Song Gao

Song Gao (Simplified Chinese: 松糕; Traditional Chinese: 鬆糕; Pinyin: Sōng gāo; Shanghainese-related "loose/fluffy cake") is a steamed Jiangnan rice-flour snack whose name points to a soft, porous, pine-like crumb. Versions associated with Ningbo, Shanghai, and Wenzhou mix rice flour with glutinous rice flour and sugar, sometimes with red-bean paste, dates, osmanthus, or sesame. It is not Cantonese Ma Lai Gao (马来糕 / Malay sponge cake), not sticky New Year Nian Gao, and not Fa Gao (发糕), though all are steamed cakes in a broad sense.

Characteristics

Pale, airy crumb with gentle chew; lightly sweet; toppings may include osmanthus, sesame, or dates; sold in rounds, molds, or cut wedges.

Ingredients (overview)

Rice flour, glutinous rice flour, sugar, water; optional red bean, osmanthus, sesame, dates. Overview only.

History and culture

Jiangnan snack with local shop lineages (including well-known Wenzhou/Ningbo names in popular writing). Soft single-inventor claims are commercial folklore. English food writing says "song gao," "songgao," or "fluffy rice cake." See Zhejiang Food, Shanghai Food, and Osmanthus Cake.

Serving and variations

Tea snack, breakfast sweet, or festive pastry. See Ma Lai Gao, Fa Gao, Nian Gao, and Osmanthus Cake.

See also

• Ma Lai Gao
• Fa Gao
• Nian Gao
• Osmanthus Cake
• Zhejiang Food
• Shanghai Food
• List of dishes (A-Z)