Dowry cake facts for kids
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| Type | Sponge cake |
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| Place of origin | China |
| Dowry cake | |||||||||||
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| Traditional Chinese | 嫁女餅 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 嫁女饼 | ||||||||||
| Literal meaning | dowry girl cake | ||||||||||
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The Marry girl cake (also called dowry cake) is a special Chinese pastry. Long ago, it was an important gift in traditional Chinese wedding ceremonies. That's why it has the name "Marry girl cake."
Today, this cake is more of a classic Chinese treat. It is not mainly a wedding gift anymore. This is because traditions have changed over time. You can find these cakes in Hong Kong and in some Chinatowns around the world.
What is Marry Girl Cake?
This cake is usually a lightly sweetened sponge cake. It can come in many different shapes and looks. It is often quite large compared to most other pastries. The inside of the cake might be filled with lotus seed paste.
Why are Marry Girl Cakes Given?
The Marry girl cake is a traditional wedding gift. It comes from the Guangdong region of China. In the past, when a groom gave these cakes, it showed he was serious. It meant he respected the bride and her family.
After the engagement, the groom would send these cakes to the bride and her family. This special delivery was called gwo daai lai (過大禮). It officially sealed the engagement. The bride's family would then share the cakes. They gave them to their relatives and friends. This was a way to share their happiness. It also let everyone know the wedding was coming soon.
The cakes are usually given in groups of four, six, or eight. These numbers are considered lucky in Chinese culture.
The Story Behind the Cakes
The importance of Marry girl cakes comes from an old story. It happened during the time of the Three Kingdoms in China.
A leader named Liu Bei had borrowed a place called Jingzhou. He did not seem to want to give it back to its owner, Sun Quan. So, Sun Quan's advisor, Zhou Yu, came up with a plan. Sun Quan pretended to offer his recently widowed sister to Liu Bei as a wife. Liu Bei had to leave Jingzhou to go to Soochow for the wedding.
Liu Bei knew it was a trick. But when he arrived in Soochow, he told his soldiers to deliver cakes to Sun Quan. This act made Sun Quan accept the marriage alliance. From that time on, Chinese people started sending Marry girl cakes. It became a custom to share happiness with family and friends.
Different Kinds of Marry Girl Cakes
The sponge cake is not the only type of Marry girl cake. There are about 30 to 40 different kinds! They have different tastes and ingredients.
A newer cake has also appeared recently. It is called the great-grandmother cake (太婆餅). This cake is sent to show extra respect. It is given if the bride's grandparents are still alive.
Some popular types of these cakes include:
- Colorful preserved eggs pastry (五彩皮蛋酥)
- Duck egg lotus seed paste pastry (蛋黃蓮蓉酥)
- Red lotus seed paste pastry (紅綾蓮蓉酥)
- Yellow green bean paste pastry (黃綾荳蓉酥)
- Terminalia walnut pastry (欖仁合桃酥)
- Duck egg lotus seed paste cake (蛋黃蓮蓉雞蛋糕)
- Duck egg pastry (雞油蛋黃酥)
How a Red Lotus Seed Paste Pastry is Made
Let's look at how to make a red lotus seed paste pastry. This recipe makes eight pieces.
To make the outer "oil skin," you need:
- Solid vegetable oil: 15 g (1⁄2 oz)
- Flour: 70 g (2+1⁄2 oz)
- Syrup: 15 g (1⁄2 oz)
- Water: 30 g (1.1 oz)
- A little bit of food coloring.
For the "butter" part, you need:
- Flour: 90 g (3+1⁄4 oz)
- Solid vegetable oil: 55 g (1.9 oz)
Finally, for the filling, you will use:
- Lotus seed paste: 300 g (11 oz)
First, mix the ingredients for the oil skin. Then, mix the ingredients for the butter. Divide each mixture evenly into eight parts.
Next, flatten each piece of oil skin. Wrap a piece of the butter mixture inside. Use a long stick to roll it out. Turn it 90 degrees left and right. Then, fold it into three layers. Press it into a flat cake skin. Put the lotus seed paste filling inside. Shape it into a cake.
Finally, bake it in an oven for 25–30 minutes. The oven should be at 180 °C (356 °F).
Marry Girl Cakes Today
Even though Marry girl cakes have a long history, people still use them today. They are a symbol of "happiness." Families send these wedding cakes to relatives and close friends. This happens when there is a marriage.
Today, there are many different styles and flavors of Marry girl cakes. This shows how popular they still are. As mentioned, the new great-grandmother cake (太婆餅) is also a recent addition. If the bride's grandparents are still alive, the groom sends these cakes. It is a way to show extra good faith and respect.
See also
In Spanish: Jia nu bing para niños
