Can you tell which of these are instant noodles and which are cakes from an amazing Tokyo bakery?

Sure, you’ll want to eat them all, but which ones are the desserts?

We’ve been fans of Japanese confectioner Maplise for a while now. The company has made a name for itself by crafting cakes that look like ramen, sashimi, or other delicious non-dessert foodstuffs, and its M.O. remains the same even after its recent rebranding as Sweets Paradise, which is also the name of a chain of all-you-can-eat dessert buffets run by Maplise’s parent company.

Maplise’s cake shops officially became Sweets Paradise branches on July 9, so we decided to go check out the new sign, and also two new treats.

Peering into the showcase, we saw what looked to be bowls of Akai Kitsune and Midori no Tanuki, the popular brands of udon and soba from instant noodle maker Maruchan.

However, Sweets Paradise strictly sells desserts, and what appeared at first glance to be bowls of noodles are broth actually cakes. Priced at 1,280 yen (US$12.40) each, we decided to pick up a pair for closer examination back at the office.

For comparison, we also bought actual packs of Akai Kitsune and Midori no Tanuki. The resemblance is astounding.

▼ Noodles on the left, cakes on the right

Each cake comes in a plastic container, just like the pre-packed noodles they’re based on. Their “lids” though are actually edible, as they’re made from thin slices of chocolate.

Inside, the Akai Kitsune cake features sweet substitutes for the fried tofu and fish cakes of the genuine article, and sitting atop the Midori no Tanuki is a confectionary copy of that dish’s tempura flakes.

▼ Again, real noodles on the left, cakes on the right

It’s pretty surreal just looking at the cakes, but the effect is amplified when you actually eat them. They make look like noodles, but being proper cakes, their texture and consistency is nothing like their udon and soba inspirations.

But while our eyes were may have been momentarily confused, our taste buds had no such problems. Both cakes taste great, and before we knew it we had four empty containers sitting in front of us.

Shop information
Sweets Paradise Cake Shop (Akiba branch) / スイーツパラダイス・ケーキショップヨドバシ (Akiba店 )
Address: Tokyo-to, Chiyoda-ku, Kanda Hanaoka-cho 1
東京都千代田区神田花岡町1
Open 9:30 a.m.-10 p.m.

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