​Guilin Osmanthus Cake

Guilin Osmanthus Cake is a classic dessert that infuses the romance of the "Hometown of Osmanthus" into every bite. Made with glutinous rice flour and sticky rice flour as the base, it is mixed with white sugar and water to form a rice paste, then added with dried golden osmanthus petals and steamed in a mold over high heat. The freshly baked osmanthus cake is fluffy and soft, dotted with golden osmanthus petals on the surface, and exudes a fresh osmanthus fragrance when brought close. Taking a bite, the softness of the rice cake blends perfectly with the sweetness of osmanthus, with a delicate texture and a slight grainy sensation (from the osmanthus pieces), and the sweetness is just right, as if holding the tenderness of an entire autumn in your mouth. In traditional recipes, some shops add a layer of red bean paste or sesame filling to the cake for extra texture. On the autumn streets of Guilin, vendors pushing bamboo steamers can often be seen. When the lid is lifted, white steam mixed with osmanthus fragrance rushes out, often stopping foreigners in their tracks. They buy two pieces to eat while warm, experiencing the charm of the phrase, "Guilin's mountains and waters are the best under heaven, and osmanthus cakes fragrance fills every home."