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You are here: Home / Desserts / Brownies & Bars / Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers

February 27, 2022

Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers

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Can be Gluten Free

If you liked my other neri yokan recipes, you’ll love this new CAKE variation that is layered with ladyfingers! Gluten-free and vegan, these delicious neri yokan cakes have a thick and fudgy sweetened red bean paste layer with delicious cake sheets in between.

Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan

What is Neri Yokan?

Slick and shiny, Neri yokan (also called by many names, such as Red Bean Jelly or Red Bean Cake outside Japan) is a jelly-like treat that’s made using sweetened bean paste and agar agar, a plant-based alternative to gelatin that’s frequently used in Asian cuisines. What I love the best about neri yokan is its texture. It’s fun, not so much like jelly or jello, but thick, dense with a firm bite and fudgy mouthfeel.

Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
What You'll Find in this Post:
1. What is Neri Yokan?
2. Ingredients Used to Make This
3. More Recipes Using Bean Paste HERE
4. How to Make Neri Yokan Cake
5. Recipe Variations and Optional Add Ins:
6. Important Tip!
7. How to Store
8. More Yokan Recipes You’ll Love
9. Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers

Ingredients Used to Make This

**I’ve linked some of these ingredients to amazon.com to give you an idea of what they are, but you should also be able to find them in your local grocery store (usually, the natural & organic food section). They are also affiliate links, which means that I earn a commission as an Amazon Associate if you decide to purchase the items. The price will be the same for you, link or no link 🙂

  • Sweetened Red Bean Paste (a.k.a. Koshi An): I eat this stuff by spoonfuls! It’s a versatile ingredient that goes inside my sweet rice mochi recipe as well my tofu mochi recipe, but it’s also used as fillings inside sweet breads, pancakes, cookies and more. You can find Sweetened Red Bean paste in most Asian grocery stores, and online (Amazon). There are Fine and Coarse kinds (I used coarse).
Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan

or,

  • Sweetened White Bean Paste (a.k.a. Shiro An) – the white bean version of the sweetened red bean paste.
Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
  • Agar Agar Powder (also called Agar Powder) – a gelatinous substance that’s derived from seasweeds and commonly used in Asian cuisines. It’s also becoming more popular as a plant-based alternative to gelatin. Agar Agar is sold in the form of flakes, powders, bars or strands, but I used the powder form as I think it gives me the most consistent results. I used the agar powder from NOW Foods (below), which is in Amazon (here) and also stocked in the grocery store near where I live.
Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
Agar Powder (sold in Amazon, here)
  • Sugar
  • Corn Syrup or Honey – Maple syrup and agave syrup works, but they don’t produce the thick, fudgy mouthfeel of neri-yokan as the ones made with corn syrup or honey.
  • Ladyfingers – I used storebought. You can buy gluten-free ladyfingers online, here
Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan

More Recipes Using Bean Paste HERE

Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
Healthy Mung Bean Snowskin Mooncakes Recipe (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
Mugwort Mochi Using a Mochi Maker (쑥 모찌)
Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
How to Make the Japanese Wagashi – Neri Yokan with Chestnuts
Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
No Knead, No Yeast Japanese Tofu Steamed Buns Recipe with Red Bean Paste Filling
Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
Healthy Almond Butter Mochi Made in the Microwave
Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
Easy 3-Ingredient Adzuki Red Bean Ice Cream Recipe
Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
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Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
3-Ingredient Nutella / Chocolate Mooncakes Recipe
Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
Healthy Vegan Oatmeal Steamed Buns with Sweet Red Bean Filling

How to Make Neri Yokan Cake

Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers

STEP 1

Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan

Stir agar powder in water and let sit for at least 5 minutes at room temperature.

STEP 2

Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan

After 5 minutes, heat the water-agar mixture on medium-high heat, until it becomes thick and bubbly.

STEP 3

Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan

Stir in the white sugar and corn syrup and boil for another minute.

