Kasutera

This is possibly the most popular cake in Japan. Kasutera - also known as ‘Castella’ - was introduced to Japan in the 16th century by the Portuguese, who valued it for its long-lasting ability to keep them going during long sea voyages. It is an ultra-light cake with hardly any crumb and is traditionally served with a cup of Japanese green tea. This cake has a fairly complicated baking process but, as you’ll see, it is well worth the effort.