Starbucks Japan’s new cake Frappuccino brings sunshine to our taste buds

Cheerful new limited-edition beverage parts the clouds on a rainy day.

With the rainy season starting to set in around Japan, the skies have been gloomier than usual, but over at Starbucks the sun is shining with the arrival of the summery Setouchi Lemon Cake Frappuccino.

This new limited-edition beverage blends milk and cream with lemon sauce, peels and cake bits made with lemons sourced from Setouchi, Japan’s premier lemon-producing region.

Our resident Starbucks expert K. Masami lined up as soon as the Frappuccino went on sale on 31 May, and rather than try the drink as is, she decided to ask the barista for their recommended customisation. He told her she would be completely satisfied with the mix without any customisation, but he did say that almond milk pairs particularly well with it, so that’s what she ordered.

▼ Behold, the Setouchi Lemon Cake Frappuccino with almond milk

The bright yellow topping on this drink was incredibly summery, with lemon icing sauce and lemon-flavoured pearl sugar designed to recreate the taste of a cake topping.

Stirring the drink revealed the thick and creamy base was interspersed with small bits of crushed cake, and when Masami tried it all together, she was surprised to find it tasted incredibly sweet.

She’d been expecting the tartness of the lemon to dominate the flavour profile, but instead, she found that the sweetness of the cake and icing shone through. The lemon was still there, though, especially in the topping, but instead of swaying everything over to the tart side, it played a harmonious accompaniment in the background, adding a delightful fruity freshness to the mix.

The almond milk helped to add a bittersweet taste to the lemon and cream, and by the end of the drink, Masami found herself feeling fuller than usual, which she figured must’ve been due to the cake pieces adding extra body to the beverage.

The only thing she regretted about her visit was the fact that she’d forgotten to bring a tumbler from home with her. Customers who do bring their own tumbler to Starbucks can enjoy a 55-yen (US$0.40) discount on their drinks, instead of the usual 22-yen discount, as part of a special “Tumbler Club” promotion being held until 30 June.

▼“We are Tumbler Club. We are Tumblers!”

The Setouchi Lemon Cake Frappuccino is available in a tall size only, priced at 678 yen for takeout or 690 yen for dine-in customers, so a 55-yen discount would certainly sweeten the deal.

It’s only on the menu for a limited time while stocks last, though, so if you’d like to escape the grey skies and enjoy a taste of sunshine, be sure to stop by the chain sooner rather than later!

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