So, I like to think of myself as a pretty trendy sort of chick….. wow, I sound like a middle-aged woman… Well, I am in my mid-30s now, so I guess I should embrace it….

Anyway, I like to try to stay on top of trends and one of the latest trends to sweep the food world, is that of the Raindrop Cake.

The Raindrop cake is inspired by a Japanese dessert Mizu Shingen Mochi that originated from Japan (thanks Captain Obvious!) but then migrated from Japan to New York and New York to Sydney via the Internet.

Now, for starters, calling this a cake, is like me calling myself a Doctor or a Beekeeper.  I’m not either.  This is not a cake.

I don’t know what the actual definition of a Cake is- but of course, Google does.  A cake- according to Wikipedia, is:

A form of sweet dessert that is typically baked. In its oldest forms, cakes were modifications of breads… .Typical cake ingredients are flour, sugar, eggs, butter or oil, a liquid, and leavening agents, such as baking soda and/or baking powder. Common additional ingredients and flavourings include dried, candied or fresh fruit, nuts, cocoa, and extracts such as vanilla, with numerous substitutions for the primary ingredients. Cakes can also be filled with fruit preserves or dessert sauces (likepastry cream), iced with buttercream or other icings, and decorated with marzipan, piped borders, or candied fruit.^[1]

Cake is often served as a celebratory dish on ceremonial occasions, for example weddings, anniversaries, and birthdays. There are countless cake recipes; some are bread-like, some rich and elaborate, and many are centuries old. Cake making is no longer a complicated procedure; while at one time considerable labor went into cake making (particularly the whisking of egg foams), baking equipment and directions have been simplified so that even the most amateur cook may bake a cake.

 Nothing about this raindrop cake is a cake.  It’s closer to an $8 blob of flavourless liquid filled with disappointment and sadness.  If you were to create an ice cream flavour called Apathy, it would probably taste similar to this cake- empty, blank, nothing.  Maybe it would be closer to the flavour of actual unicorn’s tears—nope, pretty sure unicorn tears would have sprinkles in them.  This tasted of depression, or being the last kid picked on a sports team.  Shame, self-loathing…in short, it wasn’t very good.

It was disappointing!  I left my house and found a parking space for this???   (OK, full disclosure, we did actually have some delicious gyoza as well so it wasn’t all doom and gloom!)  But you get the point….

And as I ate it, I got a bitter taste in my mouth- the taste of being sold the Emperor’s New Cake.  How did I let myself get sucked into the internet hype?  How did I get fooled?   Who wants to taste a raindrop?  Raindrops are just water… and water tastes like water, not like cake.

Suddenly, it dawned on me.   There was no chocolate involved, no yummy raspberry coulis on top of a cheesecake, no spices, no velvety red velvet, nothing.

Just nothing.

It wasn’t cake.  It was a reminder, a wake up call.  Not everything on the internet should be sampled- no matter how many people are talking about it and even if you’re open minded and would try anything once.  Some trendy foods aren’t worth trying-  I’ve learned the hard way, so you don’t have to.  Now quick, get me some kombucha and a sous vide machine, I need to spiralise some vegetables to have with my kimchi and nutella milkshake in a mason jar.