Fluffy Dorayaki

The kitchen window was cold against my shoulder while I stood waiting for the skillet to heat up properly for these pancakes. Making dorayaki at home turned out to be much simpler than I thought once I stopped rushing the batter.

Prep: 20 minutes · Cook: 25 minutes · Total: about 45 minutes · Serves: 4

How do you get dorayaki pancakes to brown evenly without burning? Cooking dorayaki requires a flat skillet kept over low heat with almost no oil so the surface browns evenly without dark blotches.

Turning them only when the bubbles on top pop and the edges look dry guarantees that classic smooth mahogany finish on every single cake.

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What You’ll Need

• Cake flour 80 g
• Sugar 50 g
• Honey 15 g
• Baking powder 1/2 tsp
• Water 10 ml (adjusted at the end)
• Red bean paste anko 100 g
• Sugar 75 g (for the filling)

Ingredient Notes

Cake flour gives these small pancakes a tender crumb that standard all-purpose flour cannot quite match, keeping the texture light enough to fold around the sweet filling. Honey adds both moisture and a deep golden color to the outside during cooking.

The red bean paste needs to be sweet enough to balance the plain batter.

Making Dorayaki, Step by Step

1. Whisk the dry ingredients. Combine the cake flour and baking powder in a medium glass mixing bowl until mixed well, making sure there are no lumps remaining in the dry mixture.
2. Mix the wet ingredients. Stir the sugar, honey, and water into the flour mixture until a thick batter forms, then let it rest on the counter until the surface looks smooth and glossy.
3. Adjust the batter. Add the extra water a few drops at a time at the very end if the batter feels too stiff to pour easily from a spoon.
4. Heat the skillet. Warm a flat skillet over low heat without adding any oil, wiping the surface clean with a paper towel so the cakes do not pick up grease spots.
5. Cook the first side. Pour small circles of batter onto the warm skillet and cook over low heat until the top surface starts bubbling and the edges look set.
6. Flip the pancakes. Turn each cake over carefully with a spatula and cook the second side until it turns golden brown, about one minute.
7. Assemble the treats. Spread a spoonful of red bean paste onto the flat side of one pancake, then press a second pancake gently on top to seal the edges.

Make-Ahead and Leftovers

Store leftover dorayaki in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. Wrap each one individually in plastic wrap to keep the soft outer cakes from drying out on the counter.

Reheat them gently in a warm pan for a few seconds before serving if you prefer them soft.

More From My Kitchen

• Bubbling Blackberry Cobbler
• Bubbling Blueberry Cobbler
• Chewy Snickerdoodles
• Classic Apple Crisp
• Classic Apple Pie
• Classic Blueberry Cheesecake (Baked)
• Classic Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Classic Chocolate Cake
• Classic French Apple Cake
• Classic Lemon Bars

Fluffy Dorayaki

Recipe by Daisy MerrittCourse: DessertCuisine: American

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Ingredients

• Cake flour 80 g

• Sugar 50 g

• Honey 15 g

• Baking powder 1/2 tsp

• Water 10 ml (adjusted at the end)

• Red bean paste anko 100 g

• Sugar 75 g (for the filling)

Directions

• Whisk the dry ingredients. Combine the cake flour and baking powder in a medium glass mixing bowl until mixed well, making sure there are no lumps remaining in the dry mixture.
• Mix the wet ingredients. Stir the sugar, honey, and water into the flour mixture until a thick batter forms, then let it rest on the counter until the surface looks smooth and glossy.
• Adjust the batter. Add the extra water a few drops at a time at the very end if the batter feels too stiff to pour easily from a spoon.
• Heat the skillet. Warm a flat skillet over low heat without adding any oil, wiping the surface clean with a paper towel so the cakes do not pick up grease spots.
• Cook the first side. Pour small circles of batter onto the warm skillet and cook over low heat until the top surface starts bubbling and the edges look set.
• Flip the pancakes. Turn each cake over carefully with a spatula and cook the second side until it turns golden brown, about one minute.
• Assemble the treats. Spread a spoonful of red bean paste onto the flat side of one pancake, then press a second pancake gently on top to seal the edges.