A bakery on Sydney’s upper north shore has seen a surge in business after one of its cakes went viral on Chinese social media.
Du Plessy Pralin & Otello, located in West Pymble, now draws crowds daily, with queues out the door as hundreds rush to try the trending dessert.
The buzz began when a Chinese vlogger visited the award-winning Gumnut Patisserie in the Southern Highlands.
While returning to Sydney, he sat next to an older n woman who he offered some cake to.
She was not particularly impressed with the cake, and told him about a hidden gem bakery she had been visiting for decades.
Encouraged by his followers, the creator met up with the woman again, this time to visit the West Pymble bakery together.
When the bakery owner learned the vlogger had travelled so far to try their cake, he gave it to him for free.
The dessert, a chocolate mousse cake topped with delicate artwork of birds, has since gone viral, particularly among Chinese international students.
Officially named Japonaise, the cake features two layers of almond and hazelnut meringue with a light mousse of dark chocolate.
On Chinese social media, it’s been nicknamed the ‘old baby cake’, a playful reference to the n woman featured in the viral video.
The cake comes in four sizes, extra small for $50, small for $58, medium for $68, and large for $75.
Bakery owner Paul Adam, along with his family and staff, have been working overtime of late, even taking overnight shifts to meet the now skyrocketing demand.
They once produced 100 of the cakes per week, but that has now surged to 150 a day.
Du Pressy Pralin, the bakery behind the sensation, first opened in 1961 and was founded by Paul’s parents, Marcel and Martha.
The cake’s popularity has grown so much that shortages are expected once the owners busy themselves with making Easter chocolates.
The video creator, who revisited the bakery, spoke with the 64-year-old Paul and credited the video’s success not only to the cake but also to Paul’s ‘generosity,’ noting that he gave him a free cake.
Comments on the video have been largely positive, many praising the heartwarming story, though some were confused by the nickname ‘old baby cake.’
‘Old baby’ is a wild compliment,’ one person joked.
Others jumped in to defend Gumnut Patisserie, with one user saying their triple chocolate mousse cake was ‘pretty damn delicious.’