Sushi Cake Recipe - How to Make a Showstopping Sushi Cake

This sushi cake is the ultimate party cake! Colourful sushi rice is layered with nori, spicy tuna, crab and avocado, then topped with sashimi salmon and tobiko. It looks spectacular but is surprisingly easy to make, and you can customise the fillings to suit your favourite sushi flavours. Perfect for birthdays, potlucks and celebrations!

About This Sushi Cake

A sushi cake is such a fun way to serve sushi. Naturally coloured sushi rice is layered with nori, two types of delicious fillings and then topped with sashimi, tobiko, mayonnaise and teriyaki sauce. Best of all is that it is actually pretty straightforward to make!

Why This Recipe Works and Why You'll Love It

Video How To Make Sushi Cake

Ingredients For A Sushi Cake

Sushi rice - Also called koshihikari rice. It is a short grain rice with a texture that helps the grains stick together. I don't recommend using other types of rice for this sushi cake.

Red cabbage - To give the rice a natural purple colour. I usually buy 1/4 red cabbage for this recipe.

Rice vinegar - Also called rice wine vinegar, usually found in the Asian food section of the supermarket.

Red dragonfruit - The red colour of the dragonfruit transforms the rice into an orange colour. I use frozen red dragonfruit when fresh isn't in season.

Tinned tuna - Tuna in oil or tuna in springwater works. Note: once you drain the tuna from a 400g/14oz tin, you only end up with around 300g/10.6ozs of actual tuna.

Kewpie mayonnaise - Or your favourite mayonnaise. However kewpie has the advantage of being able to be piped on top.

Sriracha - To add a mild spiciness to food.

Chives - Fresh chives, finely chopped.

Lemon juice - Fresh lemon juice.

Imitation crab or crab meat - Also called Surimi and usually sold in frozen blocks. Can also use real crab if you're feeling it!

Sesame oil - Toasted sesame oil to give the crab some flavour and aroma.

Nori seaweed - Sheets of dried nori, found in the Asian section of the supermarket.

Avocado - To cover a 20cm/8inch cake, look for a large, ripe avocado.

Salmon sashimi - Buy pre-sliced salmon sashimi slices. You can also use tuna, kingfish or a tri colour combo of all three.

Teriyaki sauce - Look for a teriyaki sauce in a squeezy bottle so that you can drizzle it on top easily (I used one by Mr Chen's).

Tobiko - Also called flying fish roe, from fishmongers or also found in the freezer section at Asian grocery stores. You can also use salmon or trout caviar.

Roasted sesame seeds - To add a bit of flavour.

Other filling ideas for sushi cake:

• Thinly sliced cucumber

• Egg omelette, chopped up

• Tuna sashimi

• Kingfish sashimi

• Smoked salmon

• Cream cheese (spring onion and chives)

• Teriyaki chicken

• Volcano Prawns (like from this sushi bake)

How To Cook Rice Perfectly Every Time

1 - I cook rice in a heavy based copper saucepan lined with aluminium.

2 - Rinse rice with cold water in the saucepan until the water runs clear. This can take up to 6 rinses depending on the rice. Make sure to use cold water as warmer water activates the surface starches.

3 - I use the smallest, weakest burner on my stovetop to cook rice so turn that on and put the rinsed rice pot on the burner on the maximum heat (which won't be that hot as it is the slowest burner).

4 - I always use filtered, boiled water straight from a kettle. Check the rice instructions as to how much water to add. Usually it is 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cups of water to 1 cup of rice. Add the boiling water to the pot making sure all grains are submerged. Bring to a boil.

5 - Place the lid on and turn heat down to the lowest it will go. Let the rice steam for 15-20 minutes without taking the lid off. The rice should be perfectly fluffy and not stick to the bottom of the pot (if it sticks, the temperature was too high).

6 - This is how I've made rice for decades and it really works every time no matter what type of rice I make!

Tips For Making A Sushi Cake

Sushi Cake Recipe

An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott

Recipe Overview

Preparation time: 35 minutes plus 45 minutes chilling

Cooking time: 20 minutes concurrently

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients Needed

For purple sushi rice

• 1 cup/200g/7oz sushi rice
• 1.5 cups water (hot from kettle)
• 90g/3oz shredded red cabbage
• 30ml/1oz rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For Orange Sushi rice

• 1/2 cup/100g/3.5oz sushi rice
• 3/4 cup water (hot from kettle)
• 90g/3oz red dragonfruit, pureed
• 15ml/0.5oz rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For Tuna Filling

• 200g/7oz tinned tuna, drained weight
• 80g/2.8oz Kewpie mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons Sriracha
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Salt and pepper

For Crab Filling

• 200g/7oz imitation crab or crab meat
• 80g/2.8oz Kewpie mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Sriracha
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

For Assembly and Decoration

• 3x20cm/8inch round sheets of nori seaweed
• 1 large avocado (280g/9.5oz minimum)
• 270g/9.5oz sashimi salmon slices
• 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce (in squeezy bottle)
• 2 tablespoons Kewpie mayonnaise (in squeezy bottle)
• 1 tablespoon tobiko
• 1/2 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1 PURPLE RICE- Rinse the rice (1 cup/200g/7oz sushi rice) until water runs clear and then add the water (1.5 cups) and the shredded cabbage (90g/3oz) on top. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to low and steam until cooked, around 15 minutes.

