A flaky, layered pastry from Taichung filled with sweet maltose caramel, its buttery crust shattering with each bite.
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.
Serves 12
Combine flour, softened butter, water and sugar, kneading until a smooth, elastic dough forms. Rest covered for 20 minutes.
Combine flour and softened butter for the oil dough, mixing just until a soft paste forms; do not overwork.
Mix maltose, powdered sugar, softened butter and toasted flour together until a thick, spreadable paste forms.
Wrap the oil dough inside the water dough, roll out, fold into thirds, and repeat rolling and folding twice more to build flaky layers.
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.
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.
Rest the doughs as directed between rolling steps — skipping the rests makes the dough tear and lose its distinct layers.
Toast the flour for the filling in a dry pan until lightly golden before mixing; raw flour tastes chalky in the finished filling.
Seal the filled dough completely; any gaps will leak filling and burn during baking.
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.
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.
Tai 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.
Golden syrup or light corn syrup are reasonable substitutes, though maltose gives a distinct, less overtly sweet caramel note.
The lamination (folding and rolling) steps likely weren't rested long enough between rolls, causing the layers to merge instead of staying distinct.
Yes, both doughs can be made a day ahead and refrigerated, but bring them to room temperature before laminating so they roll easily.
Per serving (70g / 2.5 oz) · 12 servings total
Ask our AI cooking assistant anything about this recipe — substitutions, techniques, scaling.
Chat with AI Chef →Join the conversation
Sign in to leave a comment and save your favourite recipes
Have feedback or need help?
We read every email and reply within 1–2 business days.
© 2026 MyCookingCalendar. All rights reserved.
