定胜糕Jiangnan Victory Cake: A Magical Pastry That Brings Good Luck! A Must-Try Auspicious Snack for Foreign Travelers
Imagine soft pink, plum-blossom-shaped cakes emitting a gentle aroma of rice. Tear open the fluffy pastry, and the sweet red bean filling bursts forth like a delightful surprise. With one bite, the chewy sweetness delivers not just flavor, but good wishes and blessings—this isn’t just any rice cake, it’s a “lucky charm” for diners! If you think food is only for filling your stomach, this small pastry will show you the beautiful meanings hidden in Chinese cuisine.
1. Origin and History
Victory Cake (Dingsheng Gao) dates back to the Southern Song Dynasty in Hangzhou. Legend has it that when General Yue Fei led troops to resist the Jin invaders, local villagers made these cakes to encourage the soldiers, symbolizing “certain victory.” After eating them, the soldiers’ morale soared, and victories followed. Since then, these auspicious cakes have been passed down in Jiangnan, traditionally eaten before exams, weddings, and business openings, with a history of over 800 years.
2. Cultural Significance
For Jiangnan locals, Victory Cake represents “the taste of success” and emotional blessings. Students eat it before exams for academic success, newlyweds for marital happiness, and merchants for prosperous businesses. This pastry exemplifies the Chinese tradition of “expressing emotions through food”, turning a simple dessert into a carrier of good fortune.
3. Ingredients
Key ingredients include glutinous rice flour and japonica rice flour (blended for a soft texture), red bean paste (smooth and sweet), and natural coloring (traditionally red yeast rice for pink hues). The unique wooden molds, engraved with the Chinese characters for “Victory,” ensure each cake carries a blessing.
4. Preparation
The secret lies in sifting and steaming. Rice flour is finely sifted into molds, filled with red bean paste, topped with another layer of flour, smoothed, and steamed. Timing is crucial—over-steaming collapses the cake, under-steaming leaves it undercooked. Skilled pastry chefs ensure perfect texture.
5. Flavor and Texture
The first bite delivers the delicate fragrance of rice, followed by the sweet, chewy red bean paste. The cake is soft yet firm, and the filling is sweet but not cloying. The combination of warm rice aroma and bean flavor highlights the authentic taste of the ingredients.
6. How to Eat
Best enjoyed with Longjing tea or Jasmine tea. Locals savor it during important occasions, pairing bites of cake with sips of tea to balance sweetness and enjoy a leisurely, blessed moment. Cold, the cake is chewy; warm, it’s soft and tender—both delicious.
7. Where to Try
Found at historic pastry shops in Hangzhou, Suzhou, and Shanghai. Recommended spots: Hangzhou Zhiweiguan and Suzhou Huang Tianyuan (5–10 RMB per piece). When ordering, say “one Victory Cake.” For freshly steamed, ask for “hot,” or for chilled, ask for “cold.”
8. Traveler Tips
In English, it’s called “Victory Cake” or “Dingsheng Gao.” Take a moment to admire the “Victory” characters on the cake for its cultural significance. This is a vegetarian-friendly dessert, containing no animal products.
Fun Home Experiment
Try making it at home: mix glutinous rice flour and regular flour in a 2:1 ratio, add beet juice for coloring, fill with red bean paste, and steam for 15 minutes. While not as refined as the historic shops, you’ll still enjoy the taste of auspicious blessings.
As you stroll through Jiangnan’s ancient towns, spot the pink, plum-blossom-shaped cakes in pastry shops and be sure to try one. Victory Cake isn’t just a dessert—it’s a beautiful wish in edible form, showing that even in eating, the Chinese seek good fortune. Add it to your “must-eat in China” list—next time in Jiangnan, find this lucky pastry and let its sweetness become one of your most cherished travel memories! Remember: without tasting Victory Cake, you haven’t truly experienced China’s culture of auspicious food.
