Castella

For other uses, see Castella (disambiguation).
Castella
TypeSponge cake
Place of originJapan
Region or stateJapan, Taiwan
Main ingredientsFlour, sugar, eggs, mizuame

Castella (カステラ, kasutera) is a type of Japanese sponge cake, based on cakes introduced to Japan by Portuguese merchants in the 16th century. It was then popularized in the city of Nagasaki, where it is considered a specialty.[1] Despite its foreign origins, it is considered a kind of wagashi, or traditional Japanese confectionery.[2][3][4]

To suit the tastes of Japanese people, mizuame syrup was added to the sponge cake to make it more moist, and zarame (coarse sugar) was added to the bottom to give it a coarser texture.[5] Castella is usually baked in square or rectangular molds, then cut and sold in long boxes, with the cake inside being approximately 27 cm (11 in) long.

  1. ^ Naomichi, Ishige (2014). The History and Culture of Japanese Food. Routledge. p. 94. ISBN 978-0710306579.
  2. ^ その2和菓子の種類 (in Japanese). Japan Wagashi Association. Archived from the original on 16 February 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  3. ^ 駆け足でたどる和菓子の歴史 (in Japanese). National Diet Library. Archived from the original on 22 February 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  4. ^ その1和菓子の歴史 (in Japanese). Japan Wagashi Association. Archived from the original on 22 February 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  5. ^ 日本遺産 (Japan heritage) (PDF) (in Japanese). Nagasaki Prefecture. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 February 2024. Retrieved 23 February 2024.