The Raindrop Cake NYC's Newest Cult Dessert

All it takes is one innovator to make a lot of noise, even in a city like New York. This was exactly the case for Darren Wong, a digital marketer who very successfully brought a Japanese food trend to New York City. We all know that New Yorkers love a new dessert, and the Raindrop Cake garnered immediate popularity in April 2016 for its unusual appearance. We spoke with Mr. Wong about this new culinary trend, which has since become a cult favorite.
Darren Wong is not a chef by trade; rather, his fascination with food is rooted in his childhood and associated with notions of family and comfort. Mr. Wong’s father was a baker, and his mother would often prepare a traditional jelly dessert called anmitsu. His interest in Japanese cuisine comes from the simplicity of the fare, featuring uncomplicated, fresh ingredients, and presented in an aesthetically pleasing manner.

So how did this digital marketer wind up in the food trade? ‘I have a passion for coming up with fun, playful ways for people to connect. For example, I run a massive Nerf game called ‘Game of Foams’ at the agency I work at. I noticed the cakes a year ago, and they caught my attention. They looked like a really cool and fun food experience. When I discovered you couldn’t get them in the United States, I went to work in making it myself,’ Wong told The Culture Trip.

When he discovered the cake on a trip to Japan in 2015, he made it his mission to bring it to New York. He searched through online food forums to learn how others have prepared the dessert, and experimented with different ingredients and methods until he perfected the dish to his liking. ‘The hardest part is not in the cooking of it…[but] trying to figure out how to store and transport something so fragile. That entails… packaging each individual cake separately in its own protective cocoon until it’s ready to be served.’

The cakes are often served on small, wooden planks, and accompanied by a pool of syrup. As for the taste, Mr. Wong compares the flavor, unsurprisingly, to that of a raindrop. ‘The cake itself is very mild and very much about the delicate texture that melts in your mouth. Together with the toppings it has a strong sweet flavor of molasses and roasted nutty flavor.’

Right now, Wong is focusing on selling the cakes at Smorgasburg, while exploring further opportunities. For updates and more information, visit @Raindropcake on Instagram, and like them on Facebook.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.