Yunnan flower cake

鲜花饼 (xiān huā bǐng)

As Yunnan's typical dessert, flower cake is a flaky pastry with edible Yunnan roses inside. There are various local bakery brands selling flower cakes, among which Jiahua Food is the most famous. Every April, local people stand in long queues for fresh flower cakes – a common scene across the province.

According to historical records, flower cakes were invented more than 300 years ago by a cake maker in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). They have gained wide reputation for their flowery flavor, agreeable sweetness and beneficial beauty effects.

The shelf life of flower cake varies from seven days to 45 days depending on the ingredients, and there are more than a dozen varieties of pastries on sale now. Some cakes even use other ingredients such as pine nuts and Yunnan's famous ham.