Yulan cake is a specialty in Wuxi. People who first hear about the name might mistake it as a dessert. However, the cake does not contain Yulan (magnolia) but is a kind of fried glutinous rice dumpling made with minced meat filling. It acquired its name as it was created in the season when magnolia trees bloom.
The cake is made with glutinous rice flour dough as the wrapper, and fresh meat or red bean paste as the stuffing and then fried into crispy cakes with a lovely golden color. People in Wuxi have a sweet tooth and the magnolia cake thus becomes a combination of balanced sweet and salty flavors.
