Dorayaki Baked Red Bean Cake — TREAT

Munch or Dump rates Dorayaki Baked Red Bean Cake by Waraku Co. Ltd TREAT — score 45/90.

A traditional Japanese sweet — basically sugar, red bean, chestnut and honey between two little pancakes. Indulgent and sugar-heavy, but the ingredients are simple and recognizable.

Why this verdict

• Sugar is the #1 ingredient in the filling, with extra sugar, honey, trehalose and glucose syrup piled on
• Around 34g of sugar per serving — this is dessert, plain and simple
• Refined wheat flour base with little fiber or protein to balance it
• Ingredients are simple and traditional, no artificial colors or flavors

Ingredients (11)

• Chestnut Jam (sugar, red beans, sweetened chestnut) (moderate) — Real red bean and chestnut, but sugar is the first listed ingredient — it's a sweet jam more than a whole food.
• wheat flour (moderate) — Refined flour — fast carbs, little fibre, spikes blood sugar.
• Sugar (moderate) — Added sugar sitting ahead of cocoa; the main flavor driver here.
• Egg powder (safe) — Standard pancake ingredient, no concern.
• Rice Powder (safe) — Traditional ingredient for texture, neutral.
• Trehalose (moderate) — Yet another sugar used for texture and sweetness — fifth sweetener on the list.
• honey (moderate) — Natural but still concentrated sugar; another sweetener in an already sweet product.
• Sweet Cooking Rice (mirin) (moderate) — Sweetened cooking wine; contributes flavor and a little more sugar.
• glucose syrup (moderate) — A second refined sweetener used for the caramel character; fast-absorbing sugar with no nutritional value.
• Vegetable Oil (soybean and rapeseed) (moderate) — Refined oils; fine in small amounts but not nutritious.
• Baking (baking powder) (safe) — Standard leavening agent for the pancake.