Can't resist food that's too pretty to eat? Okashi Gaku will have you in line for their vending machine cakes in quirky can packaging.
No prizes for guessing that it hails from Japan, the land of vending machines. A viral hit on social media when it launched there last year, these Instagrammable cakes will now be available in Singapore. Okashi Gaku has set up their first vending machine among the cluster of Japanese restaurants at Suntec City and will start operating on 16 September.
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
Okashi Gaku's canned cake vending machine concept was an innovative idea by GAKU, a dessert specialty brand founded in Hokkaido in 2006.
Each canned cake at the Suntec City machine is imported from Japan so you can expect the same authentic taste. The cakes are also handmade and replenished weekly.
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
It works like any other vending machine - simply make payment and select your choice of cake, and the can will be dispensed at the pick-up box.
Twist it open using the ring tab, grab the disposable dessert spoon and you're ready to enjoy your canned cake on the go. They can also be kept in the refrigerator for a week.
Their bestseller is the Shortcake Cans ($11.80), which has sliced fresh strawberries from Hokkaido strategically arranged around the can. This was very similar to the cream-heavy strawberry shortcakes in Japanese confectionaries. We liked that Okashi Gaku's rendition had a tangy and sweet punch with the strawberry puree and strawberry chunks, which kept it from being too one-dimensional.
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There's also a range of Fuwa Cans inspired by the Japanese term "fuwa fuwa" that's often used to describe fluffy and cloud-like food. Like its name suggests, these cans are filled with a light and airy combination of chiffon cake, cream, fruit jelly, fruit puree and fruit jam. The fruit jelly comes in round shapes which give the cakes a cute polka dot look.
The range includes classic flavours such as Strawberry ($9.80) and Mango & Passionfruit ($9.80) as well as three Singapore-exclusives.
Our favourite of the three was the Mango & Chocolate ($9.80). It had a sweet mango-infused cream and chocolate cream with chocolate chiffon cake and bits of nuts and berries giving it more flavour and texture.
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Next is Matcha ($8.80), a light, creamy matcha cake with a fruity twist.
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
Lastly is Tiramisu ($8.80), a light-flavoured cake with chunks of coffee jelly.
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
All four cakes we tried had a very high ratio of cream to chiffon cake, making them a tad heavy despite the light and refreshing flavours. The cream however, was fresh and of good quality, and each cake had a variety of textures and well-balanced flavours. They reminded us of Chateraise's cakes, so if you're fond of those, these canned cakes will be right up your alley.
Okashi Gaku is located at the entrance of Eat at Seven, #03-306/307 at Suntec City, North Wing, and will be operating from 16 September.
On a related note, uber-cool Californian ice cream brand Coolhaus has recently launched in Singapore.
