[Anime Culture Monday] Anime Recipe: Strawberry Cake from Shokugeki no Soma: San no Sara

8:00 AM February 5, 2018

Shokugeki no Souma (Food Wars!) [Anime Title]

This week yet again on a Monday, we will be looking at more delicious anime food. This time we have the classic cooking show, Shokugeki no Souma to entice us. Each week here, we consider the delicious food that we see in anime that we cannot resist wanting to sink our teeth into. This is anime recipes from Honey’s Anime. While Shokugeki no Souma may be off air currently, it is coming back for the latter half of the third season, Totsuki Ressha-hen in April. Before you know it, they will be back at it, so why not look back on the delicious food from it while we wait? Let’s go.

Strawberry Cake from Shokugeki no Souma: San no Sara (Food Wars! The Third Plate)

Now that the fall tournament preliminaries are over, Soma manages to survive. He has to grow and learn in order to continue. The series took Soma to his limits even more so than before and the fans are now waiting on the arrival of the latter half of this season. If there is one thing to be said about the series, it is that there is never a dull moment when it comes to the dishes presented. Each dish is tantalizingly delicious and would send anyone’s mouth into a flight of fancy if we were able to take a bite. Today, we are looking at one of the more common dishes. Anywhere you go in Japan, you are bound to see it regardless of if you are in a bakery, a restaurant, or even a convenience store. Strawberry cake is, oddly, a quintessential Japanese confection and one loved widely by Japan.

Strawberry Cake, or even cake itself, does appear that it would be out of line with the rest of confections that are traditionally Japanese such as mochi, daifuku, kurikinton, and more. However, due to western influence centuries ago, fruit cakes were introduced and it was none other than the humble strawberry that exploded in popularity and for a very specific reason: it is nowhere as sweet as other fruits like bananas, apples, and pears. While the other fruits are enjoyed widely, it is the strawberry that is seen everywhere. There are many reasons that can be raised as to why it is so popular, but we can say with confidence that it is most likely due to how strawberries are not overwhelmingly sweet and carry a subtle flavor in them. That is the main characteristic sought in a Japanese sweet: sweet, but not overwhelmingly. You can see to by the ingredients list below.

What You Will Need:( For the sponge cake)

eggs

sugar (either brown or granulated works)

100g

flour

100g

unsalted butter

40g

For the strawberry topping:

heavy cream

300 cc (1¼ cups)

sugar (use same sugar as above)

2 tbsp

strawberries

20-30

Optional Notes:

If you are an individual who finds plain cakes rather dull, then feel free to add in a couple of tablespoons of cocoa powder to the heavy cream in order to get a chocolate flair. You can also decorate the bottom half white and the upper half black. It is up to you. Another option would be to decorate the cake with chocolate dipped strawberries in lieu of simply plain ones on top. However, the choice is yours!

How to Cook It:

1
We will start with the sponge cake. Melt the butter in either your microwave or in a frying pan on low heat.
2
Mix together the eggs and sugar and mix thoroughly until fully blended.
3
Now, add in your flour stirring constantly until smooth. A spatula is recommended to be able to cut the dough as much as possible.
4
Next, take the butter that you melted and coat a cake pan, ideally a round one, with the butter. Pour any remaining butter into the dough and mix well.
5
Next, pour the batter into your cake pan and bake at 180C (350F) for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. The toothpick test also works here.
6
Next, wash your strawberries and remove the stems. Slice a few and set aside for a middle layer.
7
Mix together the heavy cream and sugar necessary for the frosting.
8
Once your cake has cooled, slice it in half and coat the top and sides with the frosting that you just created. Then, place the sliced strawberries on top.
9
Next, place the other half of the cake on top and frost it and the sides concealing the strawberries in the middle.
10
Decorate the top as you see fit and then place your strawberries upside-down on top of the cake. (The tips should be facing upwards)
11
Dig in!

(Note: Take care not to burn yourself on the cake or oven. Also, do not frost the cake until it has cooled fully or the frosting will just melt. )

Yum!

Final Thought

The trick to enjoying strawberry cake Japanese style is to make sure that you do not add in too much sweetness. Enjoying the simple sweetness is the trick to getting the most out of it! Shokugeki no Souma knows that and that is why we see so much on that show. We really enjoyed this recipe. Have you ever made strawberry cake before? Do you want to now? Be sure to let us know in the comments below and if you are interested in seeing a dish from an anime series broken down. Until next time!
By, Nagareboshi

Editor/Translator

Author: Nagareboshi

American by birth; international by choice. I am trying to bring attention to one of my favorite causes; me. I translate by day and write by night. Aspiring polyglot. My dream would be to be the personal translator for Amuro Namie. Other than that, my hobbies include languages, weightlifting, sleeping, karaoke, GOOD coffee and music. When I’m not doing any of the above, I am most likely laughing hysterically at Willam Belli videos or EV farming. I ain’t gunna Rupologize for it neither. Waifu are Shirai Kuroko & Euaerin.

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