Jinling Sesame Cake

Jinling Sesame Cake

　　Jinling Sesame Cake

　　The sesame cake from Jinling Hui Ethnic Town in Linzi District is a unique local specialty. Unlike the thin and crispy sesame cakes in other areas, Jinling Sesame Cakes are larger and thicker. They preserve the original flavors of wheat and sesame, featuring a crispy yet chewy texture. During the Republican era, they were called a food that is “a small bite in the mouth, but a big chew.” Previously enjoyed as a treat to satisfy cravings or as a gift for relatives and friends, they are now a common breakfast staple for locals. With a long shelf life, easy portability, ability to keep you full, and rich aroma, Jinling Sesame Cakes are also an ideal travel food. They are not only very famous locally but have also been sold to other provinces and regions across the country.

　　Jinling Sesame Cake preserves traditional production techniques. The ingredients include flour, starter dough, sesame seeds, water, and salt. The process is divided into three main steps: kneading the dough, shaping, and baking, with most steps done manually from kneading to baking. Traditional starter dough is used for fermentation. Once the dough is properly fermented, it is divided into small pieces on the workbench, shaped into dough balls, and then pressed with water using hands to form thin pancakes. The pancake is then pressed onto a plate of sesame seeds to coat one side evenly. The sesame-coated side is placed face down, and a long-handled grass tool is used to stick the pancake onto the iron plate inside the oven. After about a minute, the cake is baked and ready.

　　Tools used for making the cakes include mixing bowls, workbenches, spatulas, cake sticking tools, ovens, as well as millet chaff or sawdust. The oven is built with bricks and mud, making it eco-friendly and durable. The furnace is located in the center with a diameter of about 1.5 units. A large iron plate is installed above it. Before baking the cakes, a thick layer of millet chaff or sawdust is placed under the furnace and lit to heat the iron plate. The prepared cake dough is then stuck onto the hot iron plate using the tool for baking. Originally, millet chaff was used as fuel, but now sawdust is more commonly used. To maintain baking temperature and hygiene, coal is not used as fuel.

　　The key to baking good sesame cakes lies in the dough preparation and the control of baking heat. Kneading is generally done by hand, and the ratio of flour to water must be appropriate—typically 10 jin of flour, 5 jin of water, and 2 liang of salt. A small amount of salt is added to the water to make the dough more elastic. The skill of kneading relies entirely on experience; the dough should neither be too hard nor too soft. If too hard, the cake dough won’t stick well to the iron plate, resulting in a hard texture and poor taste. If too soft, the baked cake may stick and be difficult to remove from the plate. Regarding baking, the fuel should be added in one go according to the amount of dough. During baking, the heat should be steady—not too fierce or too mild—to ensure the cakes are thoroughly cooked without burning. Mastering the right heat also comes with years of experience.