Wife cake
Wife cake
Wife cake
Wife cake
FAQ Wife cake
Wife Cake, also known as "Lao Po Bing" (老婆餅) in Chinese, is a popular Chinese dessert that is particularly associated with Cantonese cuisine. With a rich history and a distinctive combination of flavors and textures, this cake is a true delight for food enthusiasts and dessert lovers.
Wife Cake derives its name from an ancient Chinese tradition where husbands would gift this delicacy to their wives as a symbol of affection and appreciation. The cakes are round in shape, symbolizing eternity and harmony in marriage. However, nowadays, Wife Cake is enjoyed not only by married couples but also by anyone who wants to experience its delightful blend of flavors.
The cake consists of a crispy, slightly crumbly outer layer and a sweet, chewy filling. The outer layer is made from a mixture of flour, water, and vegetable oil, kneaded into a smooth dough. This dough is then rolled out into thin layers and spread with a filling of lotus paste or a mixture of ground nuts, dried fruits, and sweet syrups. The filling is carefully wrapped and shaped within the dough to create the characteristic round cake.
The filling of Wife Cake varies depending on the region and personal preference. In Cantonese cuisine, lotus paste is often used, which is made from ground lotus seeds and has a creamy and mildly sweet texture. Other variations may include sesame paste, red bean paste, or even savory fillings such as meat or ham. Each filling imparts a unique taste and special touch to the cake.
Wife Cake is often served on special occasions such as the Chinese New Year, weddings, or family celebrations. It is also a popular souvenir for tourists who wish to take a piece of Chinese culture home with them. You can find and taste this delicate sweet treat in many bakeries and shops in China and other parts of the world.
The combination of crispy texture and sweet filling makes Wife Cake a truly distinctive flavor experience. With each bite, the chewy filling unfolds while the crispy layer provides a contrasting element. This interplay of textures and flavors makes Wife Cake a beloved dessert that appeals to both traditional and modern palates.
What is Wife's Cake
Wife’s cake is a traditional snack in Guangdong. It has a thin crust and thick filling. The filling is moist and soft and tastes sweet but not greasy. The superb texture of traditional wife’s cake comes from the layered layers of pastry that are as thin as cotton paper. To make this layering requires a little more patience. Separate the water and oil dough from the pastry and wrap it in the water and oil crust. Put it in the shortbread, press and fold it up again, repeating this many times, using the immiscibility of water and oil to create a crisp and distinct layering! As for the sweet filling, the traditional wife cake is packed with winter melon paste. The main ingredient in this improved formula is sesame, and the finished product is also very crisp and special.
Why does it called Wife's Cake
There are two theories about the origin of the wife’s cake. Legend has it that there was a loving and poor couple. Because the old father was seriously ill and the family had no money to heal, the daughter-in-law had to sell herself to the landlord’s house and earn money to treat the illness. Although the wife went out to work, the husband was not discouraged, and developed a delicious cake. At the end, it made money from selling cakes and redeemed his wife, and lived a happy life again. After this delicacy spread, people called this cake a wife cake. According to another legend, in ancient times, a poor couple, his wife turned winter melon into velvet and made fillings into round pie, and then took it to the market with her husband to sell it, which was very popular. Husband named this kind of cake to wife's cake.
Wai Wah Yung
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