Japanese Chocolate Cake: An Easy To Make Cloud-Like Confection

In Japan, chiffon is one of the most popular kinds of cake, so when people think of chocolate cake here, they’re probably thinking of chocolate chiffon cake. Chiffon cake is like an extremely light sponge cake, but with less bounce and more of an airy texture. Recently, this delicate Japanese chocolate chiffon cake has gone viral, and it’s not hard to see why. Biting into a light and airy slice of Japanese-style chocolate cake is like biting into a chocolate cloud! 

How to Make Japanese Chocolate Chiffon Cake at Home?

If you want to make your own cloud-like cake, we’ve got you covered with this Japanese-style chocolate cake recipe. The original chiffon cake recipe was created by Harry Baker (1833-1984), then kept secret until the 1940’s when it was distributed by General Mills. The recipe eventually made its way to Japan, where it exploded in popularity.

image via shutterstock.com

Dry ingredients

80g cake flour 

40g cocoa powder

5g baking powder

Pinch of salt

Wet Ingredients

5 large eggs

130g granulated sugar (divided in half, so 75g each)

60ml vegetable oil 

95ml milk 

5ml vanilla extract

Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 340ºF (170ºC). Prepare a chiffon cake pan, preferably with a removable bottom (non-stick and non-greased). If your pan does not have a removable bottom, line the bottom with parchment paper (leave the sides unlined).

Step 2

In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt.

Step 3

Separate the egg yolks and whites. Crack the whites into a deep mixing bowl which can be used with an electric whisk or stand mixer. Place the yolks into a large mixing bowl. Put the mixing bowl with the egg whites into the fridge or freezer for 15 minutes to chill.

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Step 4

While the egg whites are chilling, beat the egg yolks. As you beat them, gradually add in half the granulated sugar (75g). Continue beating the sugar-yolk mixture until it is light yellow in color. Then mix in the oil, milk, and vanilla.

Step 5

Using a fine-meshed strainer, sift half the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients (the egg, milk, and sugar mixture) and mix thoroughly. Once mixed, sift the second half of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly, but gently.

Step 6

Remove egg whites from the refrigerator. Beat with an electric whisk or stand mixer until opaque and foamy.

Step 7

Continue beating the egg whites, while gradually adding the other half of the granulated sugar (75g). Beat the meringue until stiff peaks form.

Step 8

Gently fold ⅓ of the meringue into the chocolate batter mixture, making sure not to pop the air bubbles of the meringue. Add one more ⅓ of the meringue and mix gently. Add the final third and mix, making sure all the batter is mixed into the meringue (scrape along the sides of the bowl), but gently, so the meringue’s air bubbles aren’t crushed.

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Step 9

Pour the batter into the ungreased chiffon pan. Gently tap the pan on the counter to remove air pockets.

Step 10

Place the cake into the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes. The cake is done if the top springs back when pushed, or if a toothpick inserted comes back out clean. If the top is baking faster (burning) than the center, add a layer of aluminum foil. 

Step 11

Remove the cake from the oven. Invert the pan and allow the cake to cool (you can place the pan inverted on top of a bottle, to allow the cake to fill out at the bottom).

Step 12

After the cake has cooled, gently run a knife or spatula around the edges. Gently remove the cake from the pan.

Step 13

Place the cake inverted on your serving dish (chiffon cake is served with the flat bottom part in the chiffon pan on top).

Once the cake is cooled, you can serve it sprinkled with powdered sugar, or whipped cream (see the recipe below). Then, it’s ready to enjoy!

You can also make a Japanese roll cake with this chocolate chiffon cake base, and our chocolate whipped cream frosting recipe below. Instead of a chiffon cake pan, use a rectangular cake pan lined with parchment paper. After baking, immediately roll the parchment-covered cake into shape and allow it to cool.

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Chocolate Whipped Cream Recipe

Chocolate whipped cream is the perfect topping for this light and airy Japanese-style chocolate cake.

Ingredients

290 ml whipping cream 33%

120 grams semi-sweet chocolate . Ffor an extra trendy twist, you could even use the pink ruby chocolate!

Instructions

Step 1

Place the mixing bowl into the fridge to chill.

Step 2

Chop up the chocolate.

Step 3

Add the chocolate and cream to a pot. Heat over medium until the chocolate is melted (make sure not to boil).

Step 4

Allow chocolate and cream mixture to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Then place it in the fridge for 10-15min until chilled (but make sure not to let it harden).

Step 5

After the chocolate cream mixture is chilled, add it to the chilled mixing bowl. With an electric mixer, beat the cream until stiff (but not any longer, or it will start to lose texture).

Now the chocolate whipped cream is ready to add to your cake and serve!