The dorayaki was created in 1914 by Usagiya bakery in Tokyo and originally had only one layer and was smaller, although today, dorayaki consists of two circular sponges filled with red bean paste called anko, forming a kind of sandwich.
In Japanese, dora means "gong", and this is probably the origin of the name, due to its circular appearance.
Among the basic ingredients of dorayaki are flour, sugar, egg, rice syrup, and baking soda.
There is a Japanese legend about the first dorayaki ever made, which tells of a samurai who forgot his gong at a peasant's house, and the peasant used it to fry fritters. This legend inspired the anime Doraemon, where one of the characters, specifically a blue cosmic cat, is obsessed with dorayaki and can be seen in several episodes eating them.
Although the traditional filling of dorayaki is anko, they can also be filled with jams, chopped fruits, chestnuts, or even chocolate and matcha tea for the more adventurous versions. Always, however, accompanied by a drink, as they are quite dry; Japanese people prefer tea with them.
By Ocdp - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27450732
