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This Spicy Salmon Sushi Bundt Cake is a rich, buttery variation of the original Sushi Bundt Cake. We replace the classic crab mixture with a velvety, hand-chopped salmon mixture seasoned with sriracha and Japanese mayo. Layered with seasoned Calrose rice, fresh cucumber, and creamy avocado, this seafood Rosca de Sushi is finished with a bright citrus tamari dressing.
Table of Contents
What Makes this Salmon Sushi Cake Different
This Spicy Salmon Sushi Bundt Cake is a rich, buttery variation of the viral original Sushi Bundt Cake. I replace the classic crab Tampico with a velvety, hand-chopped spicy salmon mixture seasoned with sriracha, sesame oil, and Japanese mayo. That is layered with seasoned Calrose rice, crisp Persian cucumber, and creamy avocado. This seafood Rosca de Sushi has a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Serve the bright citrus tamari dressing on the side so you can pour on directly on top or dip it, whatever you like.
Required Equipment
6-Cup Bundt Pan: This pan is the perfect size for a sushi cake. A 6-cup capacity perfectly fits all the layers. If you use a different size, you need to recalculate the ingredient ratios. Make sure the final layer of rice is packed completely flush with the rim so that when you flip it everything stays together.
Rice Cooker (Highly Recommended): A rice cooker does a great job of making sure the sushi rice is sticky enough to hold together. You can do it on the stove, but I have always found that mine come out better ifI use a dedicated rice cooker.
Prep the Ingredients
This is a dish that needs to be made directly before serving. If you mix the finely chopped raw salmon mixture too far ahead, the texture quickly goes downhill because the fish begins to cure. Since it is finely minced, this happens quickly and it will become rubbery. Here is a breakdown of what you can do to make come together super fast right before serving:
- Seasoned Calrose Rice: Prepare this 1 to 2 days in advance. The grains require a minimum of three hours to chill. This cooling phase builds the dense, tacky structure needed to hold the salmon and avocado layers together.
- Citrus Tamari Sauce: You can whisk this up to 24 hours prior to serving. Allowing the chopped cilantro and scallions to steep in the fresh citrus juices gives it time to marinate.
- Spicy Salmon Mixture: You can whisk the Japanese mayo, sriracha, sesame oil, and serranos together up to 24 hours in advance, cover and refrigerate. You can pre-slice and pre-chop the salmon, but do not mix it in until right before you are ready to assemble the layers. The rice vinegar in the mixture will begin a light cure, so minimal contact time is essential for that buttery sushi texture.
- Avocado and Persian Cucumber: The avocados can be sliced about 30 to 60 minutes before serving. You do need to store them in an airtight container in the fridge. They take around takes 2-4 hours start visibly browning, so keep that in mind when deciding how far ahead to prep them. You can slice the cucumbers up to 24 hours in advance, but you must store them in an airtight container lined with dry paper towels to absorb their moisture. They will lose some of their crunchy bite.
Storage & Raw Fish Safety
To meet official FDA guidelines for eating raw seafood, you need to make sure the salmon was commercially flash-frozen at -4°F (-20°C) or below for at least 7 days to destroy parasites. Always verify that the salmon you’re buying meet these standards.
Room Temperature Limits:
- Raw salmon and cooked rice cannot sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If the temperature is hight than 90°F, this drops the limit to 1 hour.
Refrigeration Requirements:
- Raw Unmixed Fish: Must be kept at 40°F or below at all times. Once thawed, keep the fish refrigerated in its original packaging and consume within 24 hours. Always follow the specific handling instructions provided by your local fishmonger or online supplier.
- Assembled Sushi Cake: Do not refrigerate leftovers. The rice vinegar immediately begins curing the raw salmon, and the avocado will brown. To adhere to FDA food safety guidelines, discard any uneaten portions that have been sitting out for 2 hours (or 1 hour if the room temperature is at 90°F or above).
Freezer Requirements:
- Raw Unmixed Fish: Vacuum-sealed, sushi-grade salmon ordered from online suppliers can typically be stored in a standard freezer for up to two months. Once thawed, you cannot refreeze raw seafood under any circumstances.
- Assembled Sushi Cake: Never freeze the finished dish. Freezing it will ruin it.
What to Serve with Salmon Sushi Bundt Cake
Start the night with a milky dirty martini. The salty brine and creamy Humboldt Fog cheese pair great with the rich flavors. For an appetizer, these salmon crispy rice squares provide a great crunch, and you already will be buying the sushi-grade salmon. For your sides, miso soup or sesame handheld salads are classic choices. Finish everything with a passion fruit panna cotta.
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Salmon Sushi Bundt Cake FAQ
You must verify that the fish is labeled as sushi-grade. Standard grocery store fillets are often not treated to eliminate parasites. Visit the seafood counter and ask the fish monger and make sure to request sushi-grade salmon. See the Storage and Safety section for details.
