For the past weeks, 26-year-old Tran Hong Diep has been selling Crocs-shaped cakes at her snack shop at 97 Pham Van Xao Street, Tan Phu District. She discovered the idea through social media clips from abroad.
"The Crocs shape looked so strange, I thought it would attract customers, so I ordered molds to start making and selling them," Diep said.
Each cake is about the size of a hand, decorated with stickers, and costs between VND30,000 and VND35,000 ($1.20 - $1.40) depending on the filling. According to Diep, the recipe is similar to the cheese coin cakes that were once a trend.
Having previously sold cheese coin cakes, Diep did not find the process difficult. The batter is simply made by mixing flour, sugar, eggs, and milk, then adding a cheese block into the mold before baking.
She has also experimented with other fillings like salted egg, corn, and pork floss, but cheese remains the main ingredient. When the shop is busy, they only offer the cheese version to save time and avoid mix-ups.
The cakes are baked at 180 degrees Celsius for about four minutes. The shop has two molds, each producing eight cakes per batch.
"The hardest part is timing it just right so the cakes come out golden and attractive without being undercooked inside or burned outside," Diep explained.
Once out of the oven, the cakes are trimmed to remove excess crumbs and topped with stickers. Each one weighs nearly 400 grams and can be kept for up to two days at room temperature.
"Customers should eat them while they are hot to enjoy the cheese texture and rich aroma. If they have cooled, it is best to reheat them before eating," Diep said.
Vi Quoc (L) bought a pair of the cakes for his four-year-old son.
"They're fragrant and not overly sweet, and the shape is what really appeals to kids," he said.
Seven-year-old Grayson from Canada was excited to try the crocs-shaped pastry with cheese.
She has been visiting Vietnam and discovered the cake through social media, prompting her mother to bring her to the shop.
Each day, the shop sells between 1,000 and 1,500 cakes, with most customers buying them in pairs. Due to the high demand, many people either place orders in advance or wait up to 30 minutes to get one.
The shop only offers takeaway, operates from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, and is located on a main road, making it easy to find.
The process of making the Croc-shaped cakes. Video by VnExpress/Quynh Tran
