Japanese Taiyaki Fish-Shaped Pastry with Filling

Name: Japanese Taiyaki Fish-Shaped Pastry with Filling
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 1 cup (120 g) cake flour; 1½ tsp (6 g) baking powder; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine salt; ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar; 3 whole (150 g) large eggs, at room temperature; 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, at room temperature; 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract; 1 can (16 oz) (450 g) canned sweetened red bean paste, at room temperature; 2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral vegetable oil

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Taiyaki are delightful Japanese fish-shaped pastries with a crispy golden exterior and warm, sweet filling. This recipe teaches you to make the cake-like batter from scratch and fill them with classic red bean paste, creating a snack or dessert that's charming and deeply satisfying. You'll need a taiyaki pan—a specialized molded pan—but the reward is pastries with a tender cake crumb and a slight snap on the edges.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 55 min
Makes: 12 taiyaki pastries

Save to My Kitchen Jump to recipe

Steps

Before you start

Preheat your taiyaki pan over medium heat for 5 minutes so it is hot and even
Have your red bean paste at room temperature and ready to portion
Read through the batter consistency notes—it should be like thin pancake batter
Gather a small brush or spoon for oiling the pan between batches

1
Combine dry ingredients
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and fine salt.
- Set aside.
- This combines the leavening evenly so the batter rises uniformly.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Flour mixture is lump-free and light
Tip: Sifting the dry ingredients is optional but makes for an even lighter taiyaki
2
Whisk wet ingredients
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the room-temperature eggs, granulated sugar, whole milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
- The eggs should be fully incorporated and the sugar mostly dissolved.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Mixture is smooth, sugar is mostly dissolved
Tip: Room-temperature eggs mix more smoothly and create a more uniform batter
3
Make the batter
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
- Stir gently with a whisk until just combined—the batter should be smooth and flow like thin pancake batter.
- Do not overmix; a few small flour streaks are fine.
- Overmixing develops gluten and makes the taiyaki tough.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Batter is smooth and pourable, no lumps
Tip: If the batter is too thick, whisk in 1–2 tbsp milk until it reaches pancake batter consistency
4
Preheat the taiyaki pan
- Place your taiyaki pan over medium heat.
- Let it heat for 5 minutes, allowing the molds to become evenly hot.
- Test the temperature by dripping a small amount of batter into one mold—it should sizzle immediately and start to set.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Pan is hot; batter sizzles on contact
Tip: An underheated pan leads to pale, dense taiyaki; if the pan is too hot, the outside burns before the inside cooks
5
Oil the pan
- Using a pastry brush, lightly coat all 12 molds with neutral vegetable oil.
- Be thorough but not excessive—you want a thin, even layer that ensures easy release and browning.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: All molds are lightly and evenly oiled
Tip: Keeping a small bowl of oil and a brush nearby speeds up the process between batches
6
Fill the bottom molds
- Working quickly, pour about 1 tablespoon of batter into each of the 12 molds, filling each roughly one-third full.
- The batter should flow to coat the bottom and sides.
- Work from mold to mold in order so the first ones begin to set while you fill the rest.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: All molds are one-third full with batter
Tip: If batter pools too much in the pan bottom, the molds may not fill evenly—keep heat at medium, not medium-high
7
Add the filling
- Once the bottom batter layer has set enough to hold the filling (about 20–30 seconds of cooking), spoon approximately 1 heaping teaspoon of room-temperature red bean paste into the center of each mold.
- Do not overfill; the paste should sit on top of the batter without touching the edges or top of the mold.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Each mold contains a small mound of paste in the center
Tip: Cold or overly thick paste is hard to spoon; room-temperature paste spreads a little on its own and helps seal the taiyaki
8
Top with more batter
- Spoon another 1 tablespoon of batter over each filling, covering it completely and filling each mold until nearly full (about three-quarters).
- The batter should encapsulate the paste.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Each mold is three-quarters full; filling is hidden
Tip: If the top batter runs into the crevices between molds, use a small offset spatula to gently tidy the edges
9
Cook the first side
- Let the taiyaki cook on the first side for 2–3 minutes, keeping the heat at medium.
- Listen for a gentle sizzle; the sound should be steady but not aggressive.
- The batter on the bottom should be setting and beginning to brown.
- You can gently peek under one taiyaki with a thin spatula to check for a light golden color.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Bottom batter is light golden and firm when gently tested
Tip: If the sizzle becomes loud and aggressive or you smell burning, lower the heat to medium-low for the next batch
10
Flip and cook the second side
- Using a small offset spatula or butter knife, gently slide under each taiyaki and flip it over.
- The taiyaki molds are designed so the two halves lock together after flipping.
- Once all are flipped, let them cook on the second side for 2–3 minutes until both sides are golden brown and the pastry is firm to the touch.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Both sides are light to medium golden brown; pastry feels firm
Tip: Flip gently to avoid breaking the pastry; if one sticks, run the spatula edge around its outline first to loosen it
11
Remove and cool
- Using your spatula, lift each finished taiyaki out of the pan and onto a wire cooling rack.
- They will be very hot, so handle carefully.
- The pastries will firm up as they cool.
- Let them rest for at least 5 minutes before serving; this allows the interior to set slightly and makes eating more enjoyable.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Taiyaki are cool enough to hold and eat without burning your mouth
Tip: If you are making a second batch, re-oil the pan between batches and allow it to return to medium heat
12
Make a second batch
- Once the pan is empty, brush it again with a thin layer of oil and let it return to medium heat for 1 minute.
- Repeat the filling and cooking process with the remaining batter and red bean paste (you should have enough for 12 total taiyaki).
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Second batch of taiyaki are golden brown and firm
Tip: This recipe fills 12 molds exactly; if your pan is smaller or larger, scale quantities proportionally

Good to know

Tips

A taiyaki pan is essential—look for 12-mold electric or stovetop pans online or at Asian specialty stores. The pan is an investment but lasts decades and is fun to use.
The batter should be thin and pourable like pancake batter. If it seems too thick after whisking, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the consistency is right.
Keep your heat at medium throughout. Too high and the outside burns while the inside stays raw; too low and the pastry will be pale and dense.
Taiyaki are best eaten fresh and still warm, when the contrast between the crispy exterior and soft, warm filling inside is most enjoyable. If you are serving them later, a quick reheat in the oven restores that quality.

Make ahead

Store unbaked batter in the fridge for up to 2 hours; return to room temperature and whisk gently before using. You can prepare red bean paste ahead—keep it covered in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature (loosely covered): 2 days. Refrigerator (airtight container): 4 days; reheat in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5 minutes to restore crispness. Freezer (airtight bag): 1 month; reheat from frozen in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 8–10 minutes.

Substitutions

canned sweetened red bean paste → Sweetened black sesame paste or matcha paste. Use the same amount (about 1 tsp per taiyaki); these create authentic flavor variations. Sesame paste is slightly more assertive than red bean paste.
canned sweetened red bean paste → Nutella or other chocolate-hazelnut spread. Use the same amount; this creates a sweeter, richer taiyaki. Spread thinly since it is more dense than red bean paste.
whole milk → Dashi stock or mirin-sweetened dashi. Use the same amount; this creates a savory-sweet Japanese tea-time taiyaki. Reduce the granulated sugar to 0.5 cup (100 g).
cake flour → All-purpose flour mixed with 1 tbsp cornstarch. Use 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour plus 1 tbsp (8 g) cornstarch. The taiyaki will be slightly less delicate but still light and tender.