This isn’t a leftover dish. Mixing raw salmon with rice vinegar begins curing it immediately. The silky texture degrades around 30 minutes, and within 1 hour it becomes rubbery. This is a serve-and-eat dish, but it is delicious so that shouldn’t be hard.
No, I strongly advise against assembling everything the night before. The acidic ingredients in the spicy salmon mixture would cure the raw fish, making it rubbery. The avocado would turn brown. I have a good breakdown of exactly what you can prep and how to make it easy to throw together before company in my Prep the Ingredients section.
Not to me, but you can easily adjust the heat level. Omit the finely chopped Serranos entirely or use jalapeños and make sure you deseed them. Use a single teaspoon of sriracha in the salmon mix. Those are really the only areas you are getting heat from. And if you are looking for it to be spicier, add extra.
Yes, you need to use the six-cup capacity for this specific recipe so it doesn’t fall apart. If you are using a larger pan, you need to adjust the ingredient amounts. The layers have to be firmly pressed together.
Chef Nadia’s Sushi-Grade Tips
If you are new to buying sushi-grade fish, here are all the tips that you need to know:
• What to Ask the Fishmonger: Skip the standard grocery display case. Visit a reputable seafood counter and ask explicitly if their salmon is flash-frozen for raw consumption.
• The Best Varieties: Farm-raised Atlantic or King salmon are the optimal choices for this recipe. Their controlled diet minimizes parasite risk while providing the dense, fatty, and silky texture needed to bind the spicy mixture.
• Trusted Online Suppliers: If local sourcing is unavailable, order directly from the experts. Catalina Offshore Products, Yama Seafood, and Riviera Seafood Club consistently ship pristine, buttery sushi-grade seafood.
• Online Ordering Logistics: Raw seafood is highly perishable, so expect mandatory overnight shipping. You can store vacuum-sealed deliveries in a standard freezer for up to two months. Once thawed, keep the fish in the refrigerator for a maximum of 24 hours. For the best texture, consume immediately after thawing and never refreeze. Specific instructions do vary by supplier, so make sure you verify this information.
Equipment
- rice cooker, (optional)
- Mixing bowl
- 1 bundt pan, 6-cup
- chef’s knife
Ingredients
Rice
- 1.5 cup calrose rice
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 tbsp black and toasted sesame seeds
Citrus Tamari Sauce
- 1/2 orange, juiced
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
- 3 scallions, chopped greens only (save the white and light green parts for later)
- tamari, to taste
Spicy Salmon Mix:
- 1 lb sushi-grade salmon
- 1/4 cup Japanese mayo
- 2 tbsp sriracha
- 1 tsp tamari
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 serrano, finely chopped
- 3 scallions, white and light green parts
Salmon Sushi Bundt Cake
- cooking oil spray
- 8 slices sushi-grade salmon, (from earlier)
- 2 persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 2 avocados, sliced
- Shichimi togarashi, for topping
- Toasted nori, for topping
- serrano, finely chopping
Instructions
- Make the Rice: Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Cook in a rice cooker or according to package directions. Combine the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Combine that and the sesame seeds into the cooked rice. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, overnight is preferred.1.5 cup calrose rice, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 pinch salt, 3 tbsp black and toasted sesame seeds
- Citrus Tamari Sauce: Combine the orange juice, lemon juice, chopped cilantro, and the dark green scallion tops in a small mixing bowl. Add tamari to preference and mix.1/2 orange, 1/2 lemon, 2 tbsp cilantro, 3 scallions, tamari
- Spicy Salmon Mix: Slice 8 thick slices of the salmon and set aside for later. Finely chop the rest of it and add it to a bowl with the Japanese mayo, sriracha, tamari, sesame oil, Serranos, 2 tsp rice vinegar and white and light green parts of the scallions from earlier. Mix well.1 lb sushi-grade salmon, 1/4 cup Japanese mayo, 2 tbsp sriracha, 1 tsp tamari, 2 tsp sesame oil, 2 tsp rice vinegar, 1 serrano, 3 scallions
- Salmon Sushi Bundt Cake: Spray your bundt cake pan with cooking oil spray. Arrange the 8 reserved salmon slices in the bottom of the pan. Press half of the seasoned rice firmly over the salmon. Layer the sliced cucumbers slightly overlapping, then the avocados, and then the spicy salmon mixture. Add the rest of the rice to the top and press down firmly to secure the layers. Refrigerate the pan for at least 10 minutes to set.
- Serve: Place your serving plate upside down on top of the bundt cake pan and careful flip all of it over so the cake is now upright. Tap lightly on the top of the pan until the cake releases. Top with crushed nori, shichimi togarashi, sliced serranos, and serve with the citrus tamari sauce.
Kitchen Cam
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Thank you so much for this recipe. It was a hit at my supper and I gave the recipe to a friend who served it at her book club. The members said she just raised the bar. It is so impressive and no one knows how easy it is too make. I