Sakura Taiyaki – Welcome Spring 🌸

The first day of spring asks for something gentle – something that feels like a small celebration rather than an occasion. A Sakura dessert recipe perhaps? With its delicate floral notes, it captures that fleeting moment perfectly. These softly sweet taiyaki are my way of welcoming the season – warm, light, and just a little bit whimsical.

Hanami, or “flower viewing”, is a traditional Japanese custom of enjoying the transient beauty of cherry blossoms (Sakura). It’s usually celebrated in early April when the Sakura first bloom. It involves picnics under blooming trees and includes eating themed foods, like these Sakura Taiyaki.

A softly sweet taiyaki infused with Sakura and filled with delicate cherry blossom paste – light, floral, and quietly celebratory.

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Sakura Taiyaki (Cherry Blossom Filled Cakes)

Delicate, lightly sweet cakes with a soft Sakura aroma – a gentle way to welcome spring.

Prep Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Cook Time12 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 27 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: Sakura, Spring

Servings: 5

Calories: 140kcal

Equipment

• Taiyaki pan 🌸 I was kindly gifted a cast iron one from my sister – very similar to a madeleine pan which would would perfectly for this recipe also.

Ingredients

For the batter

• 1 cup Cake flour or 1 c all-purpose flour minus 2 T + 2 T cornstarch sifted together
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch of sea salt
• 1 egg optional *see note below
• 2/3 cup milk, or plant milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp Sakura powder
• a dash of red food coloring to achieve a cherry blossom pink color, optional

For the filling

• 2-3 tbsp Sakura paste
• sweet red bean paste, optional
• white chocolate, a small piece tucked inside, optional

Instructions

Make the batter

• In a bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

  In another bowl, whisk egg(if using), milk, vanilla and food color(if using).

  Combine wet and dry ingredients, do not overmix.

  Stir in Sakura powder – the batter should be lightly floral, not overpowering.

  Let rest 1 hour in refrigerator.

Fill & Cook

• Preheat oven to 375℉.

  Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the taiyaki pan (or madeleine pan) with melted butter.

  Spoon a thin layer of batter into the mold.

  Add a small bit of Sakura paste to the center. I cut a small corner of the Sakura paste bag and squeezed out a 3/4 inch line onto the center.

  Cover with more batter.

  Bake for 12-14 minutes. Taiyaki are done when they spring back when touched with your finger.

Serve

• Serve warm or let cool on wire rack. Best eaten right away. Perfect served alongside green tea or matcha.

  Optional:

  – light dusting of powdered sugar

  – a tiny pinch of extra sakura powder

Notes

* egg will give a more cake-like batter while no egg will give more waffle- like result.

If you don’t have Sakura paste or red bean paste, try a cherry or strawberry jam 🌸

A custard filling would be nice too.

Serving size depends on the size of your pan.

A small fleeting sweetness – just like the first blossoms of the season. A special merci to my sister who gifted me the beautiful taiyaki pan among many other Japanese-themed gifts – she gets me 💗

✨À bientôt!