Korean Street Castella Cake
A tall, honeyed, bouncy sponge that stays soft for days, baked gently in a water bath like the Korean street bakeries do.
- Time1 hr 15
- LevelHard
- Costabout £0.42 a head
- Oven150°C (130°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan). Butter an 18 cm square tin and line the base and sides with baking parchment, so it stands 5 cm above the rim. Boil a kettle.
- 2
Warm the milk, oil and honey in a small pan until the honey melts. Whisk in the egg yolks and vanilla, then sift in the flour and whisk to a smooth batter.
- 3
Whisk the egg whites with the salt and cream of tartar until foamy. Add the sugar in 3 lots, whisking each time, until you have glossy soft peaks that curl at the tip.
- 4
Fold one third of the whites into the yolk batter to loosen it, then fold in the rest in two lots, gently. Keep as much air in as you can.
- 5
Pour into the tin and tap sharply on the worktop. Stand the tin in a deep roasting tin and pour in boiling water to come halfway up the sides.
- 6
Bake for 50 minutes, until deep golden, springy and a skewer comes out clean. Do not open the oven door for the first 35 minutes.
50 min - 7
Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then lift out. Cool on a rack under a clean tea towel to keep it moist. Cut into thick slices.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
