Kinako powder is a type of Japanese roasted soybean powder that is a standard topping for Japanese sweets like mochi.

Mizu Shingen Mochi served on banana leaf, with Kinako powder and Kuromitsu | Image from Instagram Kinako powder It is also worth mentioning that agar is odourless and tasteless, which is why the flavours do come from the toppings.Īs for the toppings, the ingredients needed are kinako powder and kuromitsu. Some bubble tea shops would also use agar jelly as a low-calorie boba topping.įor the raindrop cake recipe, the powdered form is used. In Asia, it is widely used to make various desserts such as puddings or custards. It is a healthier and vegetarian alternative to gelatin, which is from animal sources.Īgar comes in different forms - powder, bar, strips, among others. Agar-agarĪgar-agar (or simply, agar) is fibre that’s derived from seaweed, specifically red algae. Filtered water can also be used but might result in a cloudy-looking cake. It will result in a crystal-clear water cake. Since not all of us can easily buy water from those mountains, the next best thing to use is mineral water. What’s special about this water is its naturally slightly sweet taste, which can be tasted in the Japanese raindrop cake. If you live in Japan and have access to water from the Akaishi Mountains (otherwise known as the Southern Alps of Japan), that’s perfect! That is exactly the water used by the dessert shop. There are only two ingredients needed for the water cake - water and agar-agar. As it is light and refreshing, it makes for a perfect summer dessert, which is also when it is available. The dessert shop in Japan is credited for introducing mizu shingen mochi substituted glutinous rice flour with agar-agar, making it healthier and lower-calorie. You might be surprised to hear that simply speaking, raindrop cake itself contains almost zero calories! Its calories come from the toppings or fillings, which we will get into in the later sections of this post. It is light, refreshing, and melts in your mouth! How many calories does it contain? Or what that was just us? This fun dessert will take you back to childhood and make you feel like you’re eating raindrops. If you’ve ever played out in the rain when you were kids, you’ve probably also tried eating raindrops. However, the toppings (or the fillings) are what give it its flavour. What does Raindrop Cake taste like?īy itself, raindrop cake does not have any flavour. What has stayed the same are the typical toppings served with this dessert, which are a sprinkling of kinako powder and a drizzle of kuromitsu. We will use these names interchangeably in this article. It is also more commonly known as mizu shingen mochi, which literally means water cake.

Sakura Mizu Shingen Mochi | Image from Instagram It is now a transparent and crystal-looking sphere and is made with agar-agar instead of glutinous rice flour. The current version that we know can be considered an evolution from its traditional form. This became a festive food to eat during Obon in Japan.Īs time passed, locals in Hakushu-cho, Hokuto City decided to incorporate the region's fresh spring water into this dessert. They were originally made as a type of emergency food by Shingen Takeda, a Sengoku Daimyo. It has a soft texture and chewy consistency. Traditionally, these are popular rice cakes from Japan’s Yamanashi Prefecture that are made from glutinous rice flour and sugar. The earliest form of this delicacy is a Japanese mochi called Shingen mochi. Raindrop Cake | Japanese Mizu Shingen Mochi.We’ll even show you different ways to level up this classic recipe. We will also share a traditional Japanese raindrop cake recipe you can easily recreate at home. If you have ever wondered how this dessert of Japanese origin is made, or have been curious as to its different variations, you have come to the right article. Traditional Mizu Shingen Mochi | Image from Instagram

Raindrop cake ingredient