During the heyday about six or seven years ago, the market for Castella Cake or Taiwanese traditional cake (古早味蛋糕) in Singapore is saturated with brands trying to dominate the sales. Fast forward, many had closed shop or switched to selling other food products. It is now much harder to buy this sponge cake with surviving brands maintaining minimum retail shop spaces. Sis bought this fluffy soft Original Castella Cake from Baker Talent (パン達人) for our snack.
Cheesetella, 928 S Western Ave, Ste 123, Los Angeles (Koreatown), 90006
Cheesetella is a cake stall inside Koreatown Plaza’s International Food Court. There’s an oven in the back where they bake their cakes. They have castella cakes (original, cheese, cream, chocolate), Japanese cheesecakes, and Tokyo rolls. The cakes come with the option of side cream. The creamtella is stuffed with cream (drool). They also have a few drinks. Order at the counter.
Castella cakes are a baked chiffon cake made with flour, whipped egg whites, and sugar.
Plain castella ($11.25): I used to have a thing for Chinese sponge cupcakes. The plain castella reminded me of the Chinese sponge cupcake only better. It’s super fluffy, very soft, moist, and light…almost melts in your mouth. The flavor is eggy and lightly sweet. One rectangular cake is 7.5 inches x 4 inches x 3 inches. The cake still tastes amazing the next day.
The cakes are best consumed fresh out of the oven or within 24 hours. They come in boxes with storage directions. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 3 days.
Eating as grief. Eating extra for those that are gone. Eating so you don't have to look at the excess portions in their absence. Eating a souvenir snack as proof that someone was actually there with you. Eating to remember the flavor that someone brought into your life.
At one time many years ago this Castella Cake (鸡蛋糕) frenzy took us by storm. Then many brand names from Malaysia and Taiwan opened branches in Singapore to compete with local bakeries churning out different flavours of such cakes. To get attention, some stalls even gave out free cakes to customers on their official opening day which in turn attracted long queues. As the novelty worn off, the queues disappeared and many such shops shuttered, leaving survivors like Baker Talent (パン達人) still going strong. Sis bought the Pandan Castella Cake or Taiwanese traditional cake (古早味蛋糕) as the shop called it. The texture is so fluffy soft with pandan flavour and an eggy profile to it.