Description
This delicate and airy Hojicha Chiffon Cake combines the rich, smoky notes of hojicha tea with a light and fluffy texture. Perfect for tea time or as a sophisticated dessert, this Japanese-inspired chiffon cake is flavored with roasted green tea leaves and topped with fresh cream and fruit for a delightful treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Egg Yolk Batter
- 4 egg yolks (room temperature)
- 35 g caster sugar
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 40 ml milk (or replace with 40 ml brewed hojicha tea for hojicha flavor)
- 3–4 drops vanilla essence
- 70 g cake flour (or substitute part with 2 tsp matcha powder for matcha flavor)
Meringue
- 4 egg whites (chilled)
- 35 g caster sugar, divided into three portions of 15 g, 15 g, and 15 g
Hojicha Tea
- 40 ml brewed hojicha tea (or 2 tbsp + 2 tsp hot water and 4 g hojicha leaves or 2 tbsp for brewing)
- 4 g hojicha leaves
To Serve
- Icing sugar to dust
- Fresh cream
- Fresh fruit of your choice
Instructions
- Preparation: Separate the eggs into yolks and whites. Keep yolks at room temperature and chill the whites in the fridge. Preheat your oven to 356°F (180°C). Sift the cake flour (and matcha powder if using) and set aside. Brew the hojicha tea and let it cool.
- Make Egg Yolk Batter: In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks with 35 g caster sugar until the sugar dissolves. Gradually add vegetable oil, mixing well until emulsified. Stir in milk or brewed hojicha tea along with 3-4 drops of vanilla essence. Add the sifted flour all at once, gently combining it into the mixture, then set aside.
- Make Meringue: In a stand mixer bowl, beat the cold egg whites at medium-high speed until frothy and white. Add 15 g caster sugar and continue beating until froth forms. Add another 15 g sugar and beat further. Finally, add the last 15 g sugar, reduce speed to low, and beat until soft peaks form. Stop the mixer.
- Fold Batter and Meringue: Add one-third of the meringue into the egg yolk batter and whisk gently to combine. Then pour this mixture back into the remaining meringue bowl. Carefully fold in the remaining meringue in two additions using a spatula, lifting the batter from the bottom until fully combined with a uniform color but without deflating the mixture.
- Transfer and Bake: Pour the batter into an ungreased chiffon cake tin. Tap the tin once on the kitchen bench to remove air bubbles. Place in the preheated oven and reduce the temperature to 338°F (170°C). Bake for 35 minutes.
- Check and Cool: After baking, test doneness by inserting a skewer; if clean, turn off oven and remove the cake. Immediately invert the chiffon cake tin over a bottle neck and let cool completely to avoid collapse.
- Remove and Serve: Run a thin knife around the tin edges to loosen the cake and remove the tin. Place cake on a cooling rack, dust with icing sugar, then slice and serve with fresh cream and your choice of fruit.
Notes
- Separating eggs properly and cooling the whites helps achieve better meringue stability.
- Do not grease the chiffon cake tin to help the cake rise properly.
- Inverting the cake to cool prevents the delicate chiffon from collapsing.
- For a matcha variation, substitute some cake flour with matcha powder and use milk instead of hojicha tea.
- Use good quality hojicha tea for best flavor; brewing freshly will yield superior taste.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Japanese
Keywords: Hojicha, Chiffon Cake, Japanese Cake, Tea Cake, Light Cake, Airy Cake, Matcha Variation, Dessert
