Sun Cake

Sun Cake (Simplified Chinese: 太阳饼; Traditional Chinese: 太陽餅; Pinyin: Tàiyáng bǐng) is a Taiwanese flaky pastry associated with Taichung, filled with sticky maltose (麦芽糖) sugar. Thin laminated layers shatter around a sweet, chewy center. It is a bakery souvenir staple, not Wife Cake (老婆饼, winter-melon paste) and not Pineapple Cake (凤梨酥), though all three are popular Taiwanese gift pastries..

Characteristics

Round, pale golden, and very flaky; filling is translucent sticky malt sugar that can pull in strands. Sweetness is high; best eaten fresh as layers soften with time.

Ingredients (overview)

Lard or shortening pastry dough (laminated), maltose syrup filling, flour, sugar. Distinct filling from winter-melon Wife Cake or pineapple Pineapple Cake.

History and culture

Taichung bakeries popularized sun cake as a regional specialty and tourist gift; commercial packaging is widespread across Taiwan. English menus say "sun cake" or "taiyang bing." Soft founding-shop legends vary by brand.

Serving and variations

Tea pastry, gift box, or bakery counter snack. See Taiwan Food, Pineapple Cake, and Wife Cake.

See also

• Taiwan Food
• Pineapple Cake
• Wife Cake
• Egg Tart
• List of dishes (A-Z)