Top 5 famous Hoi An specialty cakes you must try

Hoi An, an ancient land of Quang Nam (now part of Da Nang City since July 1, 2025), is not only famous for its ancient town architecture but also attracts visitors with its rich cuisine. Besides famous savory dishes, this place is also famous for many traditional cakes with unique flavors. If you are wondering what to eat in Hoi An, discover the 5 Hoi An specialty cakes below - must-try delicacies when visiting this heritage land.

1. Hoi An green bean cake

Hoi An green bean cake (Photo source: Collected)

Different from the traditional version from Hai Duong , Hoi An green bean cake is memorable because of its lovely round shape, thin soft crust, and characteristic banana oil scent. The cake filling is made from mashed green beans, evenly simmered with sugar and vanilla, creating a sweet, slightly fatty taste without being greasy.

What makes this cake a unique Hoi An specialty is the salty filling variation - rich fatty meat filling, blending salty, sweet, and fatty flavors that are rarely found anywhere else. The cake is usually wrapped in colorful cellophane, packed into small trays - very convenient to buy as gifts after a trip .

2. Cake

Hoi An rice cake (Photo source: Collected)

Banh To is a traditional cake that is indispensable during the traditional Tet holiday of Quang Nam people, especially popular in Hoi An ancient town. The cake is made from delicious sticky rice, molasses and crushed fresh ginger, then steamed for many hours to achieve natural smoothness and characteristic shiny brown color.

Usually, Banh To is wrapped in green banana leaves, has a full round shape, symbolizing abundance and reunion. When enjoying, people often grill or lightly fry to make the outer layer crispy, while the inside still retains its softness and sweet taste, with a warm, spicy ginger aroma. Not only is it a dish reminiscent of the old Tet flavor, Banh To is also a Hoi An specialty with deep traditional cultural values, attracting many tourists to visit Hoi An.

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3. Banh it la gai

When talking about Hoi An specialties, we cannot ignore Banh It La Gai – a traditional cake that often appears in weddings, death anniversaries or longevity celebrations of the people here. The cake is made from sticky rice flour mixed with crushed Gai leaves, creating a characteristic shiny black color and a gentle aroma.

The filling is a delicate blend of soft-cooked mung beans and grated coconut simmered in sugar, bringing the sweet, fatty taste typical of Hoi An cuisine. Each cake is wrapped in banana leaves and steamed, when peeled off, it still has the aroma of sticky rice, ramie leaves and banana leaves.

Banh it la gai is not only a Hoi An delicacy but also a symbol of the ingenuity in preparing and preserving the traditional cuisine of the Central region of the ancient town's people.

4. Hoi An mango cake

Hoi An mango cake (Photo source: Collected)

Although it is called “mango cake”, the ingredients used to make this cake are completely unrelated to mango. Instead, the cake crust is made from roasted, finely ground sticky rice, creating a characteristic smoothness. Inside is a filling of crushed peanuts, mixed with sugar and fragrant roasted sesame. The cake is round and flat, with an ivory white outer layer, pressed thinly, looking very eye-catching.

Mango cake has long been a snack associated with the childhood memories of many generations of Hoi An people. Today, this traditional cake is still widely sold at local markets or Hoi An candy shops, a great choice for tourists looking for a Hoi An specialty that is both delicious and full of cultural significance. This is also a rustic but meaningful souvenir from the heritage land.

5. Phu The Cake

Phu The cake – also known as su se cake – is not a dish that is only available in Hoi An, but when passed through the skillful hands of the people of the old town, this cake has a very unique flavor. The clear, light and chewy cake crust is made from tapioca flour mixed with grapefruit flower water, creating a thin but delicate outer layer. The filling inside is a blend of sweet green beans and shredded coconut, both fatty and rich.

The unique highlight of the cake lies in the way it is wrapped: each cake is wrapped in dong or coconut leaves, forming a small square and tied with a red thread symbolizing the happiness of the couple. Not only is it a delicious dish of the old town, this Hoi An specialty is also a cultural symbol in traditional wedding ceremonies, expressing the graceful beauty and loyal spirit of the Vietnamese people.

Enjoying the rustic cakes in Hoi An is a great way to feel the sophistication in the cuisine here. If you have the opportunity to visit the ancient town, do not forget to try and bring back some specialty cakes as gifts for relatives.

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Source: https://www.vietravel.com/vn/am-thuc-kham-pha/mon-banh-dac-san-hoi-an-v17590.aspx