Japanese company BAKE excels at creating buzzworthy desserts — three of its brands have now launched in Taiwan

Reported by Huang Shiyuan, Taipei

BAKE Inc. specializes in crafting trendy, conversation-starting desserts, particularly transforming beloved national sweets that appeal to all ages into flavorful treats through expert techniques, creative concepts, and stylish branding. The company has previously successfully launched dessert brands such as BAKE CHEESE TART and ZAKUZAKU stick puffs, both of which have already been introduced in Taiwan. The latest arrival, RAPL Pomp Ringo, inherits the DNA of a delicious apple pie from the long-established KINOTOYA bakery in Hokkaido. After 30 years of countless refinements, the seventh-generation version of the apple pie made its debut in 2016 under the name RINGO at BAKE Inc.'s first store in Ikebukuro, Tokyo.


▲The mousse filling of the Bake Cheese Tart is made by blending three types of cheese — Japanese cheeses from Hakodate and Bekkai, and a French salted cheese — in a carefully balanced ratio. (Photo / Reporter Huang Shiyuan)

Bake Cheese Tart
The renowned Hokkaido chain “Bake Cheese Tart” is bringing its ultra-popular cheese tarts to Taiwan, with the Taiwanese flagship store set to open on June 15. The first store in Taiwan will be located on the first floor of the New Taipei City South branch of Shin Kong Mitsukoshi. Since its establishment in Sapporo, Hokkaido, over 30 years ago, the store’s signature cheese tart combines two types of Hokkaido-produced cheese with one French variety, resulting in a unique flavor that the shop takes pride in. The production process is also meticulous: the tart shell is first baked until crisp like a cookie, then filled with cheese and baked a second time, and the tarts are freshly baked and sold every day.

Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Taipei Nanxi Store
Address: 1F, 15 Nanjing West Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei City

Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Taichung Zhonggang
Address: 1F, 301 Section 3, Taiwan Boulevard, Xitun District, Taichung City

Hanshin Dome Store
Address: B1, 777 Bo'ai 2nd Road, Zuoying District, Kaohsiung City


▲ZAKUZAKU stick puffs. (Photo / Reporter Huang Shiyuan)

ZAKUZAKU stick puffs
Originating from Hokkaido and selling 350,000 sticks per month, the wildly popular ZAKUZAKU stick puffs in Tokyo are known for their freshly filled custard cream, crispy-outside-and-smooth-inside texture, and distinctive stick-like shape that makes them perfect for street photography. Their delicious secret lies in the use of Hokkaido flour and fresh milk, with each puff baked fresh daily in-store and filled with custard sauce only after an order is placed. With each bite, you experience the crunch of almond bits, the slightly crisp outer shell, and the smooth custard filling.

Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Taipei Xinyi A11 Store
Address: 1F, 11 Songshou Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City

Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Taichung Zhonggang Store
Address: B1, 301 Section 3, Taiwan Boulevard, Xitun District, Taichung City

Hanshin Dome Kaohsiung Store
Address: B1, 777 Bo'ai 2nd Road, Zuoying District, Kaohsiung City

▲Custard apple pie with chunks of apple and custard filling wrapped in a crispy pastry crust. (Photo / Huang Shiyuan)

RAPL Pomp Ringo
Following the launches of BAKE CHEESE TART and ZAKUZAKU stick puffs, BAKE Inc. has brought another hit — the freshly baked custard apple pie specialty store “RAPL Pomp Ringo” — to Taiwan. This custard apple pie, with its crispy pastry shell encasing chunks of apple and custard filling, offers a delightful combination of flaky crust, sweet apple, and rich, creamy custard. In Japan, it achieved monthly sales of 250,000 units. The three standout features of RAPL Pomp Ringo are its 144-layer flaky crust, carefully selected apples from Aomori (still on the branch), domestically sourced apple chunks, and fresh milk custard filling.

Address: 1F, A8 Pavilion, Taipei Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Xinyi New World