Our take on the classic Korean treat. Bento box cakes are small, round cakes presented in a ‘lunch box’ for convenience (bento). They are usually minimalist and feature delicate piping and decorations. We added miso caramel and peach jam to our bento box cake, enjoy!
Bento box cake with miso caramel and peach jam
HANDS-ON TIME 1 hour 10 min | TOTAL TIME 1 hour 35 min | MAKES 3 x 10 cm cakes
INGREDIENTS
HOT MILK SPONGE
- 4 eggs
- 400 grams caster sugar
- 2 Tbsp. oil
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1 Tbsp. baking powder
- 1 cup milk
- 80 grams butter
- 1 tsp. vanilla essence
CREAM CHEESE ICING
- 230 grams cream cheese
- 90 grams caster sugar
- 300 ml long life whipping cream
- 1–2 drops orange food colouring
MISO CARAMEL
- 1 Tbsp. miso
- 1 cup store bought caramel
TO SERVE
- ⅔ cup peach jam
METHOD
Hot milk sponge
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line two 23 cm x 33 cm Swiss roll trays with baking paper.
PLACE eggs and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat for 3–4 minutes until pale and aerated. Add the oil and beat to combine.
SIFT in flour and baking powder and mix on low speed until just combined.
IN a small saucepan, add the milk, butter and vanilla until warm. Gradually pour into the mixer on a low setting until the cake batter is smooth.
POUR batter into the prepared trays and bake for 12–15 minutes until golden. Cool sponges in their trays for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack. Allow to cool completely.
Cream cheese icing
BEAT cream cheese in a bowl until smooth. Add the sugar and beat to combine.
IN a separate bowl, whip cream to stiff peaks. Gradually fold the cream into the cream cheese mixture.
REMOVE ¼ of the icing and place into another bowl. Set aside. Add food colouring to the larger amount of icing to create a pastel peach colour. Spoon coloured icing into a piping bag and cut the tip off to create a 1 cm opening.
Miso caramel
SLIGHTLY warm the caramel, then strain miso into the caramel and whisk until combined.
To assemble Use a 10 cm round cookie cutter to cut out 9 rounds of sponge cake.
PLACE a layer of sponge cake on a board, spoon on a layer of icing and spread around the sponge. Add a spoon of caramel and smooth over, then add a spoon of jam in the centre. Repeat with 3 layers of sponge.
SPOON icing all over the cake and use a palette knife to clean the edges. Place in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up and then add another coat, skimming off the remaining icing once it’s set to create a smooth finish.
SPOON the plain white icing in a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe decorative designs onto the cakes.
TRANSFER cakes onto squares of baking paper and place inside biodegradable take-away containers.
Tip from the team: Piece together any offcuts to make more rounds if necessary and use these as the middle layer of the cakes when stacking.
Bento box cake with miso caramel
Ingredients
- HOT MILK SPONGE
- 4 eggs
- 400 grams caster sugar
- 2 Tbsp. oil
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1 Tbsp. baking powder
- 1 cup milk
- 80 grams butter
- 1 tsp. vanilla essence
- CREAM CHEESE ICING
- 230 grams cream cheese
- 90 grams caster sugar
- 300 ml long life whipping cream
- 1–2 drops orange food colouring
- MISO CARAMEL
- 1 Tbsp. miso
- 1 cup store bought caramel
- TO SERVE
- ⅔ cup peach jam
Instructions
Hot milk sponge
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line two 23 cm x 33 cm Swiss roll trays with baking paper.
PLACE eggs and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat for 3–4 minutes until pale and aerated. Add the oil and beat to combine.
SIFT in flour and baking powder and mix on low speed until just combined.
IN a small saucepan, add the milk, butter and vanilla until warm. Gradually pour into the mixer on a low setting until the cake batter is smooth.
POUR batter into the prepared trays and bake for 12–15 minutes until golden. Cool sponges in their trays for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack. Allow to cool completely.
Cream cheese icing
BEAT cream cheese in a bowl until smooth. Add the sugar and beat to combine.
IN a separate bowl, whip cream to stiff peaks. Gradually fold the cream into the cream cheese mixture.
REMOVE ¼ of the icing and place into another bowl. Set aside. Add food colouring to the larger amount of icing to create a pastel peach colour. Spoon coloured icing into a piping bag and cut the tip off to create a 1 cm opening.
Miso caramel
SLIGHTLY warm the caramel, then strain miso into the caramel and whisk until combined.
To assemble
Use a 10 cm round cookie cutter to cut out 9 rounds of sponge cake.
PLACE a layer of sponge cake on a board, spoon on a layer of icing and spread around the sponge. Add a spoon of caramel and smooth over, then add a spoon of jam in the centre. Repeat with 3 layers of sponge.
SPOON icing all over the cake and use a palette knife to clean the edges. Place in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up and then add another coat, skimming off the remaining icing once it’s set to create a smooth finish.
SPOON the plain white icing in a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe decorative designs onto the cakes.
TRANSFER cakes onto squares of baking paper and place inside biodegradable take-away containers.
Did you make this recipe? Tag us on Instagram @foodandhomesa!
ALSO SEE: Fakon BLT-style sandwich
Sjaan is a food stylist and recipe developer for Food & Home. She aims to create mouth-watering images and exciting How To videos on our Instagram, hoping to inspire people to try new recipes and have fun in the kitchen.