Strawberry Shortcake is probably one of the most popular and classic cakes in Japan. Whether it’s for birthdays, Christmas (did you know this cake is also sold as “Christmas Cake”?) or any type of celebration, we enjoy Strawberry Shortcake all year round. Cakes have such a special place in Japanese culture that we even bring them when we visit friends and family. If you need a classy dessert to serve at your dinner party or something special for a bridal shower, a beautiful homemade Japanese Strawberry Cake fits the bill for the most special occasions. With some basics from the pantry, this simple yet elegant cake is one to remember when celebration season hits. Or when the strawberry is in season in your area, you have good enough reason to whip up this sweet treat to celebrate. I promise, your guests will fall hard for it!
What is the Japanese Strawberry Shortcake?
The concept of the Japanese Strawberry Shortcake may have originated in the US with some adaptation. Instead of sweet biscuits, a Japanese strawberry shortcake is made of 2-3 layers of sponge cake, with fresh strawberry slices, whipped cream filling, and whipped cream frosting. This cake might seem rather simple, yet when all the components are prepared perfectly, it comes together as an amazing dessert. The majority of recipes for Japanese strawberry shortcakes are very similar, so what makes them different? It all comes down to the various techniques you use when making it. I want to thank my dear friend Naomi for spending hours in my kitchen testing different variations of strawberry shortcake recipes with me. We spent days testing and making so many cakes, and we decided this is by far the best one. Because this recipe requires detailed explanations, it was impossible for Mr. JOC to take step-by-step pictures AND film the video at the same time. Therefore, we decided to focus on the step-by-step pictures this time because I can’t explain everything in our short video. We’ll add a video for this recipe in the future.
Components of Japanese Strawberry Shortcake
This recipe is probably one of the longest recipes on my blog, with close to 50 steps. I know it’s a bit of an overkill but I really think these step-by-step pictures are helpful and I can explain the step a little more in detail along the way. Japanese strawberry shortcake consists of 3 components: sponge cake, whipped cream, and strawberries. It’s simple as that. However, creating the perfect sponge cake and whipped cream involves many techniques. And to make a really good shortcake, precise measurement (please use a kitchen scale and thermometer!) really helps, especially if you don’t bake often. Sponge Cake Japanese sponge cake is very moist, airy, light, and it’s not overly sweet. Personally, I think this is the most important part of the cake. The sponge cake is a genoise cake. It‘s made by beating air into the eggs to make it rise. This replaces a chemical leavening agent like baking soda or baking powder. The dimensions of the sponge cake we need to consider include sweetness, elasticity, and texture. The sponge cake cannot be too sweet or else it overpowers the whipped cream and the tartness of the strawberry. The sweetness has to be perfectly balanced with the rest of the cake. When you bite into the sponge cake, it needs to have some elasticity and firmness of bite. Once again, if it’s too hard or too soft, it ruins the cake. Lastly and probably the most critical is the texture of the sponge cake. The size of the bubbles within the sponge needs to be consistent. It should not be too rough on the tongue yet it does need some structure so you can feel them. This is probably the part I tested the most to achieve the perfect result. By the way, if you want to bake a flat cake (my cake is a little curve on the top), I found a great article to solve this problem! Freshly Whipped Cream To make fresh whipped cream is not too difficult. Before you begin whipping cream, make sure to chill your bowl and the heavy cream. This allows the cream to stay cold longer during the whipping process. Basically, cream whips better when it’s cold. The temperature affects how long it requires to whip, how light and fluffy it will get, and how long it is likely to stay that way (more science here). My friend and I have tested the different amounts of sugar and we concluded that 8% of sugar to heavy whipping cream ratio gives perfect sweetness for the cake. Fresh Strawberries Fresh strawberries might not be the easiest ingredient to purchase depends on where you live. I know I’m spoiled in California where we literally have strawberries all year round. When you select the strawberries, make sure they are equal in size and not too large so they’ll be more visually appealing. Last note, since we do not wash the strawberries but clean them with a damp cloth (to prevent them from going bad and adding moisture to the cream.), I do recommend buying organic ones.
Japanese Strawberry Shortcake for the Holidays
After several recipe testings, I am really happy with my results. My friends and family who enjoyed the cake agreed as well. Since then, I’ve served the Japanese strawberry shortcake several times over the holidays and it’s been a huge hit. The flavor and texture of strawberry shortcake get even better if you let it rest overnight, so it is also a great make-ahead treat. Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram. Editor’s Note: The post was originally published on December 14, 2015
