Banh day (roll cakes) made in the Mekong Delta’s Tra Vinh Province

With all natural ingredients, these two traditional cakes from the south combine sweet and savory flavors.

The provinces of Tra Vinh and Soc Trang are well-known for making the delectable treats.

The pipe cake consists of rice flour, refined sugar, coconut flesh, juice and salt.

To make pipe cakes, the ingredients are mixed together to create a dough. The dough is then stuffed into bamboo or metal pipes about 20 centimeters in length and three centimeters wide. Next, the pipes are covered with tin lids and steamed in a saucepan.

When the cakes are well-cooked, they are removed from the pipes and placed on green banana leaves.

Nowadays, many people also use the juice from the leaves of dua thom (Pandanus amaryllifolius) plant. The leaves can be kneaded with flour to create fragrant green cakes.

Pipe cakes are eaten with a mix of salt and sesame. The sweet smell and rich taste of coconut juice makes the treat especially delicious, while the hint of salt adds a savory element. The cakes are meant to be eaten slowly and savored.

While the Khmer in Tra Vinh Province are famous for their pipe cakes, the Khmer in neighboring Soc Trang Province are renowned for their banh day.

This kind of cake is made from wheat flour, soft coconut flesh, sugar and peanuts, and is shaped into rolls.

Part of the fun is watching the expert cake-makers create the treats before your eyes. The cakes are best when eaten hot and fresh and cost just VND2,000 (11 cents) each.

Reported by Diem Thu