WTF Is Raindrop Cake and Why Is Australia All About It?

Brisbanites, put a hold on stuffing your face with burgers and doughnuts, because there's a new food trend in town. If you've checked out any of your social media feeds over the last week, you've probably heard the term 'raindrop cake'. But what is it? And why is everyone in the city suddenly desperate to try this seeming culinary marvel?

The answer to the second question is easy: Harajuku Gyoza in South Brisbane was the first place in Australia to start selling the new dessert craze, though it's also now available at their Potts Point store in Sydney too. The answer to the first question is a bit more complicated, particularly when the clear, jiggly meal everyone is craving tastes like water-flavoured jelly and looks like a giant eyeball, a breast implant or ball of goo.

Raindrop cakes were invented by New York chef Darren Wong, who wanted to try his hand at making the traditional Japanese summer dish Mizu Shingen Mocha. Sparking lengthy lines at Brooklyn's Smorgasburg outdoor food markets when they were unveiled at the beginning of April, they consist of a mixture of spring water and a vegan gelatin derived from seaweed. That explains their appearance and texture, but not why everyone is raving about them.

Perhaps the fact that raindrop cakes melt if they're not eaten within 30 minutes has something to do with it. Maybe their kilojoule-free status (if you don't count the accompanying powder and syrup) has everyone excited? Or, the way they're served on cute little bamboo boats? It could be Wong's revelation that he was inspired by the raindrops in A Bug's Life — because who doesn't want to eat something that looks like it comes straight from an animated movie?

Whatever the reason, raindrop cakes are certain to keep food-loving Brisbane residents talking — and flocking to Harajuku Gyoza — for the foreseeable future. The dumpling house's take on the trend comes in two versions: a twist on Wong's recipe made with sesame powder and brown sugar syrup; and their own concoction complete with fresh strawberries, blueberries and raspberries inside the raindrop, and condensed milk, kinako and crushed peanuts on the side. Yes, we recommend trying both of them.

Jump on board the raindrop cake bandwagon by visiting Harajuku Gyoza's South Brisbane store at 184 Grey Street or their Sydney store at 9-15 Bayswater Road, Potts Point. Check out their website and Facebook page for more information.

Image: Tim Ireland for Darren Wong.