[CLOSED] Original Cake: The Mother of all castella cake bakeries, sets up shop in Singapore
![[CLOSED] Original Cake: The Mother of all castella cake bakeries, sets up shop in Singapore](https://hungrygowhere.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/HGW-Original-Cake.png)
ANOTHER castella cake store? was what went through our mind when we caught wind of Taiwanese castella cake chain Original Cake opening its first outlet here in Westgate in Jurong.
Pardon our exhaustion, but in this year alone, four castella cake franchises have already opened in Singapore.
Yet Original Cake is not just any other ordinary castella cake bakery.
They opened in 2011 in the Tamsui district of Taiwan, and claim to be the first bakery specialising in the confection.
On its opening day on 23 September, queues started as early as 5.45am — not surprising, since the chain announced that it would give away 800 free original-flavour cakes on that day.
Original Cake joins the ranks of similar shops such as Le Castella in Tampines One and Ah Mah Homemade cake, which has stores in Bukit Panjang Plaza and Vivo City, in fueling the craze for castella cake. They do not take orders for now, but there is barely any additional waiting time once you get to the front of the queue.
I visited the shop after lunch on a Wednesday afternoon, and could smell the aroma of the baking cakes from a couple of shops away. The queue wasn’t as long as I expected, with just 17 people (yes I counted!) in front of me. Each block of cake is good for up to eight people, and the freshly baked cakes are usually meticulously sliced and packaged in front of eager customers.
The cakes came piping hot, and I was advised to let the cakes cool down before closing the box lids, to prevent the cakes from turning soggy. What surprised me was how long they could stay warm for, outlasting the 35-minute train ride back. The cakes also keep for up to 3 days from the night of purchase, if you store them in the fridge.
We finally got to tasting the incredibly fluffy cakes, which came in three flavours. For those who love their eggs, the Original Cake($11.50), is best. You can smell the eggy fragrance even from a distance, and once you put the cake into your mouth, the flavour just hits you.
The Golden Cheese($13.50) flavour is pretty unique, and the sight of the cheddar cheese oozing out of the cake center is enough to make your stomach grumble. The cheese also adds a savoury kick to the mildly sweet sponge, without being overly heavy on the palate.
The Frozen Chocolate Cake, which is the most expensive of the three at $16.50, seemed less popular as compared to the other two. It was also my least favourite, because I felt like the Hershey chocolate chips just didn’t meld as well with the chocolate sponge. It was also pretty dense, and I couldn’t stomach more than two slices of it without feeling full.
Overall, the cakes tasted better than I thought they would, and the light, fluffy texture of the cakes held up even after being placed in the air-conditioned office. If you’re in the area, the store is worth checking out if you have time to spare, but I wouldn’t wait more than an hour for it.
