Gongting Cake

The storefront of Gongting Cake carries a faint, sweet scent of honey and roasted flour into the street, marked by a sign that dates back to the reign of the Guangxu Emperor in the Qing Dynasty. This bakery began as a small stall serving imperial officials, specializing in pastries that required precise, labor-intensive preparation. A master baker once spent three days perfecting a single batch of walnut cakes to satisfy a high-ranking visitor, setting a standard for the kitchen that still defines their process.