Hue Cuisine: Top 10 Must-try Cakes of Hue

Hue specific cake, also known as Banh Hue, is a term for a wide variety of cakes that are made in the city of Hue, Vietnam. Hue is the former imperial capital of Vietnam, and its cuisine is known for its refinement and elegance. Hue cakes are typically made with rice flour and shrimp, and they come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and flavors.

1. Loc cake (Bánh Bột Lọc)

Loc Cake Hue is a Vietnamese traditional delicacy that originated in the Hue region of Vietnam. It is also known as “Banh Bot Loc” or “Banh Bot Loc Hue“. Loc Cake Hue has a unique taste and texture that makes it stand out from other Vietnamese desserts. It is made of thin layers of rice flour, coconut milk, and tapioca starch, with a filling of shrimp, pork, or beef, and flavored with spices and herbs. 

Loc Cake Hue has a unique taste and texture that makes it stand out from other Vietnamese desserts

In Hue, there are two types of banh bot loc: one without banana leaf wrapping and one that is wrapped in banana leaves. After mixing and kneading the flour, the shrimp and pork filling is added before being wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. Each cake must be translucent, with the flour not sticking or pooling in the leaves. The cake should also have a soft, chewy texture and a bold flavor from the shrimp and pork filling to meet the standard.

2. Hue water fern cake (Bánh Bèo)

These petite rice cakes are only the size of a silver dollar, but you’re guaranteed to want (at least) half a dozen once you taste them. Each bite is steamed in a small ceramic saucer, then topped with a sprinkle of dried shrimp, pork crackling, shallots, and scallion oil. A few drops of slightly sweetened fish sauce and you have the quintessential Huế snack. Don’t miss it.

Each bite is steamed in a small ceramic saucer, then topped with a sprinkle of dried shrimp, pork crackling, shallots, and scallion oil

3. Bánh nậm

Banh nam can be considered as both a snack but also a main dish. Bánh Nậm was at best when made from De rice – a tremendous kind of rice came from An Cuu village. People ground the rice into flour and poured water in, then cook until this flour turn glue.

The mixture is usually by the tiny shrimp caught from the river or from Tam Giang lagoon. That is a special type of shrimp making the cake tasty. Shrimps also need grinding into pieces, marinate with some seasoning, scallions then fry.

People use “lá dong” – a kind of thick, large green leaves from Hue garden house to wrap this local food. 

Photo by exostar.fr

Finally, steam the cakes for about 20 minutes and get a delicious local dish. You can eat cake with sweet and sour dipping sauce, adding a little green chili is the right taste of Hue. 

4. Bánh ram ít

The dish’s name comes from the fact that it combines two separate components: a steamed sticky rice dumpling (Banh It) on top and a fried sticky rice pancake (Banh Ram) on the bottom.

Photo by explorevietnam.com.vn

Huế is one of the few places where you can encounter this delightful dumpling. A fried sticky rice cake and soft, steamed rice cake are layered on each other into a small mound. The rice is the star of the show, but a few shreds of fresh and fried shrimp, shallots and crispy pork skin make the finishing touches.

5. Bánh ướt

Sometimes described as wet rice paper, bánh ướt is a soft, succulent sheet of fresh rice noodle. Huế cooks wrap it around a mix of aromatic herbs, crisp greens and grilled meat to make rolls. Get in there with your hands, and dip frequently into the spicy, garlic sauce on the side. 

Bánh ướt Huế 55 năm

6. Bánh ép (Pressed Cake)

Ep cake is made from finest flour and filling. As it name (Ep – press) Ep cake is cooked by pressing flour and filling by two pieces of aluminum patterns on hot coal stores.

Fillings are quite varied with eggs, meat, pate, and dried beef. Finest flour and fillings are respectively put into patterns and pressed. When cooked, Ep cake has a crispy outside and a chewy inside. The hissing sound and smell of this cake make you uncontrollable.

This dish is served with fragrant knotweed, sweet and sour salad, and cucumbers. Customers can choose already-made fish sauce or make themselves sauce with fish sauce, dried chilies and chili sauce. 

Ep cake is made from finest flour and filling

7. Bánh khoái

Photo by Vietnam.travel

Hope you’re not afraid of a little crunch. This pan-fried crepe is stuffed full with plump shrimp, quail egg, bean sprouts and pork belly. The batter gets its characteristic yellow colour by mixed turmeric powder with rice flour. Bánh khoái in Huế is always served with a fresh salad of figs, starfruit and cucumber to cut the grease, as well as a thick dipping sauce made from peanuts and pork liver. 

8. Bánh Cuốn tôm chua (Sour Shrimp Roll)

This dish is the perfect combination of royal cuisine and commoner cuisine. Sour shrimp rolls are not only a delicious dish but also sophisticated and delicate in every detail.

Sour shrimp roll is a Hue delicacy that is transformed from the original wet version but has Hue flavor and a sophisticated presentation. The main ingredients to make this dish include sour shrimp, boiled meat, wet cake, and green vegetables.

Sour shrimp is one of specialities of the old capital of Vietnam you must try when visit here.

The main ingredients to make this dish include sour shrimp, boiled meat, wet cake, and green vegetables

9. Bánh In (Traditional Vietnamese Snow-flaked Cake)

Photo by chus.vn

Keeping intact the traditional taste, Vietnamese Snow-flaked Cake from Moc Truly Hue has a colorful cover with a square and pretty shape. The cakes convey an idyllic traditional Tet but have added the excitement of colors in modern life.

Traditional Vietnamese Snow-flaked Cake has a natural sweetness and a delicious scent with Ingredients of Glutinous rice flour,  Mung bean powder, and sugar. Take a bite, sip some tea and enjoy the taste of sweetness in your mouth.

This product is also an ideal Vietnamese-style gift to your friends or loved ones.

10. Bánh đậu xanh trái cây (Fruit-shaped mung bean cake)

Fruit-shaped mung bean cake is one of the royal dishes which are used to be served to royalty, mandarins and the noble class.

Hue fruit-shaped mung bean cake is made from rustic materials such as mung bean, agar and natural colors. Having been soaked in water, mung bean is steamed and then ground. Ground mung bean and sugar are cooked together in a pan until they become a solid mixture. 

Photo by slowtravelhue.com

The amount of mung bean and sugar are properly measured, so that the paste will be easily shaped into little starfruit, chili, mango, etc. Then, fruit-shaped cakes are dried for 5-6 hours before being glazed with agar. 

Thanks to colors derived from fruits and vegetable such as carrot, turmeric, etc. Hue mung cakes have natural flavor and look hyper-realistic.

The standard product must have a glossy look. Once taste, people will suddenly fall in love with tiny beautiful mung bean cakes because of its amazing flavor.

Hue foods are not only famous for the way they are prepared but also for their meticulous decoration. Each dish is like a work of art with a sophisticated appearance, rich flavors, and substantial health benefits. If you are a gourmet, do not miss Hue, Vietnam on your food map.

Plan your trip right now and do not forget to obtain the Visa if you are required. Vietnam Amazing recommend you to use our experience and reliable Visa service at https://www.vietnam-evisa.org/. Let Vietnam Amazing prepare for your trip to Vietnam at the very first step!

*This above information is for reference purpose only

Source: Vietnam.travel