Brown sugar cake
 | |
| Alternative names | oo-thn̂g-kué, Hēitáng Gāo |
|---|---|
| Type | dessert |
| Place of origin | Taiwan |
| Region or state | Penghu County |
| Serving temperature | Cold |
| Main ingredients | brown sugar, water, low-gluten flour, and tapioca starch |
| Brown sugar cake | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 黑糖糕 | ||||||||||
| Literal meaning | brown sugar cake | ||||||||||
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Brown sugar cake (Chinese: 黑糖糕; pinyin: hēitáng gāo; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: oo-thn̂g-kué) is a traditional Taiwanese steamed sponge cake made primarily from brown sugar, water, low-gluten flour, and tapioca starch. It originates from Penghu, Taiwan, and is recognised as one of the nation's signature desserts and souvenir treats.[1]
Overview
[edit]Soft, moist, and subtly sweet, Brown sugar cake is typically made using a mixture of brown sugar, flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, baking soda, and white sesame seeds. It has a rich, caramel-like aroma and a Q texture due to the steaming process and the use of tapioca starch. Originally circular in shape, the modern iteration is usually square or rectangular and sold in neatly cut pieces, particularly for convenience in packaging and transport as a souvenir.[2]
The cake was traditionally prepared during festive occasions, temple festivals, or for ancestral offerings. Over time, especially since the rise of domestic tourism in Taiwan, its popularity spread, and it is now commonly sold in bakeries and specialty stores across Taiwan.[3]
Historical Origins
[edit]Brown Sugar Cake traces its origins to the Japanese colonial period (1895–1945). The dish is believed to have been developed from Fukure-Gashi (ふくれ菓子), a traditional steamed brown sugar cake from Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The adapted version was introduced by Chen Ke-chang (陳克昌), a local baker from Magong City, who studied Japanese confectionery-making techniques.[4]
During the colonial era, a Japanese-owned bakery called Suiyuedō (水月堂) in Magong employed both Japanese and local apprentices, including Chen. Chen learned traditional Japanese and Okinawan baking methods through collaboration with neighbouring bakers, including Ryukyuan artisans at a nearby bakery named Maruhachi (丸八). After the defeat of Japan in World War II, Japanese residents left Taiwan, and Chen established his own bakery, Yuejintang (月進堂), where he refined and localised the Okinawan-style brown sugar cake to better match Taiwanese tastes.
Variations
[edit]Originally steamed in round bowls using Japanese-style steamers, the cake was soft and moist, with a deep molasses flavour. In the 1990s, the cake's shape was adapted to rectangular blocks to better suit the growing souvenir trade, leading to its current form.
In recent years, Penghu’s brown sugar cake industry has embraced innovation while preserving traditional methods. One notable example is a well-known local baker who, despite suffering from severe vision loss, pioneered several new developments in black sugar cake production. Among these innovations is the use of microcrystalline freezing technology, which significantly extends the cake’s shelf life and flavor stability to up to six months when stored frozen. This advancement makes it easier to ship the cakes over long distances while retaining their signature taste and texture. Additionally, the same baker has experimented with fusion flavors, incorporating Western ingredients such as fruits, dark chocolate and cheese into the traditional brown sugar cake.[5] These variations are designed to appeal to a broader audience, including younger consumers and tourists. When heated in a microwave, these new versions develop a softer and chewier texture, enhancing the overall sensory experience. These creative adaptations were strategically released in time for the Lunar New Year season, catering to the festive market demand.[6]
See also
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References
[edit]- ^ 郭諭儒 (2025-01-09). "澎湖黑糖糕揚名 奪國際風味絕佳獎章" (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Central News Agency (Taiwan).
- ^ "黑糖糕奇蹟 日創200萬產值" (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Epoch Times. 2011-02-11.
- ^ 陳可文 (2020-04-20). "澎湖黑糖糕 放1個月也好吃" (in Chinese (Taiwan)). China Times.
- ^ 黃莉芸; 林文鎮 (2000-01-01). 澎湖產業文化誌－傳統糕餅 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Taiwan: Department of Culture, Penghu County Government. ISBN 9789570277319.
- ^ 劉禹慶 (2024-02-05). "澎湖黑糖糕2.0版再進化 愛戀的滋味入口爆漿迎新春" (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Liberty Times.
- ^ 許逸民 (2024-02-05). "不受視力退化侷限 鄭龍蛟開發創新黑糖糕口味再升級" (in Chinese (Taiwan)). China Times.
External links
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