In many parts of Asia, noodles are so popular that most families have at least one noodle dish on the menu for everyday dining or even on special occasions. But we’re totally flabbergasted to learn that noodle cakes are actually a thing – and people are actually ordering this unique and rather strange cake for big events like weddings and birthdays!
It all started out when Tot Aw, short for “Totally Awesome”, started selling noodle cakes in Jakarta, Indonesia. The company had actually wanted to become a donut shop at first but with so many donut shops in the area, they decided to try something completely different from what everyone else is selling. It actually worked.
The company has found its calling on noodle-based cakes, and many people are actually ordering from their bizarre concoction because each creation looks delicious, carefully decorated, and totally unique! It seems that a lot of people simply want to have the cake displayed at their special event because of its novelty.
After all, most cakes look so similar these days – and having a noodle cake would certainly make your wedding or birthday the talk of the town. Plus, photos shared by Tot Aw do show that the cakes are ‘totally awesome’ just like their business name!
These unique noodle cakes range from creations that feature meat and seafoods (perfect for birthdays) to more elaborate ones decked with flowers and some delicious vegetables (perfect for weddings)!
Tot Aw revealed that each multi-tiered cake has around 14 to 17 packs of instant noodles per layer and could feed around 8-10 people. Inspiration for the cakes apparently came from the children’s lunchboxes in Indonesia after getting full-packed by Indonesian mums with so much Indomie noodles that the food takes a cake-like shape.
But they did not expect that their novel idea would actually go viral and become a popular choice for many buyers!
Right now, they still have a limited range of options but are looking into expanding soon.
“The first [topping] is taken from our spicy rice menu, such as shredded chicken, salted cuttlefish and meatballs. The second topping is beef cornet and melted cheese,” Tot Aw told UNILAD.
“We plan to make more Indonesian-flavored toppings such as chicken gulai [curry stew], opor [coconut milk stew] and rendang [beef simmered in coconut and spices]… we also have a noodle menu with cheese and chocolate toppings. So it’s really about food that is rarely found out there.”
What’s Instant Noodles?
Instant noodles are a prepacked, precooked noodle dish that is often sold in a plastic pack or cup. It can be cooked in just a matter of minutes and is a popular choice among those who are on a budget, including students. Instant noodles are also popular as relief goods for calamity-stricken areas.