Raindrop Cake

by KetoFocus.com

Rain drop cakes are a unique, translucent dessert that mimics the appearance of a fallen raindrop. Using sugar free sweetener, these delicate cakes are low in calories and carbohydrates and can be customized with various flavor, colors, creams, or even encapsulate edible flowers for a truly spectacular mini cake.

The raindrop cake is a visually stunning dessert. Its translucent appearance mirrors a perfect raindrop. It has a similar texture to a panna cotta or jello salad but instead of using gelatin, agar powder is used. This raindrop cake recipe is an adaption of the traditional Japanese dessert boosting a creamy vanilla flavor that is sugar-free making this cake low calorie and low carb!

Clear raindrop cakes next to a bunch of colorful edible flowers.

Vanilla isn’t the only flavor that can be used, you can adapt the flavor by adding different flavoring extracts. Instead of a clear translucent raindrop, heavy whipping cream or coconut cream can be added along with food coloring to create different opaque colors. Housing edible flowers within the clear cake creates a ethereal, blooming raindrop effect.

Enjoy with a dollop of whipped cream and with only taking about 10 minutes of effort and 30 minutes of chill time, you’ll be ready to dive into this refreshing creation whenever you fill like a treat!

The macros above are calculated for the clear, non-cream based cake. It is for one raindrop cake. If you choose to include cream to two-thirds of you cakes, your macros for each cream raindrop cake is:

Calories: 80
Fat: 8g
Total Carbs: 6.8g
Net Carbs: 0.8g
Protein: 0.2g

What is a raindrop cake

A Raindrop Cake is a clear, jelly-like cake traditionally made from mineral water and agar, a gelatin-like substance that comes from seaweed.  This Japanese dessert is also known as Mizu Shingen Mochi. It was originally developed to highlight the regions’ pure, high quality water.

The cake is visually striking due to its translucency and delicate form, resembling a large droplet of water or a raindrop. It is traditionally served with a sweet syrup, like kuromitsu (black sugar syrup), and kinako (roasted soybean powder) on the side.

This raindrop cake recipe is far from traditional. Tap water is used instead of mineral water (although you could still use mineral water). The kuromitsu and soybean powder are also omitted. Cream, flavoring and food coloring are added for a fun variation.

 

What does a raindrop cake taste like?

Raindrop cakes have a mild flavor. This cake is slightly vanilla flavored although you can add any flavoring extract (lemon, cherry, etc) to achieve other flavors. Traditional Japanese raindrop cakes are also mildly flavored and get most of their flavor from the sugar syrup and soybean powder served on the side.

Raindrop Cakes Recipe Video

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Raindrop Cake Ingredients

Raindrop Cake Directions

  • Raindrop Cake
  • Four clear raindrop cakes filled with edible flowers surrounding flowers.

    How to make a rain drop cake

    This recipe is an adaption to other raindrop cakes you may see that traditionally uses soybean powder or a sugar syrup.

    1. Boil water, agar powder and sugar free sweetener.
    2. Stir in vanilla extract and more water.
    3. Divide the mixture into 2-3 bowls if making opaque colored raindrops. Keep one bowl clear. To the other bowls, add heavy cream or coconut cream and food coloring.
    4. Pour mixtures into silicone molds. Add edible flowers if using.
    5. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set.

    To get a crystal clear raindrop cake

    You may notice that my raindrop cakes aren’t as crystal clear as others. Again this recipe is meant to be a quick, easy adaptation to the traditional Japanese cake.

    If you want to achieve a crystal clear see through raindrop cake, here are some tips:

    • Use quality water: The raindrop cakes of Japan use water from the Southern Alps of Japan. This water will be free of cloudy sediment which might be present in tap water.
    • Dissolve Agar powder fully: Ensure the agar powder is fully dissolved by slowly adding it to the pot of water while stirring. This will prevent clumpy. Any undissolved agar can cause a cloudy appearance. If you get clumps or your mixture is still cloudy, try straining the mixture through a cheesecloth or fine mesh sieve.
    • Use cool agar powder: Some chefs have found that using cool agar agar, which is readily available in Japan but hard to source in the United States, seems to work better for getting a perfectly transulcent cake. The cool agar comes from mix of carrageenan and locust bean gum
    • Use less agar: Experiment with using less agar powder. You need just enough to set the gel cakes without them falling apart.

    What is agar agar powder?

    Agar agar (or agar powder for short) is a gelling agent often used in Asian cuisines and many other gel-like desserts like jellies, puddings and custards.

    It is odorless, tasteless, and becomes gelatinous when dissolved in water, heated then cooled. It is a go-to vegan alternative to gelatin, which is derived from animal collagen.

    A green gel-like cake topped with whipped cream, sprinkles and edible flowers.

    Toppings

    Traditional Mizu Shingen Mochi is topped a special syrup and served with something special on the side.

    • Black sugar syrup: Also called kuromitsu or black honey, this is a thick dark brown syrup made from caramelizing black sugar and water. Obviously black sugar is not sugar-free.
    • Soybean powder: Also called kinako, this is a flour made from roasted soybeans. It’s naturally low in carbs so you could serve with dusted on your jelly cake. Many describe it as having a nutty flavor similar to peanut butter.

    Non-traditional topping you might try:

    Storage information

    Store leftover raindrop cakes in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To help keep their shapes and protect them, store them within the molds.

    These cakes do not freeze well since they are gel-like.

    Raindrop Cake: FAQS

    What types of flowers are edible?

    It's best to purchase edible flowers from a source on-line (on etsy) or at the grocery store, rather than picking flowers from your garden. Not all flowers are edible. Some types of edible flowers include citrus blossom, daisies, dandelions, hibiscus, lavender, lilac, mums, pansies, roses, sunflowers and violets.

    Can I use molds of different shapes and sizes?

    Yes! Any size or shape of mold can be used. The molds recommended in this raindrop cake recipe are used because the finished product is the ideal size for a portion controlled cake.

    How can I make this recipe vegan or dairy free?

    Agar powder is made from algae, so it is safe to consume if following a vegan lifestyle. The heavy cream can be substituted for coconut cream or coconut milk to make this recipe dairy free and vegan.

    Can I substitute gelatin for agar powder?

    Yes, you can substitute gelatin for agar powder as long as you aren't trying to achieve a crystal clear raindrop since gelatin can give a murky, cloudy gel. The texture won't be as delicate either.

    Nutritional information & Macros

    Nutrition Information

    Raindrop Cake

    Servings: 10

    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 48
    Fat 4.8g
    Protein 0.2g
    Total Carbs 6.6g
    Net Carbs 0.2g

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    2 Comments

    1. Raindrop Cake
      How do you calculate to 0.2 net carbs? I don’t see any fiber content listed. Are the edible flowers calculated to all fiber?
      Thank you
      Curious

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