Believe it or not, the Japanese do celebrate Christmas, even though most of the nation is not Christian. The holiday is a time for celebrating family and romance, and what a better way to celebrate than eating lots of delicious food! If you would like to experience Christmas the Japanese way, you can try the following recipes:

Christmas Eve Dinner

Fried Chicken: Don’t even bother cooking. If you want to experience Christmas the Japanese way, just head to your local KFC and pick up the family dinner bucket. Yes, KFC’s do exist in Japan, and on Christmas Eve, they become very busy as the Japanese file in to purchase fried chicken instead of the typical ham or turkey that is eaten in America.

Dessert

Christmas Cake: With dinner, comes dessert, and on Christmas Eve in Japan, it’s almost always a round sponge cake topped with whipped cream and fruit. The following recipe is bound to make you want to hop on the next flight to Japan:

• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp milk
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 tbsp butter

For topping:

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 4 tbsp sugar
• Fruit of your choice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Put eggs in a bowl and whisk well.
Place the bowl over hot water in another large bowl and whisk further, adding sugar little by little.
When the mixture becomes a very light yellow, slowly sift flour into the bowl, and mix lightly.
In a separate dish, melt butter and mix with milk. Then add this mixture to the egg mixture and gently stir.
Place wax baking paper inside of an 8-inch round cake pan.
Pour the cake batter into the pan and bake for 25-35 min.
Remove and let cool.

While the cake is cooling, whip the heavy cream and sugar in a bowl.
Divide in half and add chopped strawberries, peaches, or other fruit of your choice to one half of the whipped cream.
Cut the sponge cake in half, horizontally, and spread the fruit and cream mixture on one of the two cake slices. Then, place the remaining slice on top of the first.
Spread the fruitless whipped cream on top and around the cake.
Finally, decorate the cake with more fruit of choice. Serve and enjoy on Christmas Eve!