Description
A golden, crispy fish-shaped cake with a soft, cakey interior and a molten sweet center. Perfect for weekends, desserts, or anytime you need a handheld joy boost!
Ingredients
Batter
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1 cup all-purpose flour (or cake flour for lighter texture)
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½ tsp baking powder
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1 tbsp sugar
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1 egg (or flax egg for vegan)
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½ cup milk (any kind)
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¼ cup water
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½ tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Filling (choose one or mix!)
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Sweet red bean paste (classic anko)
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Custard cream
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Nutella, chocolate chips, or sweetened cream cheese
Optional Flavor Tweaks
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Matcha powder (1–2 tsp) for green tea flavor
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Cocoa powder (1 tbsp) for chocolate batter
Instructions
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Make the Batter:
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Whisk together flour, baking powder, and sugar.
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In another bowl, whisk egg, milk, water, and vanilla until uniform.
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Pour wet into dry ingredients and mix gently until smooth (small lumps are fine).
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Let batter rest 10 min.
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Preheat the Pan:
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Heat the taiyaki pan over medium heat.
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Test with a few drops of water—they should sizzle.
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Lightly brush both molds with oil.
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Fill & Cook:
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Pour enough batter into one side of the mold to cover bottom and sides.
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Add a spoonful of filling in the center (keep away from edges).
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Pour more batter on top to seal the filling.
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Close pan, cook 2–3 min, then flip and cook another 2–3 min until golden brown.
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Release & Rest:
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Carefully remove taiyaki using chopsticks or spatula.
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Cool 1–2 minutes to let the filling set slightly.
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Notes
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Filling leaks: Use less filling and keep it centered.
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No taiyaki pan? Use a waffle iron—pour batter, add filling, top with more batter.
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Batter sticking: Make sure pan is hot and lightly greased, including crevices.
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Prep ahead: Batter can be refrigerated up to 24 hours. Stir and add a splash of milk/water if thickened.