Intrigued, Wai Yi, who is a culinary arts graduate, approached his ex-college mate, Chew Yun, to explore the possibility of making a similar product.
The duo got down to researching everything they could about the potential venture, from the tools they would need to produce such a cake to the flavours they could concoct, and how to package their product.
Finally, in January this year, their company 3°Celcius Creations, launched its first two flavours: Opera Rocher and Double Berry.
“Although it was a challenging process, I was so excited because I wanted people to try something new,” Wai Yi, 30, told FMT.
The term ‘new’ is an apt word in this case as Wai Yi said with a laugh, explaining that some people have mistook their product for cat food!
Soon the duo roped in Wai Yi’s younger brother, Wai Ming as their business partner. Wai Ming handles the marketing while Wai Yi and Chew Yun make all the cakes.
Over the next couple of months, they introduced four more flavours: Ondeh Ondeh, Brown Sugar Jujube, Basque Original Cheesecake, and Basque Matcha Cheesecake.
So, what makes their cakes unique apart from the novelty of eating it out of a can?
“It’s portable and very convenient – customers can bring it everywhere, even when camping and on picnic trips. Because we seal each can, it can also preserve the freshness longer than a normal sliced cake,” Wai Yi explained.
All their cakes are best consumed within three days and stored in a refrigerator.
“The suitable temperature to store our cakes is 3°C – hence the name of our business! However, customers can store it in the freezer if they want to keep it for two or three weeks,” he added.
The cakes are sold in sets of two and four for RM49.90 and RM89.90 respectively. Alternatively, customers can purchase all six flavours for RM132. The cakes are packed in an attractive box, making them suitable as gifts.
“We use premium and imported ingredients to make our cakes. For example, our butter, cream, and chocolate come from France. We also do not use any preservatives,” Wai Yi said, explaining the price points.
It is also worth noting that there are at least seven layers in their Opera Rocher, Double Berry, Ondeh Ondeh and Brown Sugar Jujube cakes – made up of a biscuit base, chiffon sponge cake, and various flavours of mousse and toppings.
“It is not an easy process to assemble each can. We included more layers because we wanted our customers to have a more enjoyable experience as they enjoy the combination of the crumbly biscuit base, soft sponge cake, and creamy mousse,” he shared.
In the future, Wai Yi said they hoped to expand their presence in more retail stores. “After all, we want as many people as possible to enjoy our cakes.”
Tasting notes
The FMT team tried these sweet treats recently. The Double Berry is delectable – each forkful is an exquisite combination of soft vanilla sponge and flavourful raspberry mousse. It comes with a crumbly and buttery Sable (or French butter cookie) base.
Meanwhile, the Basque Original Cheesecake is rich, and creamy – perfect to be enjoyed with a steaming cup of coffee. The Basque Matcha Cheesecake is a delicious alternative to the original flavour. The taste of the matcha isn’t overpowering, making each bite a pleasant one.
And how does it feel to enjoy these cakes out of a can? It was certainly a unique and interesting experience. At the end of the day, a good cake is a good cake – whether it is served on a plate or in a can!
Apart from purchasing the cakes online, those in Penang can head over to Olo Studio to buy them. The trio are also collaborating with Ijo Matcha, where an exclusive flavour – Matcha Onde Onde – is available in their outlets at Cyberjaya and Ampang until July 31.
Learn more about 3°Celcius Creations and how to place your orders on Instagram and Facebook.