tap to remove air bubbles, place in water bath, and bake for 90 minutes without opening the oven early.
- Slice strawberries and toss with sugar. Let sit for 1–2 hours to macerate.
- Prepare whipped cream and optionally stabilize with gelatin by blooming and mixing it in.
- Cool cake completely, trim top, and slice into two even layers.
- Brush layers with syrup, spread cream, add strawberries, and stack layers.
- Frost the cake with a thin layer of cream, decorate with strawberries, and refrigerate before serving.
Notes
For best results, use a kitchen scale for precise measurements. Always allow the sponge to cool completely before assembling to prevent melting the cream. Stabilized whipped cream is recommended if the cake will sit for several hours or be transported. Fresh, ripe strawberries will significantly improve flavor.