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This Japanese fusion baked sushi cake is everything I love about sushi – spicy creamy scallops, tamari citrus sauce, amazing toppings – stacked in layers and finished under the broiler for that irresistible, slightly caramelized top.
I understand that it isn’t traditional sushi by any means, it’s a and it’s a Japanese Mexican fusion and most people have never heard of it, which is too bad because it’s such a delicious and a fun recipe! This one is a variation of my other Sushi cakes, or “Rosca De Sushi.” This was a very popular dish where I grew up. It is typically made with imitation crab, but I love to play around with the ingredients and this time I landed on a spicy broiled scallop sushi bundt – and it did not disappoint. This one is a little different from my other sushi cake recipes, because this one is baked.
Why You’ll Fall For This Baked Sushi Cake
If you love sushi, you’ll love this baked sushi cake recipe! This is a Japanese-Mexican fusion. It takes everything good about sushi but makes it easy to make! You have your seasoned sticky rice, avocado, cucumber, spicy scallops broiled till it’s slightly caramelized and then topped an amazing citrus tamari sauce and other fun goodies! It’s super easy to adapt it to your favorite sushi roll by switching around the toppings to make it your own!
Prep Your Ingredients: Baked Sushi Cake
The Rice
Calrose Rice | Rice Vinegar | Sugar | Salt | Sesame | Cook your rice according to package directions or in a rice cooker until perfectly fluffy. While it’s still warm, stir in rice vinegar, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Mix until the grains glisten, then fold in the black sesame seeds. Spread it out to cool completely — chilled rice is key to keeping your sushi cake structured.
The Spicy Scallop Mixture
Scallops | Mayo | Sriracha | Sesame Oil | Rice Vinegar | Tamari | Scallions | Pat the scallops dry and cube them into small, even pieces. Toss with Japanese mayo, sriracha, sesame oil, rice vinegar, tamari, and scallions until coated and glossy. It should smell rich, savory, and faintly sweet — like the sushi bar you wish you were at.
The Citrus Tamari Sauce
Cilantro | Serrano | Orange Juice | Lemon Juice | Tamari | Chop your cilantro, serrano (to taste). Squeeze the juice from ½ an orange and lemon. In a small bowl, mix all of that together and stir in tamari to taste. Try not to straight up drink this sauce – yes it’s that good!
The Layers
Cooked Rice | Nori | Avocado | Cucumber | Spicy Scallop Sushi Mix | Slice the avocado and cucumber thinly so they layer neatly. Lightly crush or tear the toasted nori sheets — they’ll add a delicate crunch and umami hit between the rice layers. Then layer and broil those scallops!
The Toppings
Japanese Mayo | Sriracha | Shichimi Togarashi | Serrano | Citrus Tamari Sauce | Watch the video if you would like to see how I make it pretty. Evenly spray your mayo and sriracha on top. Sprinkle with the shichimi togarashi and place your serranos. Serve your sushi cake alongside the amazing Japanese fusion citrus tamari sauce and enjoy!
Substitutions and Variations
Ingredient Swap:
- You can swap the scallops for your favorite seafood, such as shrimp, salmon, or crab.
- You can use short long grain rice instead of Calrose rice.
- You can use regular mayonnaise or vegan mayonnaise instead of Japanese mayo.
Flavor Twist: Similar Baked Sushi Cake Recipes
- Mini Sushi Bundt Cakes – A sushi bundt cake but mini! This is perfect if you don’t want to have to worry about cutting and serving, each person has their own!
- Shrimp Sushi Bundt Cake – For you shrimp lovers, head on over to my shrimp variation!
- Salmon and Crab Sushi Bundt Cake – This one puts the fusion in Japanese fusion with both salmon and crab!
The Perfect Pairings
Cucumbertini – This is a bright and fresh cocktail that would pair perfectly with this baked sushi cake.
Salmon Crudo with Yuzu Sauce – This salmon crudo recipe is a fresh take on the Japanese-inspired crudos, featuring a bright yuzu soy dressing and a touch of spicy mayo.
Sesame Handheld Salad These are so easy to make and super fun to serve.
