A box of Tan Da coconut cake with "all flavors" costs 60,000 VND - Photo: TU THANH
The bakery owner is Uncle Phat, a Chinese of Chaozhou origin. Back then, Uncle Phat often stopped at Tan Da Street until he sold out. "People got used to it and called it Tan Da coconut cake, and that eventually became the name of the shop," said Mr. Hoang, Uncle Phat's nephew.
Over the past 45 years, this simple cake has become a part of the memories of many generations of Saigon people, especially those who grew up in this bustling Chinatown.
Thanks to my brother-in-law, I made coconut cake.
The coconut cake making business was Uncle Phat's brother-in-law's, so he followed him to learn how to make it. At first, he was just a sales assistant, but when he got used to it, he pushed the cake cart himself around the alleys of Saigon.
The shop opened in 1980, starting with Uncle Phat's small cart - Photo: FBNV
Customers coming to the shop can choose between two types of shells, the golden-yellow egg shell and the eye-catching green pandan leaf shell.
The yellow shell is the traditional type since the beginning of the sale. Mr. Hoang said that every now and then, old customers ask again, they like to eat the traditional shell to remember the old taste. But nowadays, most of them prefer the pandan shell.
The cake has a light crispy crust and a soft, smooth inside with a fragrant egg and milk aroma. Take a bite and you will taste the richness of the cake mixed with the crunchiness of the coconut rice.
The shop still uses cast iron molds and charcoal stoves to make cakes just like 45 years ago - Video : TRUC NHI
In addition to the traditional coconut cake flavor, the shop also has four different fillings, including a "mixed flavor" variety. A six-piece loaf costs between 40,000 and 60,000 VND depending on the filling.
The cake used to be sweeter, but now it has been toned down a bit to suit diners' taste, but still retains the true flavor of Trieu Chau coconut cake.
Coconut durian has a rich and aromatic flavor, the ripe durian flavor blends with the rich coconut flavor. The peanut butter is slightly salty, making the sweetness of the coconut more balanced.
Coconut Ca De reminds me of the typical Chinese flavor, fatty and rich. The butter and sugar filling melts on the tip of the tongue, leaving a bit of sweetness like the sweetness of childhood.
On the Google Maps review page, Mr. Lai Huy, a long-time customer, left a comment: "Everyone has a time of youth! The smell of baked cakes, the fragrant smell of coconut mixed with the smell of butter, makes me feel like I'm back in a time of carefreeness."
Tuan Tran Anh also commented: "The coconut cake is delicious and soft, I like to eat a mix of everything and coconut - peanut butter. Each has its own unique delicious taste."
The whole family keeps the fire burning in the kitchen
Now that Uncle Phat is old, the job of making cakes has been passed down to his children and grandchildren. The whole family gathers around the kitchen, some mixing the dough, some baking the cakes, some melting the coconut.
"In a family of ten, six or seven people help make the cakes. Now each person has a hand, the cakes come out faster while still retaining the old flavor," said Mr. Hoang.
All the fillings are made by family members - Photo: TU THANH
Every morning, the whole family wakes up at 5am to start mixing the dough and letting it rest. At 7:30am, they light the coals, and at 8am, the first batch of cakes comes out of the oven, filling the whole street with their rich aroma.
The Tan Da coconut cake is not complicated, it is simply a mixture of flour, eggs, sugar, poured into a cast iron mold and baked over red-hot charcoal. But to make a delicious batch of cake is not easy, it requires meticulousness and a bit of professional "secret". Before baking, the mold must be heated on a charcoal stove, only then will the cake rise evenly and beautifully.
The freshly baked cake is fluffy and fragrant with pandan leaves - Photo: TU THANH
When the cake comes out of the oven, you need to carefully separate each piece from the mold and place it on a fan to cool down. "If you spread the filling while it's still hot, it will be delicious to eat right away, but if you leave it for too long, it will easily turn sour. Cool the cake to keep it longer for customers to take away," Mr. Hoang explained.
He also said that many people have been accustomed to eating it since then, and now they sometimes travel from far away to buy dozens of boxes at a time to eat gradually. Some people from abroad also stop by to buy it as gifts for relatives and friends to remember the delicious taste of their childhood.
Amidst the hustle and bustle of life, Tan Da coconut cake shop still exudes a familiar aroma, reminiscent of an old, slow and sincere Saigon.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/banh-dua-tan-da-mui-thom-goi-vi-xua-cham-rai-va-chan-thanh-20251107112258201.htm
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