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.
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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
Just wanted to say thank you so much for putting some much effort into explaining how to bake this cake. I baked it last Sunday for my husband’s birthday and it was delicious. I think this is the best cake I’ve ever baked (although I don’t really bake much). I had some leftovers and brought it to the office and it was gone! Everyone loved it! Thank you!
Hi Rachel! WOW!!! I’m so glad to hear that your cake came out well! Thank you for your kind feedback! 🙂
Hi Nami San! I am a hapa that grew up in Japan and my daughter and I love Japanese cakes (and food in general). We now live in Hawaii and I wanted to make this cake for my daughter’a birthday tomorrow. I don’t know exactly where I went wrong but my sponge turned out very dense 😕 I didn’t have a thermometer to check the temperature of the eggs but I am not sure if it was not hot enough or I didn’t whisk long enough. Also, I noticed the batter got thick but not really ribbon like. Also it was very bubbly when I poured it into the pan to bake. Do you think I should have whisked it for longer or maybe the temperature of the eggs was off? I am going to keep trying to master this recipe because it’s our favorite cake! 😁
Hi Tiffany! Happy Birthday to your daughter! I’m sorry for my late response. Hmmm… to be honest, it’s hard to tell without looking at it. You don’t need a thermometer (but it is nice to have!), as long as the temp is 104F. The batter should be ribbon-like. Next time, I would like to see the pictures and maybe I can help a little more. 🙂 I hope next one will come out nicely!
I made this for Christmas although I was fully intimidated! I made the sponge cake on the 24th and my 14 year old assembled it the 25th adding her own creativity to it. We ate it after having an all Japanese Christmas dinner. We were all amazed at how light, fluffy, and just the right sweetness the cake was. It turned out perfect. Arigato Nami for the wonderful recipe.
Hi Gina! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this cake with your family! Thank you very much for your kind feedback! xo
I want to post the pictures to Facebook but I don’t know how to tag you in the post. I’ll see if I can look it up and learn. Always grateful for your insanely oishii recipes.
Thank you Gina! You can share it on Just One Cookbook Facebook page, or post it on IG with #justonecookbook. 🙂 I’ll check the hashtag once in a while.
Hi!
I made your Japanese pancake to rave reviews from my 9 year old. I want to make this cake for his birthday on Saturday, however I have a crowd of 20 people to feed! How do I make this into a sheetpan cakes?
Hi Kanakapriya! I apologize for my late response due to my traveling and Japanese New Year celebration. I haven’t made this recipe into a sheet pan cake size before so I’m not sure if double or triple would be an appropriate size… However, it is possible to make it into a big size as you suggested. Hope it worked out well (and Happy Belated Birthday to your son/daugther!).
Hi Namiko,
I really enjoy baking from JOC and appreciate you using a scale for ingredients, especially for the Strawberry shortcake . So please put the milk and eggs in gram form for consistency. Many thanks!
Hi Linda! It’s already mentioned in the recipe ingredient list. Milk is 30 ml so the weight is the same (30 g). And a large American egg is 47-50g, so 4 eggs should be between 188-200 g.
Thank you so much for posting this, can’t wait to try it!
I’ve worked as a baking manager for about 4 years and make sponge cakes a lot, but I’ve always wanted to know if there is a difference between traditional American sponge and Japanese sponge. My fiance is Korean so his family also loves this kind of cake. I make it all the time for them but I am always looking to improve and find an even better recipe, can’t wait to see how this one compares!
Hi Bryce! I hope you enjoy this recipe and let me know how it goes! 🙂
I finally got around to making this cake and it was amazing! Like I said before, I’ve made many sponge cakes but have yet to come across a recipe that I was happy with, until now! The technique for making this cake is quite unique, but it is absolutely worth it. It was soft, moist, and spongy. Perfect, thank you so much for sharing!
Hi Bryce! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! Aww, I’m really happy to hear that. Thank you so much for your kind feedback. 🙂
Thank you so much for the detailed instructions! Everytime I see a recipe that calls for me to “fold” the batter, I get nervous (I’m not a baker). But your abundance of photos boosts my confidence enough to want to give this recipe a try for Christmas! I hope you get around to making the video soon, as more visuals are always helps to a novice baker like me!
