Christmas Cake is a round layered cake, usually a sponge cake, filled with fruits, and frosted with whipped cream. The fluffy sweet cake is loved by all generations in Japan, and it has become an annual custom for the...

Christmas Cake is a round layered cake, usually a sponge cake, filled with fruits, and frosted with whipped cream. The fluffy sweet cake is loved by all generations in Japan, and it has become an annual custom for the last several decades. Christmas cakes are seen everywhere in Japan during the season, such as at cake shops, supermarkets, and convenience stores. It plays a significant role in Japanese cuisine today, even though it’s not a traditional Japanese sweet.

The origin of Christmas cake in Japan can be traced back to the post-war era. Specifically, during the 1950s to the early 1960s, Christmas cake became a widespread tradition in Japan as part of Christmas celebrations. During this period, Christmas gradually began to permeate Japan as a commercial event. Influenced by American and European cultures, Christmas came to be perceived as a special day to be spent with family and friends. In this context, cakes, in particular, became an indispensable part of celebrations and special occasions, solidifying Christmas cake as an important component in Japanese culture. The earliest Christmas cakes were offered by pastry shops and hotels. Initially luxurious and expensive, they gradually became more accessible to ordinary households.

In the early days, buttercream was commonly used as a topping for Christmas cakes. Buttercream provided a rich and flavorful taste, giving the initial Christmas cakes a luxurious impression. However, as Christmas cake enjoyment spread to ordinary households, preferences in taste and culinary culture began to change. Due to the heavy feel of buttercream, there was an increasing desire for a lighter and fresher taste. Consequently, whipped cream became preferred as the topping for Christmas cakes, replacing buttercream. Whipped cream, with its light and airy texture, complements fruits and sponge cakes well, making it particularly suitable for Christmas cakes like Strawberry Shortcake. Nowadays, whipped cream is widely used in Christmas cakes, and its light flavor has become an essential element on Christmas tables. The Strawberry Shortcake also emerged as a representative form of Christmas cake, with its red and white color scheme evoking a festive Christmas atmosphere.

Today, many fancy cake shops offer various elaborate Christmas cakes, and some people reserve them months ahead. But others prefer simpler and more “traditional” cakes like ours. Many people even opt to bake their own cakes at home and enjoy decorating Christmas cakes as a family event. We flavored the whipped cream with chocolate since that’s one of the most popular flavors in Japan, and you may want to try it. If you prefer a regular whipped cream version, check out our Strawberry Shortcake recipe. Whipped cream cakes are very soft, so it’s crucial to chill them well so they can be sliced without collapsing. We highly recommend baking the cakes a day ahead. Plan well and give yourself enough time to assemble the cake and chill it in the fridge. Instead of pies and loaf cakes, try Japanese Christmas Cake for this holiday. We promise you will like it!

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Christmas Cake

How to make Japanese Christmas Cake

Course Dessert

Cuisine Japanese

Keyword cake, chocolate, Christmas

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Chilling Time 5 hours hours

Ingredients

Chocolate Chiffon Sponge Cake (7" round cake)

40 ml oil2 egg yolks60 ml water1 tsp vanilla extract80 g cake flour20 g cocoa powder unsweetened100 g sugar divided1 tsp baking powder1/4 tsp salt2 egg whites

Vanilla Syrup

80 ml water65 g sugar1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Whipped Cream

200 g dark chocolate720 ml heavy cream1/4 cup sugar

Decoration

455 g strawberries

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Making Chocolate Chiffon Sponge Cake

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Place parchment paper rounds in 7-inch round cake pan. Sift together cake flour, cocoa, 1/3 cup of sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Whip oil and yolks in a bowl with an electric mixer. Add water and vanilla, and stir. Combine the dry ingredients into the egg yolk mixture. Whip at high speed for 2 minutes. Reserve.

In a different bowl, whip egg whites to a foam. Gradually add the remaining sugar and whip until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold the meringue into the reserved batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a wooden skewer in the middle of the cake. Drop the pan from about 6" (15 cm) high to release steam from the cake. Allow it to cool slightly, then unmold and let it cool completely on a cooling rack.

Making Vanilla Syrup

Put water and sugar in a pot, and let boil for a couple of minutes. Add vanilla extract in the end. Let cool completely.

Making Chocolate Whipped Cream

Chop chocolate with a knife or use chocolate chips. Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl and melt it over simmering water. Let it to cool to room temperature. Add one-third of the heavy cream and whisk well. Once they are homogenized, add the remaining cream and start whipping. Whip until medium stiff peaks form.

Assembling the Cake

Cut half of strawberries into 1/4" rounds. Remove moisture with a paper towel.

Slice the Sponge Cake horizontally into three layers. Place the bottom layer on a cake board on a turning cake table.

Brush the syrup onto the cake thoroughly, spread approximately 1/8 of the whipped cream, and arrange half of the strawberry rounds on the cream. Add another 1/8 of the cream and spread evenly.

Add another layer of cake, press down lightly, brush with syrup, spread more whipped cream (another 1/8), add the remaining strawberries, and spread another 1/8 of the cream.

Place the last layer of the cake, press down lightly, and brush with syrup. Coat the cake with a minimal amount of cream and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Place another 1/8 of the whipped cream in a piping bag with a chosen piping tip and set it aside.

Frost the entire cake with the remaining whipped cream. Decorate the cake with whole strawberries and the reserved cream by piping. Refrigerate the cake for a few hours before slicing.

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