Amaretto Peaches – Carmelized peaches in ice cream, what’s not to love?
Cocktail Hour
Cucumbertini 🍸
Appetizers
Salmon Crudo with Yuzu Soy & Spicy Mayo
Desserts
Amaretto Peaches 🍑
Baked Sushi Cake: Questions Answered
Yes of course! You can use shrimp, salmon, or crab. You can even do a mix and combine your favorites!
You can use regular mayo or Vegenaise if you are dairy-free instead of Japanese if you would prefer. If you want to make Japanese mayo (Kewpie mayo) out of regular, try adding a splash of rice vinegar and a pinch of sugar.
You don’t have to, but it really does help keep the baked sushi cake from falling apart. If you really can’t use sushi rice, you can use regular short grain rice instead.
Yes of course. You can use jalapeños, or any other pepper of your choice.
Chef Nadia’s Tip
Cook your rice in a rice cooker the night before. Way better results imo. Only broil for 3 min max so the cucumber and avocado don’t heat up!
Baked Sushi Cake
Equipment
- rice cooker, optional
- Bowl
- oven broiler
Ingredients
Rice
- 1½ cup calrose rice, uncooked
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 tbsp black toasted sesame seeds
Spicy Scallop Mixture
- 1 lb scallops, cubed
- ¼ cup Japanese mayo
- 2 tbsp sriracha
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp tamari
- 3 scallions, green parts only, chopped
Sushi Cake
- cooking oil spray
- cooked rice, from earlier
- toasted nori, crushed, to taste
- 2 avocados, sliced
- 1 english cucumber, thinly sliced
- spicy scallop mixture, from earlier
- 1 tbsp Japanese mayo
- 1 tbsp sriracha, adjust to taste
- Shichimi togarashi
- 1 Serrano, sliced
Citrus Tamari Sauce
- 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
- Serrano, chopped, to taste
- ½ orange, juice only
- ½ lemon, juice only
- Tamari, to taste
Instructions
Cook Your Rice and Cool
- In a rice cooker, if you can, cook your rice according to the package instructions. Then mix rice vinegar, sugar and a pinch of salt together and add it to your cooked rice. Stir in sesame seeds and let completely cool in the fridge, preferably overnight.1½ cup calrose rice, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 pinch salt, 3 tbsp black toasted sesame seeds
Spicy Scallop Mixture
- In a bowl, mix scallops, Japanese mayo, sriracha, sesame oil, rice vinegar, tamari and scallions.1 lb scallops, ¼ cup Japanese mayo, 2 tbsp sriracha, 2 tsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp tamari, 3 scallions
Baked Sushi Cake
- Preheat your oven broiler.
- Spray the springform with cooking oil. Add half of the rice on the bottom and press it down. Evenly layer the toasted nori, avocado slices then the cucumber slices on top. Add the rest of the rice and more nori and press down really well. Top it with the scallops.cooking oil spray, cooked rice, toasted nori, 2 avocados, 1 english cucumber, spicy scallop mixture
- Add to your broiler and let bake for about 2 minutes and 4 minutes max.
- Citrus Tamari Sauce: While that bakes, mix together the cilantro, chopped Serranos, orange juice, lemon juice and Tamari.2 tbsp cilantro, Serrano, ½ orange, ½ lemon, Tamari
- Remove the sides of the springform. Take your Japanese mayo bottle and evenly squeeze about 1 tbsp in an S pattern on top. Do the same with the sriracha. Sprinkle with shichimi togarashi and place the Serrano slices around. Serve with the citrus tamari sauce and that is it!1 tbsp Japanese mayo, 1 tbsp sriracha, Shichimi togarashi, 1 Serrano
Kitchen Cam
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This worked exactly as written, thanks! Just a little messy coming out of the pan, but completely delicious.
Hey Jennifer,
If it was messy coming out of the pan, next time make sure you give your springform a good spray with the cooking oil spray and hopefully that will help when you unlatch and the springform pan and pull it apart! Also make sure you’re using sushi rice. It’s sticky, regular rice will fall apart. You may have done these things already but hopefully it helps! I’m so glad that you liked it though!