STEP 4

How to Make the Japanese Wagashi – Neri Yokan with Chestnuts

Lower the heat to low-medium, then add in the bean paste.

STEP 5

Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan

Heat the mixture over low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring constantly.

STEP 6

Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan

Pour 1/3 of the mixture into a clean pyrex glass or silicone pan. Press a layer of ladyfingers cake on top.

STEP 7

Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan

Pour another 1/3 of the mixture on top of the cake, then place another layer of ladyfingers cake on top, then pour the rest of the yokan mixture on top.

STEP 8

Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan

Set aside and let cool for about 2-3 hours in the fridge until the middle is completely set.

STEP 9

japanese red bean paste cake with yokan

Cut into bite sized blocks. Enjoy!

Recipe Variations and Optional Add Ins:

  • You don’t have to keep this plain. Add some nuts, dried fruits or flavoring/extracts to keep this yokan interesting.
  • You can also pour the yokan mixture into silicone molds.

Important Tip!

  • The cake will tend to float to the top of the liquid yokan mixture as it cools. To solve this problem, you can place a waxed parchment paper on top, then place a heavy spatula or some sort of weight on top to keep the cake layer level with the liquid.
  • Another option is to leave some liquid yokan mixture in the pan, reheat over low heat, then pour on top of the cake once it has set as shown on the second photo.
Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan

How to Store

  • You can store these yokan covered at room temperature for up to 24 hours. For longer storage, you can place them in a plastic ziploc bag or airtight container to store in the fridge for up to 7 days, or freeze up to 4 weeks.

More Yokan Recipes You’ll Love

Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers
Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
How to Make White Bean Jelly (Neri Yokan) from Scratch
Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
Vegan Japanese Matcha Neri Yokan (Bean Jelly)
Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan
How to Make the Japanese Wagashi – Neri Yokan with Chestnuts
save this recipe for later! Pin now at Pinterest
Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokan

Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers

Japanese Neri Yokan Cake with Ladyfingers - neri yokanAll Purpose Veggies
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine Japanese
Servings 12 servings
Calories 145 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 cup water
  • 4 tsp agar powder
  • 2 T white sugar
  • 1/4 cup corn syrup
  • 500 g fine red bean paste ( 1 package of this brand)
  • 2 sheets ladyfingers cake

Instructions
 

  • Stir agar powder in water and let sit for at least 5 minutes at room temperature.
  • Heat the water-agar mixture on medium-high heat, until it becomes thick and bubbly.
  • Stir in the white sugar and corn syrup and boil for another minute.
  • Lower the heat to low-medium, then add in the bean paste.
  • Heat the mixture over low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring constantly.
  • Pour 1/3 of the mixture into a clean pyrex glass or silicone pan. Press a layer of ladyfingers cake on top.
  • Pour another 1/3 of the mixture on top of the cake, then place another layer of ladyfingers cake on top, then pour the rest of the yokan mixture on top.
  • Set aside and let cool for about 2-3 hours in the fridge until the middle is completely set ***READ NOTE***
  • Cut into bite sized blocks. Enjoy!

Notes

***TIP: The cake will tend to float to the top of the liquid yokan mixture as it cools. To solve this problem, you can place a waxed parchment paper on top, then place a heavy spatula or some sort of weight on top to keep the cake layer level with the liquid.
Another option is to leave some liquid yokan mixture in the pan, reheat over low heat, then pour on top of the cake once it has set

Nutrition

Calories: 145kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 2gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 7mgPotassium: 1mgFiber: 1gSugar: 27gVitamin A: 6IUCalcium: 10mgIron: 1mgZinc: 1mg***Net Carbs: 33g
Keyword anko
Did You Like this Recipe?I’d love to know more about it! Please leave a rating or comment below so I know what to add and which recipes to share with you next!
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Filed Under: Brownies & Bars, Cakes, Dessert, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Vegan Tagged With: anko, asian-inspired, glutenfree, jello, no-bake, NutFree, Vegan

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