Long Detailed Tutorial Video; Click my profile to subcribe on YouTube c:  

INGREDIENTS YOU WILL NEED

• 80g vegetable oil
• 115.5g cake flour
• 16.5g cornstarch
• 99g milk
• 8 egg yolks
• 8 egg white
• 99g granulated sugar
• 2g salt
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract more if you don't like the egg smell.

Notes: By cake flour, I mean low protein flour, which normally contains 7-9% protein (Mine is around 8%). Not self-rising flour.

HOW TO MAKE CASTELLA CAKE

1. Preheat the oven to 302℉(150℃). Separate the eggs. Keep the egg white bowl in the fridge.

Notes:

• The bowl to hold the egg white should be dry and clean. Make sure there is no water drops left or any signs of grease.
• There should be no egg yolk segments mix in the egg white, however small the segment may be. You can separate eggs one at a time over a small bowl, make sure the egg yolk is not broken and not mix with the egg white, then pour the egg white into the final egg white bowl and then continues with next egg.
• Once done separating the eggs, keep the egg white bowl cold in the fridge, which will help you whip up the egg white.
• Wait until you done making the batter, then you whip up the egg white.

2. Heat the vegetable oil to 158℉(70℃). Pour the oil into a dry and clean bowl.

Notes:

• The best way to tell the temperature is to use a thermometer.
• If you do not have a thermometer, heat the oil over medium/low heat about 60 seconds. Do not overheat the oil.
• When you can see some tiny bubbles on the bottom of the pan, it means the oil is ready.
• Keep the heat low to avoid overheating the oil. If the oil is overheated, you will find the batter thicker than it should be after you add in the oil.

3. Add all the dry ingredients (cake flour, cornstarch, and salt) into the oil and whisk until well combined. Add in milk, mix until smooth. Add in egg yolks and mix well. Set aside.

Notes:

• You can sift all the dry ingredients to gain a fine texture.
• Mix ingredients in until just combined. Do not over mix them. When mix in dry ingredients, mix until you can see no dry bits left. Use a spatula to scrape the bottom a little to see if there is any dry ingredients left in the bottom of the bowl.

*Picture took from my chocolate Castella cake recipe. Just for example.

• You can add the vanilla extract in to the batter; or you can move it to next step and add it into the egg white.

The right texture after you mix dry ingredients with oil:

The right batter texture after you mix in egg yolks:

4. Add lemon juice, granulated sugar and vanilla extract into the egg white, use a hand mixer to beat until it forms soft peaks.

Notes:

• This recipe contains eggs. If you don’t like the smell of eggs, lemon juice and vanilla extract can help reduce the egg smell. The granulated sugar is to help whip up the egg white.
• Use a hand mixer to beat egg white on medium-high speed, until soft peaks form. This process should take several minutes. The right meringue texture should be shiny and smooth. And you will find it quite thick and feel resistance inside the whipped egg white when you move the mixer around.

The right texture of the whipped egg white should look like:

5. Take a scoop of whipped egg white to fold into the batter until just combined. Pour all the batter into the whipped egg white. Gently fold the whipped egg white into the batter until just combined.

Notes:

• Gently fold the whipped egg white in. Not whisking nor stirring. Use a spatula to gently “cut” in the whipped egg white until just combined.
• Do not stir in the egg white and do not over mix them. Or you may deflate the egg white, and then the cake will shrink.
• Gently fold the first scoop of whipped egg white into the batter until just combined. Do not overmix them. The right texture should be like:

The final batter should be like:

6. Line the square springform pan (24*24*8cm) with parchment paper and pour all the batter into the pan. Smooth the surface.

 

7. Wrap the baking pan bottom with tinfoil to avoid water getting into the cake during water-bath baking. Pour some room temperature water (about 1 cm high) into the baking sheet and place the springform cake pan into the baking sheet. Send into the oven to bake for 65 minutes.

Notes:

• Water bath. Pour water (about 1 cm high) into a baking tray. Preheat the oven with the baking tray and water in it. Wrap the springform pan with tinfoil before place it onto the baking tray. This way can avoid water getting into the springform pan. Especially when the pan you used has a removable bottom.
• A better way to avoid water getting into the pan is to place a cooling rack/wire rack onto the baking tray, and then place the springform pan onto the cooking rack. So the cake pan will not touch the water and the bottom of the cake will not easily get wet.
• Use a toothpick to dip into the cake, if the toothpick comes out clean, it means the cake is fully cooked. If not, extend the baking time.
• The cake will grow while baking, so it is important to leave some space for the cake to grow.
• About how much water should you add in the baking sheet: It takes about 1 hour or so to bake this cake. Just make sure the water will not run out before the cake is fully baked.

8. Once the cake is fully cooked, take it out of the oven, take the cake out of the springform pan and let it cool down on the cooking rack. Or the cake may get too moist.

 

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 302℉(150℃). Separate the eggs. Keep the egg white bowl in the fridge.
2. Heat the vegetable oil to 158℉(70℃). Pour the oil into a dry and clean bowl.
3. Add all the dry ingredients (cake flour, cornstarch, and salt) into the oil and whisk until well combined. Add in milk, mix until smooth. Add in egg yolks and mix well. Set aside.
4. Add lemon juice, granulated sugar and vanilla extract into the egg white, use a hand mixer to beat until it forms soft peaks.
5. Take a scoop of whipped egg white to fold into the batter until just combined. Pour all the batter into the whipped egg white. Gently fold the whipped egg white into the batter until just combined.
6. Line the square springform pan (24*24*8cm) with parchment paper and pour all the batter into the pan. Smooth the surface.
7. Wrap the baking pan bottom with tinfoil to avoid water getting into the cake during water-bath baking. Pour some room temperature water (about 1 cm high) into the baking sheet and place the springform cake pan into the baking sheet. Send into the oven to bake for 65 minutes.
8. Once the cake is fully cooked, take it out of the oven, take the cake out of the springform pan and let it cool down on the cooking rack. Or the cake may get too moist.