Hojicha Butter Cream Cake (Print Version)

Delicate sponge layered with hojicha buttercream and dark chocolate ganache, ideal for tea lovers and celebrations.

# What You'll Need:

→ Sponge Cake

01 - 1 cup cake flour, sifted
02 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
03 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
04 - 3 tablespoons whole milk, room temperature
05 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
07 - Pinch of salt

→ Hojicha Buttercream

08 - 3 tablespoons hojicha loose leaf tea or 3 tea bags
09 - 1/3 cup whole milk
10 - 7 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
11 - 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
12 - Pinch of salt

→ Dark Chocolate Ganache

13 - 3.5 ounces dark chocolate 60-70% cocoa, chopped
14 - 1/3 cup heavy cream

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of two 7-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, beat the eggs and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on high speed for 5-7 minutes, until thick and pale.
03 - Gently fold in the sifted cake flour and salt in three additions using a spatula.
04 - Combine milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Add a few spoonfuls of batter into this mixture, then fold the combined mixture back into the main batter until just incorporated.
05 - Divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
06 - Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
07 - Heat milk in a small saucepan until just below boiling. Add hojicha and steep for 10 minutes; strain through a fine sieve and allow to cool to room temperature.
08 - Beat butter with powdered sugar and salt until light and fluffy, approximately 3-4 minutes. Gradually beat in the cooled hojicha-infused milk until smooth and creamy.
09 - Heat heavy cream in a small saucepan until steaming but not boiling. Pour over chopped chocolate in a bowl. Let sit for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth and glossy. Cool to room temperature.
10 - Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread half the hojicha buttercream evenly over the top. Place the second cake layer on top. Spread remaining buttercream over the top and sides. Pour the cooled ganache over the cake, allowing it to drip naturally down the sides.
11 - Chill the assembled cake for 30 minutes before slicing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The hojicha buttercream tastes like a secret—sophisticated without being pretentious, and people always ask what that mysterious flavor is.
  • It's the kind of cake that makes you feel like you've achieved something special, but the technique is surprisingly forgiving.
  • The contrast between the delicate sponge, creamy buttercream, and glossy ganache drip creates a moment of pure joy when you slice into it.
02 -
  • Room temperature isn't a suggestion—it's the difference between a silky buttercream and one that looks broken and separated; I learned this the hard way on my first attempt.
  • The hojicha flavor is subtle, so resist the urge to oversweeten the buttercream; the powder sugar amount is calibrated to let the tea shine.
  • If your ganache looks dull instead of glossy, it cooled too much before pouring; gently warm it again until it flows smoothly.
03 -
  • If your buttercream curdles while adding the hojicha milk, it's not ruined—just beat it for another minute or two and it usually comes back together as the temperature evens out.
  • The ganache should be just barely warm when you pour it; if it's hot, it'll crack as it cools, and if it's cold, it won't flow smoothly or set with that signature shine.
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