King’s Legendary Paradise Cake

You probably know about King’s Hawaiian Bread from their sweet fluffy little buns. You might even know that their factory is here in Torrance, which is also home to two King’s Restaurant and Bakeries. Some of the food is pretty good, especially the chicken katsu and kalua pork. But what really puts these bakeries on the map is their three-layer Paradise Cake.

The founder of King’s in Hawaii, Robert Taira, came up with the Paradise Cake after founding his bakery in Hilo during the 1950s. During the 70s, Taira started production in Torrance, and opened the first restaurant on Sepulveda in 1988. In 2012 the smaller Local Place Bakery & Café was opened right next to the factory.

The Paradise is a chiffon cake boasting three layers, each with its own tropical flavor — guava (pink), passion fruit (yellow), and lime (green). The layers are filled with whipped cream, and the top is decorated with guava, passion fruit and lime nectar glaze. The chiffon cake is lighter than sponge cake, and lightly sweetened, unlike many sugary Hawaiian delicacies. The fruit flavors meld together perfectly, but it is also fun to eat each layer separately because it makes you feel like a little kid. If all of that isn’t enough to blow your mind, King’s also serves a Tropical Cheesecake with the same three layers. So get your sweet, fluffy little buns down there.

All photos by Elise Thompson for the LA Beat