Dorayaki is one of the most popular Japanese confectioneries known as Wagashi. Anko (sweet red bean paste) is sandwiched between sweet and fluffy pancakes. It is a traditional Japanese sweet beloved by the old and young. In the Kansai region, Dorayaki is also called Mikasa, named after Mt. Mikasa in Nara Prefecture.
Is Dorayaki from Doraemon?
Doraemon is a popular Japanese manga and anime character, and Dorayaki is his favorite food. Almost every episode has scenes of him eating Dorayaki or trying to eat a mountain of them on a plate. Growing up in Japan as young children, we used to fantasize eating a mountain of Dorayaki just like Doraemon! Since the name Dorayaki and Doraemon sound similar, some people tend to misunderstand that Dorayaki is named after Doraemon. However, the origin of Dorayaki is much older than the manga and anime, and it’s said that the name “dora” comes from a “gong” called dora (reference).
Tips for making Dorayaki
- Don’t cut back on sugar. You may be tempted to reduce the amount of sugar used in the batter similar to the Western style pancakes which are typically served with syrup. However, you want to use a good amount of sugar for the cakes to be moist, and they should be sweet enough to be eaten without the syrup. Honey also adds a bit of stickiness to the batter that blends well with the red bean paste.
- Wrap the Dorayaki in a plastic wrap immediately after assembling. Similar to making a sandwich, wrapping the Dorayaki makes it easier to handle and shape the cake. Pinching the edges of pancakes over the plastic seals the Anko red bean paste inside. Plastic wrap also helps to keep the moisture and freshness.
- Anko (sweet red bean paste) can be made ahead of time. It is easy to make homemade Anko at home following our recipe, but it is a bit time consuming. You can make the paste on the day before and keep in the fridge, or if you want to make it days before, Anko red bean paste can stay in the freezer for up to a couple of months.
Short Video
A full recipe video is also available in the recipe box below and on our YouTube channel.
Variations of Dorayaki
- Matcha Dorayaki – if you like matcha green tea, you will enjoy the combination of bitterness of matcha and sweetness of the red bean paste.
- Ice Cream Dorayaki – if you like an ice cream sandwich, you should definitely try this. Anko red bean paste goes really well with creamy ice cream.
Dorayaki Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 3/4 cup milk
- Anko (sweet red bean paste)
Instructions
- Mix flour and baking soda in a bowl.
- In another bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, and honey together. Add milk and mix well.
- Stir dry ingredients into egg mixture, and whisk until batter becomes smooth.
- Heat non-stick frying pan with a small amount of oil and wipe excess oil well. At medium low heat, drop 1/8 of a cup of batter onto the pan, like a pancake. Cook about 2 minutes until the surface of the pancake has a lot of bubbles and the edges become dry. Flip over and cook 1 more minute.
- Transfer to a plate and cover with a wet paper towel.
- Take one cake and place a heaping tablespoon of Anko and cover with another cake. Wrap it with plastic and press with hands. Pinch to seal the edges of the pancakes together.
Video
This recipe was originally published in November 2012. The post was updated on March 9, 2025 with more useful content, new photos and a short video.
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