Cicheng Printed Rice Cake

Cicheng Printed Rice Cake

　　Cicheng Printed Rice Cake is a specialty of Cicheng Town, Jiangbei District, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province. The filling of the “Printed Rice Cake” is made by mixing and kneading roasted soybean flour, rice flour, pine pollen, sesame seeds, and other ingredients.

　　Cicheng Printed Rice Cake has a long history and is one of Cicheng’s famous “Three Kinds of Molds” (New Year Cake Mold, Printed Cake Mold, and Golden Tuan Mold). Making these cakes is not just about everyday consumption, but also plays an important role in various folk activities such as weddings, funerals, ancestral worship, spring outings, and traditional festivals. The ingredients for the cakes are mostly sourced locally—pine pollen, rice flour, and soybean flour are blended with sweet syrup, sprinkled with a bit of sesame, and then mixed together. The mixture is then pressed and smoothed into molds, and after a few taps on the mold, the “miniature reliefs” pop out. Floral and fruit patterns are exquisitely lifelike, animal designs are exaggerated and stylized, while human figures are vividly realistic, resembling scenes from daily life. These printed cakes are sweet without being greasy, rich in nutrients and easy to digest, making them a healthy treat.

　　Cicheng Printed Rice Cake embodies a rich and gradually fading folk culture, reflecting the simple yet heartfelt aspirations of generations of common people for a better life.