Founded in the 1940s as a dim sum restaurant in Yuen Long, Hang Heung rose to fame with its innovative offering of wife cake, initially distributed to waiting guests. The overwhelming success of this novelty led the establishment to shift its focus from dim sum to baked goods, prompting the closure of its restaurant branch in 1980. Renowned for traditional wife cake and Cantonese pastries, Hang Heung’s flagship store in Yuen Long continues to be a local favourite. We visited one of their branches in Causeway Bay.

Wife cake, likely named after the spouse of Hang Heung’s dim sum cook who conceptualized the treat, features a thin-crusted pie filled with mashed candied winter melon. The puff pastry involves two distinct lard-based doughs intricately layered, while the filling — a mixture of ground candied winter melon, flour, and oil — is stir fried. The resulting blend is enveloped in the puff pastry and baked in the oven.

Wife Cake (10 HKD/2 AUD). It was approximately 7 cm in diameter and 1.5 cm in thickness. The pastry’s traditional preparation, employing two types of lard, was unmistakably evident upon tasting. The exceptional textural balance between the super flaky exterior crust and the gooey center was perfection. The top of the pastry had a subtle crispness, accentuated by the egg wash, while the center delivered a smooth, succulent sweetness derived from the winter melon, releasing its fragrance with each chew. Notably, the center was devoid of any unnecessary bulk from sesame seeds.

Peanut Wife Cake (10 HKD/2 AUD): Measuring about 5 cm in diameter and 1.5 cm in thickness, this variant incorporated crushed peanuts and peanut flour into the filling, providing a gentle crunch and a richer, more fragrant flavor that somewhat overpowered the wintermelon base.

Black Sesame Wife Cake (12 HKD/2.4 AUD): Similar in size to the Peanut Wife Cake, the black sesame version featured a striking pitch-black filling with a fine consistency. The black sesame imparted a warm nuttiness that complemented the mellow sweetness of the wintermelon base.

Pineapple Wife Cake (9 HKD/1.8 AUD): With dimensions akin to the previous wife cakes, this pastry incorporated pineapple juice into the filling. The mellow tropical pineapple flavour had a balanced sweetness and acidity, reminiscent of fresh pineapple, without overshadowing the wintermelon base.

Black Sesame Mochi Pastry (12 HKD/2.4 AUD): About 4 cm in diameter and 3 cm in width, these pastries shared the flaky quality of the wife cakes. Featuring a bean base instead of wintermelon, the black sesame centre was richer and bolder in nuttiness, complemented by the crunch of sesame seeds. The softness of the filling contrasted with the chewy mochi centre for a multi-dimensional texture.

Pandan Mochi Pastry (12 HKD/2.4 AUD): Similar to the black sesame version in size, this pastry featured a bean base that allowed the vibrant herby vanilla fragrance of pandan to shine through. The softness of the bean filling contrasted with the chewy mochi centre and flaky pastry exterior, creating an enjoyable treat.

After sampling the diverse array of wife cakes and mochi pastries at Hang Heung Bakery, we were thoroughly impressed by their unwavering dedication to traditional methods in crafting both the pastry and filling. This commitment was evident in the delightful textures and rich flavours that characterized each of their pastries.

Hang Heung Cake Shop is located at Shop 21, B2/F, Sogo, 555 Hennessy Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong.