Kurisumasu Keeki is a typical Japanese Christmas cake, made with a light sponge cake and topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. This dessert is a Japanese adaptation of Christmas traditions imported from the West, particularly after World War II, a period during which Christmas became popular in Japan. Kurisumasu Keeki has become a festive culinary tradition, often eaten on Christmas Eve. It is light, not too sweet, relatively simple to make, and gluten-free in this adapted recipe. Kurisumasu Keeki is sold in almost every Japanese bakery and is often pre-ordered well in advance. So, are you ready to try the recipe?
Ingredients
Preparation
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Preparing the sponge cake:
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Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Whisk the egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla. Gently fold in the sifted rice flour, cornstarch, and baking powder.
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Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in one-third of the egg whites into the batter with a wooden spatula. Then fold in the remaining egg whites.
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Pour the batter into a 20cm round cake tin, tap the tin on a work surface to remove any air bubbles and prevent the top of the sponge from doming, and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let it cool before turning out and slicing the sponge in half lengthwise.
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Be sure to place the utensils used to prepare the whipped cream (whisk, bowl, etc.) in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. To prepare the cream: Whip the cream and mascarpone with the icing sugar until stiff and light.
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Assembling the Kurisumasu Keeki: Place one half of the sponge cake on a serving plate. Spread a generous layer of whipped cream and arrange sliced strawberries on top. Place the second half of the sponge cake on top and cover the cake with whipped cream (optional). Decorate with the remaining strawberries.
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Finishing: Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
