Food - Drink
What Makes An Asian Fruit Cream Cake Unique?
By HOPE NGO
East Asian-style fruit cream cake is a light sponge cake smothered in what looks like copious amounts of whipped cream and decorated and/or filled with fruit. It is a traditional go-to dessert served at many occasions, including birthdays, wedding anniversaries, and even Christmas in the case of Japan and Korea.
Most fruit cream cakes — which are said to have gained popularity in the 60's — start with a sponge cake or chiffon cake. Instead of a typical icing, the cake is often smothered with what Eater calls "a vegetable oil base similar to Cool Whip instead of heavier traditional whipping cream," but other recipes call for actual whipping cream.
Regardless of this type of cake's origins, the most unique quality of this dessert is that it isn't too heavy or sweet, especially compared to Western-style cakes. As Baker Polly Chan explained on Instagram, "In Asian culture, we celebrate with light cakes for birthdays or events as we usually eat/prepare so much food for mains!”