Shimagokoro “Setoda Lemon Cake”

This lemon cake originated in Setoda on Ikuchijima Island in the Seto Inland Sea. After extensive trial and error, owner-pastry chef Ryuzo Okumoto, who studied cake-making in Kobe, created it with the hope of cheering people up through Setoda’s locally grown lemons and the power of sweets.

Its aroma comes from homemade lemon jam mixed into the batter. The peel, which contains the aromatic compound limonene, is carefully cut by hand and slowly simmered with sugar alone to preserve its flavor and fragrance. This carefully prepared jam is mixed into a batter made with 100% Japanese wheat flour, with the proportions adjusted according to the season, and then slowly baked in a large oven.

Made possible by Setoda lemons grown without preservatives or wax, this local sweet offers the refreshing, full flavor distinctive to lemons and a moist, fluffy texture that melts in the mouth. Its gentle flavor will have you reaching for another.