Pineapple Cake

Pineapple Cake

　　A Famous Local Delicacy from the Treasure Island / Taiwan Specialty Exclusive

　　Pineapple cake has been around since the Three Kingdoms period, but it wasn’t until 60 years ago in Taichung City that it was innovated into what it is today. This time, the efforts of local pastry makers aim to position pineapple cake as the “signature souvenir of Taiwan,” but it’s essential to remember that its birthplace is Taichung City and should not be replaced by other counties or cities.

　　Ma Ying-jeou said that while pineapple cakes can be found all over Taiwan, those from Taichung are especially famous. The pineapple filling is made from fresh pineapples purchased daily and prepared on-site, attracting many foreign visitors. The crust is prized for being flaky and naturally buttery, while the filling offers a satisfying chew, is sweet without being cloying, and carries the natural aroma of fresh pineapple.

　　　The Origin of Pineapple Cake There’s a joke that explains the origin of pineapple cake: who would win in a fight between chocolate and pineapple? The answer is chocolate, because chocolate is “strong” (棒, bàng), and pineapple loses—hence it’s also called “pineapple cake” (凤梨酥, fènglí sū). Of course, this is just a joke meant to bring a smile. The more commonly heard story goes that during the Three Kingdoms period (220–280 AD), when Liu Bei used betrothal pastries to welcome Sun Quan’s sister as his bride, one of the varieties in the wedding pastry set was a large cake filled with pineapple. In Taiwanese wedding customs, there are six flavors of betrothal pastries representing the “Six Etiquettes,” and one of them is pineapple. In Taiwanese Hokkien, pineapple is also pronounced “wang lai” (旺來), symbolizing prosperity and the coming of many descendants. Moreover, pineapple is commonly used as an offering in Taiwanese worship rituals for its meaning of “prosperity” and “coming in abundance,” making it very popular among the public. Early versions of the pineapple bridal cake were too large for most people to afford. Nearly a hundred years ago, a pastry chef named Yan Ping from Taichung County often carried his homemade “Dragon-Phoenix Cakes” around Taichung to sell. The original “Dragon Cake” was a large round cake filled with meat, while the similarly sized “Phoenix Cake” had pineapple as its filling. Because of their auspicious symbolism, Dragon-Phoenix Cakes were considered indispensable for engagements and weddings. Later, Chef Yan Ping refined the recipe, shrinking the Phoenix Cake down to delicate little pastries weighing about 25 to 100 grams each—and thus, pineapple cake was born.

　　　　Taiwan not only produces a lot of pineapples, but in local custom, pineapples also carry the auspicious meaning of “prosperity” (旺來, wàng lái, the Hokkien pronunciation of pineapple). Because of this, this little dessert has remained wildly popular in Taiwan for over sixty years.

　　　　The filling of pineapple cake isn’t just pure pineapple. For texture purposes, winter melon is usually added, and this flavor has already become the norm for most people. In recent years, with the rise of health trends, you can find various flavors of pineapple cake in Taipei markets, including those with grains, pine nuts, egg yolk, chestnuts, and more. The crust has also been modified with ingredients like oats, adding more diverse textures. Some producers have even switched to other fruits for the filling, inventing varieties such as melon cake, plum cake, and plum-cake.

　　　　Later, it evolved further into a modern “pineapple cake” that combines Western-style pastry crust with traditional Chinese pineapple filling. With its flaky, melt-in-your-mouth crust and sweet-yet-not-greasy pineapple filling, this “East-meets-West” pineapple cake has even earned praise from Westerners, gradually becoming one of the favorite souvenirs for foreign tourists visiting Taiwan. There are slight differences in flavor between pineapple cake and phoenix cake: pineapple cake has a sweet filling, while phoenix cake features a sweet-and-savory taste—with some versions adding salted egg yolk to the pineapple and winter melon filling for an even better flavor.