Originally enjoyed by local gentry and given as gifts to friends and family, Sun Cakes have transcended their regional origins. Today, they are sold across Taiwan and have earned international recognition.

In 1982, Sun Cakes represented Taiwan at Japan's Confectionery Exposition. In 2005, then-Taichung Mayor Jason Hu carried them alongside pineapple cakes to the World Mayors Forum. Most recently, they appeared at the Taiwan 2024 Expo in Europe, held in Germany.

Taiwanese people joke: "Sun cakes contain no sun, just as wife cakes contain no wife." These solar-named treats actually evolved from butter shortcakes, also called pong bing or maltose cakes. According to local Taichung historians, the original butter shortcakes were too large; bakers gradually refined them into today's convenient small rounds.

Ticket Collectors Turned Saleswomen

Sun Cakes originated with the prominent Lin family of Shengang District in Taichung, who established their shop in 1855. Nearly a century later, in 1953, Lin clan member Lin Shao-song founded Tai Yang Tang bakery and bestowed upon the family confection its now-iconic name: Sun Cakes. Only then did these miniature maltose pastries truly capture the public's heart.

The 1950s proved pivotal. American servicemen stationed in Taiwan favored wheat-based foods, making pastries an ideal match. As Taiwan's transportation network expanded, female ticket collectors on trains and buses began promoting Sun Cakes as travel souvenirs to passengers. These delectable treats gradually became a nationally beloved specialty.

Sun Cakes combine all-purpose flour, cake flour, lard, butter, sugar, and maltose syrup. Modern bakers have developed innovative variations—from bubble tea flavors with chewy tapioca pearls to pineapple fillings that nod to another Taiwanese classic, pineapple cakes. These creations are now exported internationally, establishing Taichung's signature confection on the world stage.