Step 2 ORANGE RICE - Rinse the rice (1/2 cup/100g/3.5oz sushi rice) until water runs clear and then add the water (3/4 cup) and mix in the dragonfruit puree (90g/3oz). Bring to a boil and then lower heat to low and steam until cooked, around 15 minutes.

Step 3 SUSHI SEASONING - When the rice is ready make the sushi seasoning. In two separate bowls (one for each batch of rice) mix rice vinegar (30ml/1oz for purple rice and 15ml/0.5oz for orange rice), sugar (2 teaspoons for purple rice and 1 teaspoon for orange rice) and salt (1/2 teaspoon for purple rice and 1/4 teaspoon for orange rice) together. Then microwave for 20 seconds and stir to dissolve. Stir into each rice respectively and allow to cool.

Step 4 TUNA - Break up the drained tuna (200g/7oz) with a fork and then mix with the mayonnaise (80g/2.8oz), Sriracha (2 tablespoons), chives (2 tablespoons) and lemon juice (1 teaspoon) and set aside. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 5 CRAB - Break up the surimi (200g/7oz) with fingers, I find they break apart when you press them between your fingers. Mix with the mayonnaise (80g/2.8oz), Sriracha (2 teaspoons) and sesame oil (1 teaspoon). Season with salt and pepper.

Step 6 ASSEMBLE - Cut the nori (3x20cm/8inch round sheets) to the size of a 20cm/8inch round springform tin. Line the tin with two long pieces of cling wrap in a cross pattern so that they overlap in the centre. Take half of the purple rice (if it is warm, it's ok) and spread out smoothly using an angled spatula. Add the crab layer (all of the crab filling) and then add a layer of nori (1 nori round).

Step 7 SET - Then add a layer of the orange (dragonfruit) rice and then a layer of sliced avocado (1 large avocado, 280g/9.5oz). Top this with the second nori round (1 nori round). Then add a layer of tuna (all of the tuna filling) and finish with the remaining half of purple rice and the final round of nori (1 nori round). Close up with the overhanging cling film and place in the fridge for 30-60 minutes to set firm.

Step 8 FINISH - Unclip the springform collar and place on a serving board or plate. Remove the clingfilm. Place the sashimi salmon slices (270g/9.5oz) on top making a rosette with any smaller pieces. Add tobiko (1 tablespoon) in the centre of the rose and sprinkle with sesame seeds (1/2 teaspoon). Make straight lines using the mayonnaise (2 tablespoons) and teriyaki sauce (2 tablespoons) and then using a toothpick drag lines the opposite way to create a feathering effect.

Personal Note

This is such a simple recipe and considering how elaborate it looks, it can be done in an hour or so (not including chilling). An hour is not bad when it comes to making a cake from scratch.

I realise an hour is a long time for a lot of people. And recently I realised how long it was. I was having dinner with Sophia in Newtown one night. It was the weekend when Teddy was not feeling well and we had to rush him to the vet. Luckily, the vet is right near in Newtown so it should have been a short visit but that was lengthened because there were a couple of other emergencies which we totally understand. I ended up having to leave Mr NQN and the boys at the Vet's office to jump in an Uber to meet Sophia at 7 o'clock.

I took a seat at our table and perused the menu. Sophia messaged me at 7:07pm, "Finding a park". I mentally wished her luck as Newtown is a nightmare to park in on a Saturday night and I waited.

They were very nice in the restaurant and I apologised about the situation and told them that she was looking for a park. The time ticked over to 7:30pm and I hadn't heard anything. Sophia is a fairly new driver and not particularly confident so I didn't want to call her while she was driving because that can be distracting and annoying.

I watched the couple next to me order, receive and consume their meal and then call for their bill.

At 7:45pm I started to worry that she'd been in an accident of some sort because usually when people are late they text but I hadn't heard anything apart from the message that she was looking for a park. I finally called her. The poor thing was still looking for a parking spot! And finally at 8:05pm she walked them through the door!

So tell me Dear Reader, do you think that 1 hour is a long time to make a cake? And what is the latest you've been to meet someone?