History

Pineapple cake traces to the Qing dynasty as a Chinese wedding cake but was modernised in Taiwan in the 1970s. Chia Te Bakery in Songshan, founded 1975 by Chen Tang-peng, won the inaugural Taipei Pineapple Cake Festival in 2006 with both original and cranberry versions. SunnyHills opened in 2009 using only Tu Feng native pineapple (no winter melon), and Wu Pao Chun expanded the format. The cake became Taipei's defining gift, packed into red-and-gold boxes for relatives back in mainland China.

Common allergens: Gluten, Egg, Milk

Make it at home

Yield Makes 16 cakesHands-on 45 minTotal 2 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 200g unsalted butter, softened
  • 60g caster sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 300g plain flour
  • 30g milk powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Filling: 200g pineapple jam (or 150g pineapple jam plus 50g winter-melon jam for the traditional ratio)
  • Egg wash: 1 egg yolk plus 1 teaspoon water

Method

  1. Beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, 3 minutes.
  2. Beat in egg yolk. Sift in flour, milk powder and salt; mix to a smooth dough.
  3. Divide dough into 16 pieces (about 20g each). Divide filling into 16 pieces (about 12g each).
  4. Flatten each dough piece, place filling in the centre, gather edges and pinch closed.
  5. Press each ball into a small rectangular mould or oblong shape (3cm by 4cm).
  6. Brush with egg wash. Bake at 170C for 18 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden brown on both sides.
  7. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Tip from the editors. The Chia Te ratio is more pineapple, the SunnyHills ratio is 100 percent pineapple. Winter melon is the traditional filler; it cuts the pineapple's acidity.

This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.

Where to eat pineapple cake

Pineapple cake in Taipei

Chia Te Bakery ★ 4.7

songshanDaily 08:30 to 20:30Walk-in onlyPineapple cakes and Taiwanese pastries

Chia Te Bakery has been baking pineapple cakes since 1975, winning the 2006 Taipei Pineapple Cake Festival's top prize and shipping global ever since.

Tip: Queue runs about 30 minutes. Pre-fill the order sheet in line. Cash and card.

Worth the queue: Original pineapple cake and cranberry pineapple cake

No. 88, Section 5, Nanjing East Road, Songshan District, Taipei City 105

Wu Pao Chun Taipei ★ 4.6

xinyiSun to Thu 11:00 to 22:00, Fri and Sat 11:00 to 22:30Walk-in onlyCompetition-winning European loaves

Wu Pao Chun's Taipei store sits in the basement of Eslite Spectrum Songyan, baking the 2008 Coupe du Monde and 2010 Bakery Masters champion loaves daily.

Tip: Champion breads sell out by mid-afternoon; arrive by 14:00 for full selection.

Worth the queue: Lychee Rose Royale bread and Red Wine Longan bread

B2F, Eslite Spectrum Songyan, No. 11, Songgao Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City 110

Kuo Yuan Ye ★ 4.3

shilinDaily 09:30 to 21:30Walk-in onlyChinese traditional pastry and mooncake

Kuo Yuan Ye in Shilin has been baking Chinese traditional pastries and mooncakes since 1867. Five generations on, the brand runs the Shilin museum flagship.

Tip: Open daily 09:30 to 21:30. The museum upstairs explains the four-generation pastry tradition.

Worth the queue: Lemon and red bean mooncake

No. 546, Section 5, Wenlin Road, Shilin District, Taipei City 111

More cities are in research. Want pineapple cake covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

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