Taiwanese Sun Cake (Tai Yang Bing)

About This Recipe

Taiwanese Sun Cake is a real, traditional Taiwanese dish, known as Tai Yang Bing. A flaky, layered pastry from Taichung filled with sweet maltose caramel, its buttery crust shattering with each bite.\n\nTai yang bing, or 'sun cake', originated in Taichung and is one of Taiwan's most famous souvenir pastries, its name reportedly inspired by the round, sun-like shape and golden color of the finished cake.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Taiwanese home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 12

• 150 gall-purpose flour(for the water dough)
• 50 gbutter(softened, for the water dough)
• 3 tbspwater(for the water dough)
• 1 tbspsugar(for the water dough)
• 120 gall-purpose flour(for the oil dough)
• 60 gbutter(softened, for the oil dough)
• 150 gmaltose or golden syrup(for the filling)
• 60 gpowdered sugar(for the filling)
• 30 gbutter(softened, for the filling)
• 40 gall-purpose flour(toasted, for the filling)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the water dough

   Combine flour, softened butter, water and sugar, kneading until a smooth, elastic dough forms. Rest covered for 20 minutes.

2. 2

   Make the oil dough

   Combine flour and softened butter for the oil dough, mixing just until a soft paste forms; do not overwork.

3. 3

   Make the filling

   Mix maltose, powdered sugar, softened butter and toasted flour together until a thick, spreadable paste forms.

4. 4

   Laminate the dough

   Wrap the oil dough inside the water dough, roll out, fold into thirds, and repeat rolling and folding twice more to build flaky layers.

5. 5

   Shape and fill

   Divide the laminated dough into 12 portions, flatten each into a small disc, and place a spoonful of filling in the center, sealing the edges completely.

6. 6

   Bake

   Flatten the filled dough gently into a round, place seam-side down on a lined tray, and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 20 minutes until pale golden with visible flaky layers on the sides.

Variations

• •

  A version with a slightly saltier, less sweet filling is popular for those who find the traditional filling too sugary.

• •

  Some bakeries add a touch of taro paste to the filling for a purple-tinted variation.

• •

  A mini version makes bite-sized cakes, popular for gifting in Taiwan.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions