Moist, airy, and light, Japanese Strawberry Shortcake is among the most popular cakes in Japan. This elegant and classic dessert is perfect for any celebration. Here, I share how to keep the sponge cake moist and decorate it with berries and fresh whipped cream.
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.
Japanese Strawberry Shortcake
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp butter (for greasing the pan; or use shortening or cooking spray)
For the Sponge Cake
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 Tbsp whole milk (use whole milk for the best results)
- 4 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell)
- ½ cup sugar (½ cup + 2 Tbsp, to be precise)
- 1 cup cake flour (weigh your flour or use the “fluff and sprinkle“ method and level it off; see Notes for how to make your own cake flour)
For the Syrup
- 2 Tbsp water
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp liquor of your choice (optional; I like orange liqueurs like Grand Marnier or Cointreau)
For the Fresh Whipped Cream
- 2 cups heavy (whipping) cream (36% fat; must be at least 30–35% fat)
- 3 Tbsp sugar
For the Decoration
- 1 lb strawberries (for filling and decoration; look for similar-sized strawberries to decorate the cake; buy an extra pack to increase your chances of finding berries of the same size)
- 10 blueberries
- 2 sprigs mint leaves
Instructions
Before You Start…
- Gather all the ingredients. I highly encourage you to weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale for this recipe. Click on the “Metric“ button at the top of the recipe to convert the ingredient measurements to metric. If you‘re using a cup measurement, please follow the “fluff and sprinkle“ method: Fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle the flour into your measuring cup, and level it off. Otherwise, you may scoop more flour than you need.
- Make sure the eggs and butter are at room temperature. Sift the cake flour at least twice.
To Prepare the Pan, Oven, and Double Boiler
- Place an 8-inch (20-cm) cake pan on top of parchment paper, trace around the pan, and cut out 1 circle. Grease one side of the parchment paper and both the bottom and sides of 1 cake pan with 1 Tbsp butter. Then fit the parchment paper in the cake pan, greased side up. I avoid parchment paper on the sides because sometimes it pulls the batter and affects the final result of the cake.
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF (180ºC). For a convection oven, reduce cooking temperature by 25ºF (15ºC). It’s always better to preheat longer, preferably 15–20 minutes extra. Tip: You preheat the oven so that all the surfaces inside your oven (walls, floor, door, and racks) are the desired cooking temperature. This makes for an even temperature throughout the oven and you won’t lose as much heat when you open the door for a few seconds. Depending on your oven, preheating might take 10 to 20 minutes.
- Prepare a double boiler. If you have never done this before, please see the Notes section below. Turn on the stove’s heat to high and bring the water in the saucepan (Pot A) to a rapid boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer. Put 3 Tbsp unsalted butter in the small bowl (Bowl #1) and set over the saucepan. Let the butter melt gently.
- Once the butter is melted, remove the bowl from the saucepan. Then add 2 Tbsp whole milk and whisk to combine. Set aside to keep it around 104ºF (40ºC). Tip: I highly recommend using whole milk instead of reduced-fat milk. I’ve tried using both and concluded that whole-fat milk makes a difference in the final result.
To Make the Sponge Cake (can make a day ahead)
- In a stand mixer bowl (Bowl #2), add 4 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) and break the egg yolks and whites with your whisk.
- Add ½ cup sugar (½ cup + 2 Tbsp, to be precise) and whisk to combine.
- In a large pot (Pot B), bring about 2 inches of water to 140ºF (60ºC) and maintain the temperature. Then, set the stand mixer bowl (Bowl #2) directly over the pot and whisk constantly so the eggs don’t scramble. This is called a bain-marie or water bath, where you set the bowl of food directly over a larger container of simmering water to temper the heat for gentle, even cooking. You can also use the double boiler method, where you set the egg mixture bowl (Bowl #2) over Pot B. The bowl doesn’t touch the simmering water of the pot.
- Whisk until the temperature of the egg mixture reaches 104ºF (40ºC). Remove Bowl #2 from Pot B and set it up on the stand mixer with the whisk attachment.
- Whisk on high speed (Speed 10) until the mixture is fluffy, for about 2 minutes. The batter should be loose yet thick and glossy.
- When the batter is pale, fluffy, and tripled in volume, reduce the speed to low (Speed 4) for several seconds. Stop the mixer and lift some of the batter with the whisk to check the consistency. If the batter falls off your whisk in a solid line or ribbon on top of the mixture, you’ve reached the “ribbon stage” (see Notes). Remove the bowl from the stand mixer.
- Add half of the 1 cup cake flour to the bowl. Using the whisk, fold gently but thoroughly. Do this by rotating your bowl slowly while simultaneously moving your whisk in a down-and-over motion.
- Add the rest of the flour and fold gently to make sure all the flour is incorporated quickly so your mixture doesn’t deflate.
- With your spatula, take out one scoop of the batter from the bowl and add it to the butter and milk mixture. Tip: If we add the butter and milk mixture into the entire cake batter, the fat in the butter will deflate the batter.
- Incorporate the butter and milk mixture into a small amount of the batter first before adding it to the entire cake batter.
- Add the mixture back into the cake batter by pouring it over a silicone spatula. This prevents the mixture from deflating the batter and helps disperse the mixture. Gently fold until incorporated. When you lift the spatula, the batter should fall like a ribbon.
- Pour the batter into the center of the cake pan, from right above the cake pan. You want to avoid introducing extra air into the batter at this point. Collect the leftover batter in the bowl and pour it around the edges of the cake pan, not the center.
- Firmly tap the cake pan on the counter to release air bubbles in the batter.
To Bake
- In the preheated oven, bake at 350ºF (180ºC) for 20–25 minutes. Check if the sponge cake is done by inserting a skewer in the middle; if it comes out clean, the cake is ready. While the cake is baking, start preparations for the cake assembly (see below).
- As soon as you take out the cake pan from the oven, drop it on the counter to “shock” the cake so it stops shrinking. Separate the cake from the pan by running a sharp knife or offset spatula around the sides.
- Take the cake out of the pan by placing the wire rack on top and flipping the cake over onto the rack.
- Immediately remove the parchment paper.
- Place another wire rack on top and flip it back over. The top of the cake is now facing up.
- Cover the cake with a damp towel until cooled to keep moisture in the cake. Make sure the towel is thin (not heavy) and wring the water out well so that the towel is damp, not wet. I use IKEA’s thin dish towel. If you keep the sponge cake for later use, wrap it with plastic wrap after it‘s completely cooled and keep it in the fridge (see Notes). Tip: You can make the sponge cake the day before. It actually tastes better and it's easier to slice the cake in half.
To Prepare the Strawberries and Syrup (While the Cake is Baking)
- While the cake is baking, divide 1 lb strawberries into 2 groups, one for the decoration and the other for the filling. Keep the beautiful, same-sized strawberries for the decoration. Remove the husk and clean the strawberries with a damp paper towel (do not wash, as we don’t want the strawberries to be moist and become moldy). Slice off the core for all the strawberries.
- For the strawberries that we will use for the decoration, cut them in half lengthwise. For the strawberries that we will use for filling, slice them lengthwise into ¼-inch (5 mm) slices.
- To make the syrup, combine 2 Tbsp water, 3 Tbsp sugar, and 1 Tbsp liquor of your choice (optional) in a small bowl (Bowl #3). Microwave for 1 minute to dissolve the sugar.
To Make the Fresh Whipped Cream (While the Cake is Cooling)
- While the cake is cooling, prepare an ice bath by placing ice cubes and water in a large bowl (Bowl #4). Place a clean and dry mixing bowl (Bowl #2) in the ice bath and add 2 cups heavy (whipping) cream and 3 Tbsp sugar to keep it cold. Tip: For the perfect sweetness, the sugar should be 8% of the heavy cream weight.
- Transfer the mixing bowl to the stand mixer and whisk on high speed. The cream will become thicker and smooth. When you lift the whisk out of the cream while it’s still liquid, and the cream holds its shape as it drops, it’s ready. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and put it back in the ice bath.
To Assemble the Cake
- With a serrated knife, slice the cooled cake horizontally into half to make 2 layers (top and bottom).
- Place the bottom of the cake on the cake circle. Brush the syrup on the top and sides of the bottom layer. This will help the sponge cake stay moist.
- Using a hand whisk, whisk only the cream at one spot by the edge of the bowl instead of whisking the entire bowl of cream. We will make the whipped cream as we need it. With this approach, we can also control the stiffness of the whipped cream.
- When the cream at the edge of the bowl reaches medium peaks, transfer it to the top of the bottom cake layer. Medium peaks mean when you lift the whisk, the cream will hold its shape, but the tip of the peaks will fold back on itself.
- Spread the whipped cream evenly. If you don’t have enough whipped cream, whip more and add it onto the cake.
- Place the sliced strawberries on top of the whipped cream as you see in the pictures. Keep the center area open by not covering it with strawberries. This will make it easier to cut the cake into slices.
- Whip the cream again at the edge of the bowl.
- Transfer the whipped cream to the top of the strawberry layer. Spread just enough cream to cover the strawberries; do not add too much.
- Place the top layer of the sponge cake over the bottom layer. Brush the syrup on the top and sides of the sponge cake.
- Whip more cream and place it on top of the cake.
- Place the tip of the offset spatula in the center of the cake at a 30-degree angle and turn the cake turntable toward you to create a smooth top. Lightly coat the sides of the cake with a thin layer of whipped cream.
- Now add more cream to the sides, little by little. Place the offset spatula at a 90-degree angle and push the turntable away from you.
- Remove the excess cream from the cake and put it back into the bowl.
To Decorate the Cake
- For a basic decoration, I use a Wilton 2A decorating tip. Put the tip in the piping bag and cut off the tip so the metal will show from the bag. Fold the top half of the bag outward as you see in the picture (over your hands).
- Whip the cream to stiff peaks. When you lift the whisk, the peaks will hold firm. Put the cream into the piping bag. Once you fill the bag halfway, lift up the top half of the bag and push the cream down toward the tip.
- Squeeze the piping bag to test to make sure the cream comes out smoothly. When you’re ready, hold the piping bag at a 90-degree angle and squeeze about a 1-inch-wide ring of whipped cream around the top edge of the cake. This will be the base for the strawberries.
- Decorate and place the strawberries cut-side down on top of the whipped cream. Then squeeze small dollops of whipped cream between and around all the strawberries. Place 10 blueberries between the whipped cream dollops. Place 2 sprigs mint leaves as desired to add color.
To Store
- I recommend putting the cake on a cake stand with a dome or in a cake box to keep the cake shape while preventing it from drying. Keep the cake in the refrigerator and enjoy it within 2 days.
Notes
- For 1 cup cake flour, measure 1 cup all-purpose flour, then take away 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour and add 2 Tbsp cornstarch. Be sure to sift the flour to distribute the cornstarch well before using it in your cake batter.
- small heat-resistant bowl (Bowl #1)
- small saucepan that fits Bowl #1 for the double boiler (Pot A)
- stand mixer bowl or large mixing bowl (Bowl #2)
- large pot that fits Bowl #2 for the bain-marie (Pot B)
- small bowl (Bowl #3)
- large bowl that fits Bowl #2 for the ice bath (Bowl #4)
- parchment paper
- cake pan (8 inches/20 cm)
- balloon whisk
- silicone spatula
- 2 wire racks
- offset spatula
- cake decorating tip Wilton 2A and plastic bag
- thermometer
- serrated knife
- cake circle (10″/25 cm)
- cake turntable
- cake stand with dome or cake box
Nutrition
Editor’s Note: The post was originally published on December 14, 2015
Hi Nami, I was wondering if I want to make chocolate genoise cake, how much of each ingredients should I I use? also 8 inch pan.
thanks!!
Hi Chok! Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post!
To make a chocolate version of this cake, you have to subtract the amount of cocoa powder from the cake flour amount. For example, 1 to 2 ratio version (40 g cocoa powder: 80 g cake flour) would be the same total of 120 g (1 cup).
Since Nami did not try the chocolate version yet, we are unsure how much cocoa powder would be enough for a good taste, so please feel free to adjust the amount.
We hope this helps!
Hihi,
I just made the sponge cake, everything was perfect up to the point when i remove it from the oven, I quickly gave the cake a shock but it shrinks right away by more than 1/3. As i score the sides, it seemed under baked even though the stick test came out clean.
I tried to put it back to the oven to bake and by then I think is ruined, it became dense.
I wonder if it is due to the cold towel that I wrapped around to achieve the flat top affecting it? Should I add more baking time? If so, how much more??
Thanks in advance!
Hi Eileen, Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe!
This cake will shrink slightly, but if you whipped the eggs well, it would help hold the shape better.
Please make sure that the egg mixture is “ribbon stage” when you remove it from the stand mixer.
The Cake Strips should not be the problem, but every oven is different, so please adjust the cooking time. If the cake is undercooked, you can put it back and try bake for 3~5 more minutes to see how it turns out. You can try stick test at the center and around the edge of the cake to make sure it had baked evenly.🙂
We hope this is helpful.
Hi Namiko!
Thank you for your recipes! I love the details and tips you include. This is my second time trying this recipe. Both times, the bottom half of the cake came out very dense and rubbery, and the top half is super light and fluffy. I thought it may because I didn’t incorporate the flour well enough, so I made sure to mix it very well the second time- but it still turned out very dense at the bottom. I sifted the flour 4 times, and sifted it into the egg mixture too. I measured the temperature of the egg mixture 40deg(it took very fast on a double boiler, less than 3 minutes). And I measured the ingredients by weight. Do you have any advice?
Hi Tabby, Thank you very much for trying Namiko’s recipe!
Once you add flour, mix gently? Over mixing will develop the flour’s gluten too much and cause a dense and rubbery texture.
Other advice is to check the oven’s internal temperature.
We hope this helps!
This cake is a hit with us! I made this for my daughter’s birthday and it is no doubt the best part of her celebration! The kids helped themselves with a second slice and were even thinking about a third slice! It is light and the ‘Asian sweetness level’ is just perfect for us. I made the cake the day before and finished the assembly the day of. I have a feeling that this will be the cake the kids request from now on.
Hi Elie! We couldn’t be happier to hear how much joy and excitement Nami’s recipe has brought to you and your family!
Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe and for sharing your story with us! Happy Birthday to your daughter!🎂🎉
Hi Nami & Naomi! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! For a first attempt on my part making a strawberry shortcake with fresh whipping – it was absolutely great!!! The sponge cake was just right and the cake is not too sweet (good for diabetics)! Its just perfect – so thank you so much! I will attempt to make this again so I can improve on the decorating/presentation aspect of the cake. I was wondering if you have a red velvet cake recipe? Thank you so much! I love forward to trying your other recipes! 🙂
Hi Michelin star, Thank you very much for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback!
Nami and JOC team are so happy to hear the cake came out perfect and you enjoyed it! 🥰
We currently don’t have a red velvet cake recipe on the site. We’ll make sure to add the recipe to Nami’s list. Thanks for your request! 🎂
Hi Nami-san – I think there’s an error in Step 10 of the Sponge cake directions. Hopefully someone else has said something. I think you want to mix a little of the “batter” into the “butter” mixture first? And then add the “butter” mixture to the batter? Just caught my attention 🙂
Hi Hikari! Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Nami will revisit this recipe and make the necessary changes. Thank you.🙂
Very well done recipe, love all the detail. Cake turned out a little flat but I’m looking forward to working on my technique. Also to save some time I just whipped all the cream in the mixer for the whole cake and it turned out well 🙂
Hi Michaela! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe and sharing your baking experience with us!
We are so happy to hear you enjoy the recipe. Happy Baking!
Hi,I’m new to baking.I would like to try this recipe for my son’s coming birthday.Can i substitute eggs as he has allergic to them.
Thanks!
Hi Naomi! This sponge cake is a genoise cake, made by beating air into the eggs to make it rise rather than using a chemical leavening agent like baking soda or baking powder. If you skip or substitute with other ingredients, it may not have the same texture.😔
Hello Namiko, the texture of my sponge cake came out coarse. Do you know what could have been done to ensure the cake texture is more ‘fine?
Hi Melody! Thank you very much for trying Namiko’s recipe!
To achieve the fine texture, we recommend checking egg temperature. If the temperature goes up more than 104ºF (40ºC), it will be easier to get a fluffy texture, but at the same time, it will create a giant bubble and result in a coarser cake. Another tip is to keep the butter warm. (Step 5)
We hope this is helpful, and hope your next cake will have a much fine texture!
Made this cake yesterday and it turned out perfectly! I did 1.5x the ingredients for the cake because I baked it in a 9 inch pan and I thought it was a good adjustment. I’ve only ever baked a cake 1-2 times before so I needed the detailed instructions and I followed them to the T! How long is step 3 of the cake supposed to take? It felt like half an hour before my egg mixture finally reached 104F
Hi Emily! We are so happy to hear your cake turned out perfectly!👏🏻
Step 3 should not take that long. We recommend starting the process with room temperature eggs and try the “Bain-marie” method. It will be much quicker.
Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe!
Hi! I tried your recipie, and the frosting was amazing! However, my cake tasted and smelled very eggy, and was quite dense and rubbery; Not as fluffy and soft as I hoped. Do you have any suggestions especially on the egg part on how to improve it? Should I remove the egg yolks? Thank you!
Hi Olivia, Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe.
We are sorry to hear that your cake didn’t turn out well this time. We recommend checking the weight of the eggs next time. If the egg is bigger than 50g without the eggshell, it will add more moisture to the cake batter and be denser, and it might add a more eggy taste. We hope this helps!
May I know if you’re using non-dairy or dairy whipped cream? I find that dairy ones are too soft and doesn’t firm up. Please advise. Tq
Hi Eunice, Thank you very much for trying this recipe!
Nami uses dairy heavy (whipping) cream (36% fat; must be at least 30-35% fat) for this recipe. Please make sure to cool the cream before you start to whip them. We hope this helps!
Thank you for sharing this spectacular recipe! If I make the sponge cake a day in advance, do I brush the syrup on the cake the same day or the next day when I assemble everything else? Thank you!
Hi Tiffany, Thank you for trying this recipe!
We recommend brush the syrup on the cake the same day and cover it with a wrap to keep the moisture. We hope this helps!
Hello Nami!
I just made this yesterday and it’s not to sweet. Thank you.
Question: do I brush all the syrup on the cake? I only used half and the cake wasn’t as moist as I would like. I was afraid to brush more syrup initially as I wasn’t sure if that would make the cake soggy.
Hi 1 happy mama, Thank you very much for trying this recipe! We usually use all of them here in California. But it may need to more or less depend on where you live. If your cake was not moist this time, we recommend using more amount than this time. We hope this helps!
I tried this using 9″ pan, I made the recipe x1.5 but my cake sinks in the middle, what could I be doing wrong? 😕
Hi Andi, Thank you very much for trying this recipe. It’s hard to say what exactly went wrong. But It could be an under-beaten egg, or the cake pan did not distribute the heat well, and you would need to adjust the temperature and baking time for your oven.
Did the cake sink after you baked? Make sure to drop the cake on the counter to shock the cake so it stops shrinking. We hope this helps!