Japanese Soy Milk Cotton Cake
A light and airy Japanese-style cake featuring a silky soy milk custard layer atop a fluffy cotton cake base. The combination of creamy cream cheese and fresh soy milk creates an incredibly tender texture that melts in your mouth.
Story
This Japanese-inspired cake gets its name from the naked appearance of the custard topping that cascades over the delicate sponge. The key is gently folding the ingredients to maintain airiness.
Ingredients
Egg yolks
4 large
Granulated sugar
80g, divided
Cake flour
60g, sifted
Fresh soy milk
200ml
Cream cheese
200g, softened
Egg whites
4 large
Lemon juice
1 teaspoon
Vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon
Instructions
1
Prepare the yolk mixture
Whisk egg yolks with half the sugar (40g) until the mixture turns pale yellow and thickens slightly. Sift the cake flour directly into the yolk mixture and fold gently until no white streaks remain.
2
Create soy milk custard
Heat soy milk in a small saucepan until it just begins to boil. Slowly pour the hot soy milk into the yolk mixture while whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Pour everything back into the saucepan and cook on very low heat, stirring continuously with a spatula until the mixture thickens into a spreadable custard. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
3
Whip the egg whites
In a clean, dry bowl, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until foamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar while continuing to beat until stiff, glossy peaks form.
4
Make the cream cheese layer
In a separate bowl, beat softened cream cheese with lemon juice and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Gently fold in about one-third of the whipped egg whites to lighten the mixture, then carefully fold in the remaining whites until just combined.
5
Assemble and bake
Pour the soy milk custard into a lined cake pan. Carefully spread the cream cheese mixture on top. Bake in a water bath at 160°C (320°F) for about 40-45 minutes until the top is lightly golden and set. Turn off the oven and leave the cake inside with the door cracked for 10 minutes to prevent shrinking. Chill before serving.
