Western-style Cakes, Coated with Japanese Culture

Why all the Japanese people don't get fat with these beautiful cakes that taste too good?  That was a question a friend of mine from Australia asked me when she visited Japan for the first time.

Well, not only tasting good, but also there is a unique culture regarding western-style cakes in Japan that is not seen in western countries.

Here are some of the most popular cakes in Japan:

Christmas cake, or shortcake

Short cakes from Éclat des jours pâtisserie Official,
Toyo-cho, Tokyo

You might have noticed that advertisements of 'Christmas cakes' have started to appear this month. In Japan, Christmas cakes mostly refer to shortcakes, meaning sponge cakes covered with whipped cream and topped with fresh strawberries.

When I spent the holiday season in a western country for the first time, I was shocked to learn that they do not have the custom to eat Christmas cakes, namely shortcakes.

In Japan, Christmas cake is a must for celebrating Christmas. They are mostly consumed on the Christmas Eve. (By the way, young Japanese people tend to think that the Christmas Eve is a romantic day and should be spend with their boyfriend or girlfriend, not with their family)

Therefore, on the Christmas day, most stores start selling the unsold Christmas cakes with reduced price.

Mont Blanc

Mont Blanc from Isozaki,
Monzen-nakacho & Hamacho,
Tokyo

Mont Blanc is a cake of sweetened chestnuts. In Japanese cuisines, it's important to use seasonal ingredients in various dishes. Cakes are no exception, even if it originated in France.

That's why Mont Blancs are especially popular in autumn, the season of chestnuts. During this season, pastry chefs are keen to create their original Mont Blancs using domestically produced chestnuts.

Green tea cakes

Green tea cake from SAKURA,
Toyosu, Tokyo

If you still want some Japanese touch, try green tea, or maccha cakes.

Green tea is popular ingredient of Japanese traditional and non-traditional desserts, not to mention the maccha ice cream, favorite dessert of the tennis superstar, Naomi Osaka.


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(by Seiko)