Sakura Raindrop Cake ( 櫻花水信玄餅)

Have you ever tried the Raindrop Cake, which is definitely the latest trendy dessert?  It’s a very popular dessert in Japan and was recently introduced to the Western world.  Technically, the Raindrop Cake isn’t really a “cake” per se.  There’s no batter and no baking involved!  A Raindrop Cake is a dessert made from water and agar agar powder (a vegan substitute of gelatin powder, obtained from algae).  Traditionally, it is served with black sugar syrup called Kuromitsu and a roasted soy flour called Kinako.  (Please reference my video above.)



This Raindrop Cake is a chilled dessert that is super dreamy and gorgeous.  Each bite simply melts in your mouth, like swallowing raindrops.  Maybe that’s where the name came from.  Or maybe it got its name from its appearance because the cake itself looks like a gigantic raindrop landed on the plate! 



Of course, I can’t just stop at the traditional Raindrop Cake.  I tested out the recipe with the traditional plain one.  Then, I further transformed this gorgeous and whimsical treat with the addition of my favorite Japanese ingredient, Pickled Sakura (cherry blossom).  To elevate it to the next level, I added a few freckles of edible gold leaf.  Normally, a piece of the traditional Raindrop Cake costs $8 USD (in NYC).  But when you can make it at home, it only costs a fraction of the price and you can splurge on other luxury ingredients such as gold leaf and sakura!       



As I mentioned earlier, this dessert is served with black sugar syrup and soy bean flour.  They are the perfect company to this dessert.  As the cake itself is really mild, the Black Sugar Syrup adds the perfect sweetness and earthiness while the Soy Bean Flour accentuate it with a nice toasty and nutty aroma to the palate.  The edible gold leaf is tasteless and simply for decorative purposes.  However, the pickled Sakura adds a nice tartness and saltiness to the cake.  The Sakura reminds me of salty, sour plum (話梅) with a hint of floral aroma.  Of course, it adds a beautiful visual presentation to this treat as well. 



My Baby Girl and I had so much fun making this Sakura Raindrop Cake together!  I think my girl is ready to take over the kitchen, real soon!  Last but not least, I’ll list all the tools and ingredients used in this recipe for your convenience.  Thank you for stopping by my blog.  I hope you enjoyed today’s video and recipe.  Stay tuned for more fun and trendy treat next week!




Tools and ingredients used:
Large Hemisphere Silicone Mold (Click here for more information)
Agar Agar Powder (Click here for more information)
Pickled Sakura (Click here for more information)
Edible Gold Leaf Sheets (Click here for more information)
Black Sugar (see similar product here)
Soy Bean Flour (Click here for more information)
Food Decorating Tongs/Tweezers (Click here for more information)
 




Sakura Raindrop Cake ( 櫻花水信玄餅):
Makes: 6 Raindrop Cakes

Ingredients for the Raindrop Cakes:
2 cups cold water
1/2 teaspoon Agar Agar Powder
2 tablespoons sugar
6 pickled Sakura (Cherry Blossoms)
edible gold leaf, optional
Soy bean powder, as topping

Ingredients for the Black Sugar Syrup:
1/4 cup black sugar
2 tablespoons water

To Prepare the Raindrop Cakes:
Rinse and soak pickled sakura for 10 minutes. Gently pad dry in paper towel.

Place water, sugar, and agar powder in a small pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Transfer to a measuring cup with beaker.

Place sakura and edible gold (if using) in the sphere silicone mold. Evenly divided the agar mixture into each mold. Refrigerate until set, about 4 hours.

To Prepare the Black Sugar Syrup:
Place black sugar and the water in a small pot. Heat on medium and stir occasionally until sugar completely dissolves and syrup is slightly thickened. Remove from heat and transfer to a syrup bowl to cool.

To assemble:
Gently remove the Sakura Raindrop Cake from the mold onto a small serving plate. Serve cold with black sugar syrup and soy bean powder. Enjoy!