Written/Reported by Lee Hsin-yi
Pineapple cakes have gradually become a representative Taiwanese souvenir. Modern pineapple cakes emphasize healthiness, no longer using winter melon as the filling but instead opting for locally grown Taiwanese pineapples. Tainan’s Guanmiao, the hometown of pineapples, held its first pineapple cake competition last year, with 28 local businesses participating. This year, Guanmiao has once again issued a challenge, inviting pineapple cake experts from across the nation to compete. Yesterday (19th), at the promotional event, many pineapple cake makers from Guanmiao participated. When asked about the unique features of their pineapple cakes, the consistent answer from local producers was that they are made with 100% local pineapples, offering a hint of the fruit’s natural tartness and flesh. The flavor and standards of pineapple cakes today are no longer the overly sweet, winter melon-mimicking versions of the past.
Guanmiao in Tainan challenges pineapple cake experts nationwide. The pineapple cake competition opens for registration on April 25. (Photo by Travel Site Lee Hsin-yi)
This pineapple cake competition will be held from May 5 to May 13 in Guanmiao, the hometown of pineapples. Registration runs from April 25 to May 5. The competition is divided into two main categories: Traditional and Creative. Last year’s champion, Baohsing Wei, used No. 3 local pineapples and traditional handmade cooking methods. In addition to the original flavor, they also offered sesame, whole wheat, roselle, matcha, and rose variations. Meanwhile, the “Duling Feng Shao” that won the Best Online Popularity Award also used No. 3 local pineapples, concentrating the essence of the fruit into the filling by simmering 13 pounds of pineapples down to just one pound of jam.
Pineapple cakes made with local pineapples have a richer aroma, tangy yet not cloying. (Photo by Travel Site Lee Hsin-yi)
Besides traditional flavors, some businesses in Tainan have introduced “pineapple pastry cakes,” for which they hold an exclusive patent. The pineapple filling is sandwiched between layers of flaky crust, resulting in a less sweet taste with a distinct crust flavor, quite different from traditional pineapple cakes. This year, a first-time participant, “Yibaifen,” focuses on health-conscious ingredients—not only replacing flour with rice bran but also incorporating multi-grain elements into the dough, along with a filling made from roselle and flaxseeds simmered with pineapple.
In addition to the pineapple cake competition, the “2012 Tainan Pineapple & Bamboo Shoot Festival & Taiwan Pineapple Cake Competition” will feature evaluations of pineapples, bamboo shoots, and creative dishes on May 5 and 6. On May 12, at the “Pineapple & Bamboo Shoot Feast & Mother’s Day Awards Evening” at Guanmiao District’s Shanxi Temple Plaza, the public can reserve tables at NT$4,000 per table. For details, call 06-595-2626.
● Read more: Welcoming Chinese tourists, Hualien’s first pineapple cake specialty store opens
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