Hi Christina! I used to get scared of making meringue (beating egg whites). But after making several mistakes and see what was wrong, I know what to avoid. So making mistakes is actually not a bad thing. If I didn’t over-beat egg whites, I wouldn’t know what it looked like. So… make mistakes in the early stages of baking. 🙂 I still make mistakes too! When folding, you want to make sure you thoroughly mix (don’t be afraid, because sometimes if you don’t mix well, it’s not a good thing). Use your left hand to rotate the bowl counter-clockwise while you use your right hand to scoop up from the bottom of the bowl and fold into the batter in a circurate motion. Try watching a youtube video. The visual guide helps! Good luck! I’ll try to make a video one day… 🙂
I’m going to try to make the cake for Christmas. I have one question. What type of thermometer do you use? Is it a meat or candy type?
Arigato!
Hi Gina! I use this instant-read thermometer. It can be used both and I use it for many recipes. I love that it reads very fast. I have two and use them all the time for a long time! 🙂
Domo arigato for the information and link regarding the instant-read thermometers!
Hi Gina! Anytime! Good luck with the recipe! 🙂
Fantastic recipe!! Made it for a birthday celebration and now this is my go-to recipe for strawberry shortcakes. The detailed steps really helped as a checklist for me. Only thing I would change is to half the amount of sugar used in the simple syrup that is spread over the sponge. Thanks Nami!
Hi Liam! Thank you so much for your kind feedback, and I’m so glad your cake came out well. Thanks for trying this recipe! 🙂
hello i’m concerned about the the ingredient listing “4 large eggs (1 egg no shell = 47-50 g)”. I added the 3 eggs with the shell and they began to get crushed and they added a sharp crunchy texture to my cake. I’m scared this maybe be a choking hazard for my 3 year old diabetic. Is there no risk with the egg shell?
Hi Karen! Did you mean you included the eggs WITH SHELL? I did not write or show in any step by step pictures to include egg shell… 47-50g is the weight for one egg (excluding shell’s weight – meaning that I weigh after cracking the egg since the shell weight varies). I do not recommend feeding your 3-year-old this cake. I’m sorry if my recipe was not clear to you.
Hello Nami,
Once in a while I’d like to make the easy sushi rice and wondered if you preferrer the mizukan sushi vinegar or Tamanoi? Is one tastier or healthier?
Thank you again
Hi Florence! I do use the sushi vinegar (marukan or mizukan) for quick sushi rice making, too. 🙂 It’s nice to be able to make sushi vinegar on our own. Even though it doesn’t take too long to make sushi vinegar, it’s just nice to make sushi rice instantly. Tamanoi Sushinoko Rice has more unwanted things in ingredients I think… but if you don’t eat it too often, I think that’s okay. No judging. 🙂
I wanted to make my husband a birthday cake and I was missing the デパ地下ケーキ we used to buy when we were living in Japan so your recipe solved both my issues perfectly! Your detailed explanations and notes helped even a complete amateur baker like me make a perfect strawberry shortcake. Thank you so much for your hard work!
Hi Karyn! Wow, thank you so much for your kind feedback. I’m so happy that you gave my recipe a try and the cake came out well! Happy Birthday to your husband and thank you again for trying this recipe!
You mentioned under note, “Liquor of your choice” that “You can skip the alcohol, but do not skip the syrup.” I am not exactly sure what that means. Could you please explain this to me in detail. I definitely want to skip the alcohol because I want to make this for my baby daughter’s birthday. However, I am not understanding what type of syrup I need to use and how much. Thank you so much for your help.
Hi Lydia! I fixed that sentence to avoid the confusion. What I meant is basically you can skip alcohol in the syrup. I didn’t want the syrup to be omitted just to skip alcohol, which is why I wrote “do not skip the syrup”. You can skip liquor in the recipe. 🙂 Happy Birthday to your baby daughter!
I’m very excited to try this recipe, thank you for putting it together! Does it really take 2 hours to prep?
Hi Riley! More or less… if you’re a baker, you probably won’t take as much time as I did? 😀
Thank you for the detailed instruction! I baked the cake but it was a little dry and not as spongy. I live in Reno NV elevation 5000. Do you have any adjustment for high elevation baking or any suggestions?
Hi Keiko! Thank you for trying this recipe and I’m sorry it didn’t come out well. I’m not familiar with high elevation baking at all, and all I know is that you will need some adjustment in the recipes… 🙁 So sorry I wish I can give you proper advice or suggestion.