Suncake (Taiwan)

Suncake
Alternative namesTaiyang bing
TypePancake
CourseDessert
Place of originTaichung, Taiwan
Created byLin family
Main ingredientsMaltose
Food energy
(per serving)
460 kcal (1926 kJ)
Suncake
Traditional Chinese太陽餅
Simplified Chinese太阳饼
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyintàiyángbǐng
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutpingtaai3 joeng4 beng2
Southern Min
Hokkien POJthài-iông-piáⁿ

A suncake, or taiyang bing, is a popular Taiwanese dessert originally from the city of Taichung, in central Taiwan. The typical fillings consist of maltose (condensed malt sugar), and they are usually sold in special gift boxes as souvenirs for visitors. Some famous suncake pastry shops always have long lines of people waiting to buy boxed suncakes.

Suncakes are round, and they may vary in size. They are characterized by flaky crusts. Most people eat them with tea, and some people dissolve them in hot water to make a porridge-like dessert.

Origin

The first suncakes were made by the Lin family in the Shekou area of Shengang Township, Taichung County (now part of Taichung City). The Lin family used condensed malt sugar as a filling for cake pastries. Later, pastry maker Wei Qing-hai modified the cakes to their current form.[1]

Though not originally called "suncakes", they were given the name by the owner of "Sun Booth",[2] one of the most famous pastry shops that sells them. The name was not trademarked, and other pastry shops have used the same name for their own suncakes.

See also

References

  1. ^ "全安堂台灣太陽餅博物館 - 首頁". www.sunnycake.tw.
  2. ^ Ricky, Hsu. "台中名產,太陽餅,太陽堂老店,台中太陽餅,創始店,太陽餅老店25號,太陽堂太陽餅純手工製作,太陽餅DIY,太陽餅文物館─純手工打造,台中市自由路二段 25 號". 台中市中區自由路2段25號.