Mugwort castella with injeolmi cream, Gimpo bakery: Jinsim Castella

Today I'm reviewing Jinsim Castella Gimpo Gurae branch, famous for bulk bakery orders. Lately I've been craving fluffy castella but not many places sell it these days, so I searched hard and ended up buying some while on a trip to Gimpo.

Parking and the shop itself at Jinsim Castella in Gurae-dong, Gimpo

Jinsim Castella offers 30 minutes of free parking. Since it's a takeout-only store, 30 minutes is plenty. If you ask staff directly, they'll sometimes add more time too.

Kiosk ordering at Jinsim Castella: castella with cream or without?

Let's head inside. You order at the in-store kiosk, and the main choice is castella with cream vs. castella without cream — two types, so pick that first. I love cream, so I went with cream-filled.

There are various types of whipped cream, and for anyone unsure which to pick, there's a guide showing which cream pairs with which castella. I was torn too, so I just went with the recommended pairing.

I ended up ordering a basic castella and a mugwort castella. Basic goes well with everything, they said, so I picked basic cream for that. For the mugwort castella, injeolmi (rice cake) cream seemed like the best match, so I went with that. The guide made ordering really easy.

Once you order, the staff prepare everything with real care, so I just waited patiently. While waiting, I looked around the store.

Forks, knives, and wet wipes are self-serve — just take as many as you need. Since it's a jumbo-sized castella, it's best eaten sliced with a knife, so I'd recommend grabbing one.

I also noticed you can get a taste sample if you write a receipt review. I didn't participate this time, but it seems worth doing if you want a bite before deciding.

Ta-da! My castella orders were ready. Time to fly home with them. Zoom zoom.

Mugwort castella with injeolmi cream, sliced open

Back home, I noticed the box was labeled 'mugwort whipped cream,' so there was no confusion about which was which — I could dig right in.

First up, the mugwort castella. Its color was noticeably darker than the basic cream version. And as soon as I opened it, the mugwort smell wasn't overpowering at all, so even people who don't like mugwort could probably enjoy it without issue.

Cutting it in half revealed a cross-section packed full of whipped cream. Isn't the visual just beautiful? This is exactly the jumbo castella I'd been wanting.

Basic castella packed with fresh whipped cream

Now let's open up the simple-is-best basic one. It had that familiar, classic shape, and on one side it says 'Jinsim' (진심, meaning 'sincerity').

Cutting this one in half too revealed cream packed generously inside. There was so much cream that it felt more moist and soft than eating the bread alone.

How the two castella cakes tasted: mugwort with injeolmi vs. basic

Let's cut off a bite-sized piece and dig in properly.

Mugwort castella

You could slightly feel the mugwort texture inside, which I think would appeal to older folks or those with more traditional, 'halmae' (grandma-style) taste preferences who aren't big bread fans. But since the mugwort flavor wasn't strong, even young kids could enjoy it mainly for the cream. The injeolmi cream also wasn't overpowering — it had a nutty, toasty flavor that paired nicely with the mugwort castella.

Basic castella

Being the basic option, it's a flavor that's hard to dislike. The basic cream had a slightly fresh quality — not overly rich, with a clean, slightly cool finish at the end. I enjoyed it a lot.

Next time I'd like to try a different cream, maybe Earl Grey or something with more character. The full basic-basic combo is tasty but left me wanting a bit more, so next time I might go for something with a bit more personality, like Earl Grey or Lotus. That said, basic is a flavor that can't really go wrong, and I enjoyed it thoroughly.