Hojicha Butter Cream Cake (Printable Version)

Delicate sponge with hojicha buttercream and dark chocolate ganache.

# What You 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

# How To Make:

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 the mixture becomes thick and pale in color.
03 - Gently fold in the sifted cake flour and salt in three additions, maintaining a light texture.
04 - Combine milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl. Add a few spoonfuls of batter into this mixture, then fold the combined mixture back into the main batter until smooth.
05 - Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
06 - Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
07 - Heat 1/3 cup milk in a small saucepan until just below boiling. Add hojicha and steep for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve and cool to room temperature.
08 - Beat butter with powdered sugar and salt until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Gradually beat in the cooled hojicha-infused milk until the mixture reaches a smooth and creamy consistency.
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. Position the second cake layer on top and spread remaining buttercream over the top and sides.
11 - Pour the cooled ganache over the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides naturally. Chill for 30 minutes before slicing.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • The hojicha gives you that sophisticated, barely-there bitterness that makes people pause mid-bite and ask what they're tasting.
  • It looks like something from a Japanese patisserie, but the technique is forgiving enough that your second attempt will be genuinely impressive.
  • The whole process teaches you real pastry skills—emulsifying buttercream, tempering ganache—without requiring professional equipment.
02 -
  • Hojicha can taste bitter if your milk temperature is too high when steeping—just below boiling is the sweet spot, and you'll taste the difference immediately.
  • If your buttercream looks grainy or separated while you're adding the hojicha milk, slow down and add it in tinier amounts, or briefly warm the butter between additions.
03 -
  • If you want an even stronger hojicha flavor, infuse the milk for 15 minutes instead of 10, or add an extra tablespoon of tea—it's almost impossible to overdo it.
  • Dark chocolate ganache stays pourable longer if you add just a tiny bit of coconut oil or butter to it, which also gives you control over exactly how thick or thin you want it to drip.
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