Thai Fragrant Pastry Fruit Cake Introduction
On Xin Hua Old Street, there are several well-known shops, among which the most famous is Thai Aroma Confectionery (No. 431, Zhongzheng Road). This shop is renowned for its fruit cakes made with glutinous rice flour and filled with sweet potatoes, orange juice, and malt syrup, as well as its postpartum biscuits spread with brown sugar and malt syrup. These two signature items feature a thin, crispy exterior with a moderate level of sweetness in the filling, offering a delightful taste that you won't find elsewhere. It’s definitely worth a try. The shop, operating in a Baroque-style building for over 60 years, is currently run by the second generation (the first generation was managed by an uncle). The fruit cakes are also known as "town cakes" and were originally referred to as "water cakes." The origin of water cakes: In the Xin Hua District, locals would put together red steamed buns to honor the deities to celebrate the birth of a son on one of several designated days the following year, but as red steamed buns don't have a long shelf life, they eventually transitioned to fruit cakes.
