Baodou Cake

Baodou Cake

　　In Huanggang Town, Raoping County, there is a type of cake called Baodou Cake, which is unique in the world. It has an octagonal, square shape resembling the dice used in gambling, hence its name. The ingredients are exquisitely and meticulously selected. The crust is made from lard or soybean oil mixed with refined flour, while the filling consists of mashed mung beans (or mung bean paste), combined with oil, white sugar, candied winter melon, diced winter melon, scallion oil, and borneol. These ingredients are mashed together, then placed in a jar, sealed, and refrigerated. They are stored for some time before being used. This Baodou Cake is soft, sweet, and cool in taste, does not stick to the teeth, and is not greasy—making it extremely delicious. It has remained popular both domestically and internationally. Many overseas Chinese and compatriots from Hong Kong and Macau often purchase it out of admiration, contributing to its enduring popularity.

　　 Why is the cake made into an octagonal, square shape resembling gambling dice? It is said that in the old days, there was a family in Huanggang whose husband lost all his money and became destitute. With poverty came low spirits, and he became disheartened, either drinking alone or sleeping all day. His wife, a clever and thoughtful woman, wanted to inspire him to cheer up. So she made several cakes shaped like dice using flour, white sugar, mung beans, and other ingredients, and gave them to her husband to eat. She said, “I made these dice-shaped cakes from flour. They’re for looking at and for eating. Try them and see how they taste.” After tasting, the husband praised them repeatedly: “So delicious, so delicious!” Seizing the opportunity, his wife suggested, “Since they’re so good, why not open a cake shop specializing in making and selling Baodou Cakes? You might even make money. Consider your past gambling losses as a lesson—use the money to learn a lesson. If the business goes well in the future, you can earn the money back.” The husband found her advice reasonable and decided to focus on making Baodou Cakes. After some time, his business flourished. Through continuous improvements, the Baodou Cake became a renowned and famous product. During the Anti-Japanese War, Wu Chengquan, the owner of a dried fruit shop in Huanggang, opened a dried fruit and pastry store in Shantou. He hired this master of Baodou Cake-making to work as a chef in Shantou, producing Baodou Cakes exclusively. The cakes sold very well and enjoyed great popularity for a time.

　　 Nowadays, there is still an individual Baodou Cake shop named “Colorful Fragrance” on Dingwei Road in Huanggang Town. The Baodou Cakes produced there are in such high demand that customers must place orders one day in advance, and it’s common to see people lining up to buy them. The shop only sells limited quantities—each person is allowed to buy just two packages per visit, with six pieces in each package, totaling 12 pieces. The shop closes at 4 p.m. every day as a rule, possibly to maintain the brand’s reputation and ensure quality. The production techniques used by this shop were learned from the earlier master mentioned above.