Raindrop cake facts for kids
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| Type | Dessert |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Japan |
| Main ingredients | Water, agar |
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The Raindrop cake is a special dessert from Japan. It is made mostly from water and a jelly-like ingredient called agar. This dessert looks just like a giant, clear raindrop!
It first became very popular in Japan in 2014. After that, people all over the world started to notice this unique sweet treat.
Contents
History of Raindrop Cake
The Raindrop cake has a cool history. It started as a traditional Japanese dessert called shingen mochi. The Raindrop cake is a newer version of this old favorite.
What is Shingen Mochi?
Shingen mochi was first made a long time ago. It was created during a period in Japan called the Sengoku era. This was a time when different powerful leaders, called daimyo, were fighting. One of these leaders, Takeda Shingen, needed a food that could be stored easily. So, shingen mochi was made from rice flour and sugar. It was a good emergency food.
How Mizu Shingen Mochi Was Created
In modern Japan, people in a town called Hokuto-cho started to change the shingen mochi. They began adding fresh, clean mineral water to the dessert.
A company named Kinseiken Seika in Yamanashi Prefecture was one of the first to sell this new version. They sold it mainly on weekends.
The word mizu means water in Japanese. So, mizu shingen mochi means "water shingen mochi." The company wanted to make "edible water" in 2013. This new dessert quickly became a huge hit. People traveled from far away just to try it!
Raindrop Cake Goes Global
In 2016, a person named Darren Wong brought the dessert to the United States. He introduced it in New York City at a food fair called Smorgasburg. Soon after, a restaurant in London, England, called Yamagoya, also started making their own version. They worked for four months to get it just right!
What is Raindrop Cake Like?
This dessert is made from special mineral water and agar. Agar is a natural ingredient that comes from seaweed. It's a great choice for people who are vegetarian or vegan because it's a plant-based alternative to gelatin. Because it's mostly water, it has almost no calories!
The water for the original Japanese dessert came from Mount Kaikoma. This mountain is part of the Southern Japanese Alps. People say the water has a slightly sweet taste.
To make the cake, the agar and water are heated. Then, they are poured into a mold and cooled down. The dessert looks like a clear, round raindrop.
Toppings and How to Eat It
Raindrop cake is usually served with two toppings:
- Kuromitsu: This is a sweet, dark syrup that tastes a bit like molasses.
- Kinako: This is a powder made from roasted soybeans.
The dessert itself doesn't have much taste. It melts in your mouth! You have to eat it quickly, though. It will start to evaporate and disappear after about twenty minutes.
You can even buy kits to make Raindrop cake at home! This unique dessert has been shown on popular American TV shows like The Today Show, BuzzFeed, and ABC News.
See also
In Spanish: Raindrop cake para niños
