Hi! I’m Cassandre, and today on Caramel Loafing, I’m sharing a beloved Tokyo dessert featured in the Japanese TV series “Kodoku no Gurume”—a Castella Pancake (カステラパンケーキ / Skillet Soufflé Pancake).
This pillowy-soft treat became an internet sensation after appearing in Season 8, Episode 4 of the show, Mr. Goro, the show's main character, enjoys it straight from the oven. Although it’s called a pancake, the texture is much closer to a light and fluffy sponge cake. Made in a cast-iron skillet, this pancake rises like a soufflé into a beautiful dome, topped with a pat of butter and a dusting of powdered sugar. Cut a cross into the top and watch the butter melt into the warm cake—pure comfort in every bite of cake.
As mentioned in the show, don’t skip the edges! The golden crust has a crispy, eggy finish, reminiscent of castella cake or egg waffles. Even better, it takes only about 30 minutes from start to finish, using simple ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen. Ready to bake your own cloud-like castella pancake? Let’s get started!
More picture-perfect desserts you’ll love:
The famous treat travelers line up for in Japan: Hokkaido-Style Cheese Tart
A French classic: Citrus Madeleines
A Norwegian favorite: The World’s Best Cake
From Vienna with love: Sacher Torte
And for retro Japanese dessert fans: Showa-Style Firm Custard Pudding
Castella Pancake (Skillet Soufflé Pancake) Recipe
Ingredients
Skillet size: 16 cm (6.3 in) cast iron pan
This recipe also works with a 15 cm (5.9 in) skillet—there may be a bit of batter left over.
Yield: 1–2 servings
- 2 large eggs
- 35 g (1.23 oz) granulated sugar (10 g for yolks, 25 g for whites)
- 15 g (0.53 oz) honey
- 30 g (1.06 oz) milk
- 40 g (1.41 oz) cake flour
- 2 g (0.07 oz) aluminum-free baking powder
- Unsalted butter slices and powdered sugar, for topping
Want to calculate the calories and nutrition facts? Use our Nutrition Calculator.
Instructions
- Lightly oil the inside of a cast iron skillet using a neutral oil (such as canola or grapeseed).
- Separate the egg whites and yolks. Place the whites in the freezer for 5–10 minutes to chill.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the yolks, 10 g (0.35 oz) sugar, honey, and milk. Whisk until smooth.
- Sift in the cake flour and baking powder, then mix until fully incorporated and the batter is smooth.
- Beat the chilled egg whites with a hand mixer on medium-high until foamy. Gradually add the remaining 25 g (0.88 oz) sugar in 3 batches, whipping until soft peaks form.
- Add one-third of the meringue to the yolk batter and fold gently until just combined.
- Pour the batter back into the remaining meringue and fold again with a spatula, being careful not to deflate the mixture.
- Pour the finished batter into the greased skillet. Tap the skillet gently to release any large air bubbles.
- Preheat oven to 356°F (180°C). Bake for 8–9 minutes, remove the skillet, and score a cross on top with a knife. Return to the oven and bake for another 10–12 minutes. Total baking time is approximately 20–22 minutes (adjust based on your oven).
- Top with a slice of butter and dust with powdered sugar. Serve immediately while still warm and fluffy.
Watch the full step-by-step tutorial here: Castella Pancake Video