Fa gao, also called fat pan (發粄) by the Hakka, prosperity cake, fortune cake, Cantonese sponge cake, is a Chinese steamed, cupcake-like pastry. Because it is often characterized by a split top when cooked, it is often referred as Chinese smiling steamed cake or blooming flowers. It is commonly consumed on the Chinese new year. It is also eaten on other festivals, wedding, and funerals by the Hakka people.

Symbolism

The name of cake, fagao, is a homonym for "cake which expands" and "prosperity cake" as "fa" means both "prosperity" and "expand" and "gao" means "cake". The Hakka call the "top split" of the fa ban "xiao", which means smiling. It is said to be a sign of a coming fortune: the bigger the "top split", the better.

Preparation

The cake is made of flour (usually rice flour), leavening (traditionally yeast, but can be chemical leavening), sugar or another sweetener; it is then steamed (instead of baked) on high heat until the top splits into a characteristic "split top" of four segments, or sometimes 3 sections. The batter is typically left to rest for fermentation prior to being steam-cooked. These cakes, when used to encourage prosperity in the new year, are often dyed bright colours. The most common colours traditionally are white and pink, but it can also be turned brown by adding palm sugar.

Influences in Asia

Singapore

Chinese Singaporeans use fa gao as offerings during ancestral worship.

Influences outside Asia

Mauritius

In Mauritius, the fa gao is known as "poutou chinois" (lit. 'Chinese puttu') or "poutou rouge" (lit. 'red puttu' in French). It is called "pot pan" (發粄/发粄; fa ban) by the Mauritians of Hakka descent. Fa gao in Mauritius is typically pink in colour, and it is eaten on Chinese New Year. However, it is actually sold and eaten all year long.

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