Long County Flower Cake

Long County Flower Cake

　　A traditional snack from Long County. Made primarily with flour and steamed, it can be shaped into forms such as flowers, birds, and snakes. It is a customary treat enjoyed during the Double Ninth Festival in the Long County area of Shaanxi Province.

　　The craftsmanship involved in making the flower cake is extremely refined and detailed. The main part is a steamed bun made from wheat flour used as the filling, covered with well-risen outer dough, formed into a cone shape, and then embedded with walnut kernels, peanuts, and dates on the surface. Additional pieces of dough are hand-shaped into forms such as snakes, birds, and flowers, which are attached to the cone and then steamed in a basket. In addition, other dough figures such as scorpions, snakes, spiders, toads, birds, and flowers are crafted and decorated with food coloring before being steamed. The final product is vibrant and eye-catching. The finished flower cakes vary in size, but typically have a base diameter and height of around 33 centimeters. The largest ones may use between 1.5 to 4 kilograms of flour.

　　Features: The entire flower cake resembles a small hill, adorned from top to bottom with reds and greens, flowers and birds, all in adorable shapes. During the Double Ninth Festival, friends and family exchange flower cakes as a symbol of a bountiful harvest. The snakes, spiders, and toads on the cake represent the subjugation of the five noxious creatures, with the intention of driving away illness and praying for good health. The flowers are meant to convey wishes for joy and happiness for families and loved ones.