Hojicha Butter Cream Cake (Printable)

Delicate sponge layers with aromatic hojicha buttercream and dark chocolate ganache

# What You’ll Use:

→ 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 - 1/2 cup whole milk
10 - 1 cup 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:

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 back into the main batter until just combined.
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, then strain 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 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.
11 - Place the second cake layer on top. Spread remaining buttercream over the top and sides with an offset spatula.
12 - Pour the cooled ganache over the cake, letting it drip down the sides naturally. Chill for 30 minutes before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The hojicha brings a subtle roasted depth that tastes like sophistication without any bitterness.
  • It's the kind of cake that makes people pause mid-conversation and ask what that mysterious flavor is.
  • You get to impress without spending hours in the kitchen or mastering techniques you don't already know.
02 -
  • Don't rush the cooling step—I learned this the hard way when warm cake collapsed under buttercream and I had to start over.
  • The ganache temperature matters; too hot and it'll melt the frosting, too cool and it won't flow like you want it to.
03 -
  • If you want stronger hojicha flavor, steep the tea for 12 minutes instead of 10, or use an extra tablespoon of loose leaf.
  • Room temperature ingredients aren't just a suggestion—they're the reason this cake rises properly and stays tender instead of becoming dense and heavy.
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