Japanese Strawberry Shortcake
A light and elegant Japanese strawberry shortcake made with an airy chiffon sponge, softly whipped cream, and fresh strawberries. Delicately sweet and beautifully balanced, this bakery-style dessert is perfect for celebrations or weekend baking.
Servings: 8 slices
Calories: 320kcal
Cost: 12
Equipment
- 8-inch round cake pan
- mixing bowls
- hand or stand mixer
- whisk
- spatula
- baking tray (for water bath)
- cooling rack
Ingredients
- 90 g cake flour
- 5 eggs (separated)
- 70 g sugar
- 60 ml whole milk
- 40 g unsalted butter
- 300 ml heavy whipping cream
- 30 g powdered sugar
- 300 g fresh strawberries
- 50 ml cake syrup (sugar + water)
- 1 tsp gelatin (optional, for stabilizing)
Instructions
- Line an 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Prepare a larger pan for a water bath and bring water to a boil.
- Melt butter and milk together, then mix in sifted cake flour. Add egg yolks and stir until smooth and glossy.
- Whip egg whites until frothy, then gradually add sugar and beat to soft, glossy medium peaks.
- Fold a portion of egg whites into the yolk mixture, then gently fold everything together to keep the batter airy.
- Pour batter into the pan, tap lightly to remove air bubbles, and bake in a water bath for 90 minutes.
- Cool completely on a rack before slicing into layers.
- Slice strawberries and macerate with a little sugar. Reserve juices for syrup.
- Whip cold cream with powdered sugar to soft peaks. Add gelatin if using for stability.
- Slice cake into layers, brush with syrup, spread cream, and layer strawberries between each layer.
- Frost the cake, decorate with strawberries, chill briefly, then serve.
Notes
Use cake flour for the softest texture. Do not overwhip egg whites—medium peaks are key. Always bake in a water bath for even cooking. Chill the cake before serving for clean slices and best structure. Stabilized whipped cream helps it hold shape for up to 2 days.