Vanilla Bean Cotton Cake

This vanilla cotton cake is a soft and moist sponge cake, made using the cooked dough method. Along with water-bath baking, you will find the texture of this cake being a lighter version of Japanese cotton cheesecake. A great treat for anytime in the day!

Recipe originally posted in Oct 2017. Updated in Jun 2022 with updated recipe card and pictures. 

How To Make A Soft Cotton Sponge Cake?

Cotton sponge cake recipes were very popular few years back! They are actually sponge cakes with a bouncy, soft and moist texture. I find the texture of this cake very similar to Japanese cotton cheesecake, but a lighter version, since there is no cream cheese used here.

The method to make this cake is similar to the chiffon cake method. The differences are that we will be using a cooked dough method, along with water-bath baking.

The Cooked Dough Method

In the first step, we will be scalding the oil before adding into the flour, to make into a roux-like mixture. Simply heat the oil until you see some “marks” at the bottom of the pot. Or, if you are unsure, hover your hand over the pot and it should feel very warm. Take note to not burn yourself with the hot oil while doing this.

Once the oil is ready, turn off heat and pour slowly but steadily into the flour, while stirring constantly. We will let this mixture cool before adding in the eggs and milk to avoid cooking the eggs with the hot temperature.

>> MORE YUMMY CAKE RECIPES:

• Gula Melaka Sponge Cake
• Blueberry Tea Cake
• Mont Blanc Chiffon Cake

What Ingredients Do I Need To Make This Vanilla Cotton Cake?

• Oil: You can use any type of neutral tasting cooking oil. I am using rice bran oil.
• Cake or Top Flour
• Eggs: I am using 55g egg, medium sized.
• Whole Milk
• Caster Sugar
• Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract: Vanilla bean paste will give you a fuller vanilla taste. However, if you do not have vanilla bean paste, you can also use extract.

How To Minimise Cracked Top

Originally, this recipe uses 6 separated eggs + 2 whole eggs. I have halved the recipe quantity to make a shorter cake which can help prevent a cracked top. Make sure that your cake pan has some height allowance for the cake to rise. I find cakes cracking more often when the cake pan is too short. I am using this 8″ square cake pan from Wiltshire (20cm x 20cm x 5cm).

Also, do not over-whip the egg whites. Ideally the egg whites should be at firm peaks before folding into the egg yolk batter. If you whip the egg whites to stiff peaks, it may increase the tendency for the cake to crack on top.

We will be baking this cake on the 2nd lower rack in the oven. The water-bath baking also helps stabilise the oven temperature and ensure even rising of the cake batter. So don’t skip the water-bath! I am using this 11-inch pan for the water-bath.

How Does This Vanilla Cotton Cake Taste Like?

This easy vanilla cake tastes quite different from the usual chiffon cake with its denser and bouncy texture. Also, I like that this cake is not sweet at all! Makes a perfect item for breakfast or tea break.

If you prefer a sweet dessert, pair this cake with latte or milk tea for a sweeter finish.

Vanilla Bean Cotton Cake

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• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 8 Inch Cake 1x

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Description

This vanilla cotton cake is a soft and moist sponge cake, made using the cooked dough method. Along with water-bath baking, you will find the texture of this cake being a lighter version of Japanese cotton cheesecake. A great treat for anytime in the day!

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Ingredients

Units MUS Scale 1x2x3x

• 40 g cooking oil
• 50 g cake or top flour
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 whole egg
• 50 g whole milk
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 3 egg whites
• 45 g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract

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Instructions

1. Sift flour into a mixing bowl. Set aside. Position oven rack on the 2nd lower rack. Preheat oven to 150C. Line 8″ square cake pan.
2. Heat oil till you see oil marks at the bottom of the pot. Off heat, pour oil immediately into the sifted flour, in a slow but steady stream. Stir constantly till well combined. Set aside to cool.
3. When the cooked dough has cooled down, whisk in egg yolks, whole egg and vanilla extract. Add milk and whisk till well combined. It will be quite a liquid batter.
4. In another mixing bowl, whisk egg whites till foamy with a handheld or standing mixer. Add sugar gradually in 3 batches. Whisk till firm peaks form (before stiff peaks – do not over-whip it).
5. Take 1/3 of the meringue, add into the egg yolk batter. Using your whisk, incorporate the batter and meringue by using a “cutting” folding motion.
6. Take another 1/3 of the meringue, fold in well using a spatula. Repeat for remaining meringue. Ensure the batter is incorporated well.
7. Pour batter into lined cake pan. Use a skewer and run through the batter gently to get rid of air bubbles.
8. Place the cake pan into a larger pan. Pour hot water in the larger pan to about 1cm height. Bake in preheated oven at 150C for 45 mins (2nd lower rack). Cake is ready when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
9. Remove cake pan carefully from oven. Place on cooling rack and remove cake from pan. Peel away the parchment paper from the sides of the cake. Cool completely before peeling away bottom part of the parchment paper.

Notes

Recipe adapted with thanks from Xing Fu Zhi Wei.

I am using a square 8″ pan (20cm x 20cm x 5cm). When lining the cake pan, ensure the parchment paper is higher than the height of the pan so you can remove easily after baking.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Category: Cakes, Dessert
• Method: Bake

Keywords: Vanilla Cotton Cake

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