Donggang Shuanggaorun Sticky Cake | Pingtung Signature Dish

In a corner of Donggang's Second Market, the moment the steamer lid lifts, the scent of brown sugar mingles with the warmth of glutinous rice. Deep brown, perfectly square slabs of shuanggaorun are cut, weighed, and bagged, with people in line clutching numbered tickets — this is the traditional cake Donggang families have always made for weddings and celebrations, and one of the Small Three Treasures of Donggang that visitors queue half an hour for, then nod in approval after the first bite.

What is Donggang Shuanggaorun Sticky Cake

Shuanggaorun (Taiwanese: Siang-ko-jūn) is a traditional cake made by repeatedly stirring glutinous rice flour with raw cane sugar or brown sugar and water, then steaming. The texture is soft and chewy with a deep sugar fragrance that is rich but not cloying; sliced, the surface is smooth and slightly glossy, starting sweet on the tongue and finishing in a springy chew. Said to have originated as a celebration cake for Donggang fishing-village weddings, with the name implying 'a matched pair, moist and sticky,' it gradually became an everyday snack and souvenir. Made and steamed as a whole block and hand-cut into portions, the high moisture content means it does not keep long — it is best eaten the same day.

Why Donggang? The Donggang Township Office designates shuanggaorun as one of the 'Small Three Treasures of Donggang.' Qiu Family Shuanggaorun at the Second Market is the long-standing representative, operated by three generations, made in limited daily quantities, and often sold out by afternoon — with numbered tickets required for purchase. Other local shops make their own versions as well, so this is a cluster category. The grade of glutinous rice, the ratio of brown sugar, and the precision of steaming distinguish each shop; but 'freshly cut, freshly weighed, no preservatives, finish the same day' is the Donggang-wide standard.

How to eat it like a local

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Finish it the same dayShuanggaorun has high moisture content and no preservatives; it keeps only one day at room temperature. Refrigeration makes it hard — you must re-steam it to soften again.

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Fresh-cut and weighed by weightThe whole block is steamed and cut on the spot, sold by weight. Tell the shop whether you're eating it yourself or giving it as a gift — the pieces will be cut differently.

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Pair with tea to balance the sweetnessThe brown sugar fragrance is intense and the glutinous rice is filling. Pair with unsweetened green tea, oolong, or Donggang's classic winter melon tea to offset the sweetness — don't eat too many pieces at once.

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Queue with a numberQiu Family often requires numbered tickets on weekends; recommended approach is to arrive at the Second Market in the morning to take a number, then eat bah-kué and buy oilfish roe along the way.

Local knowledge

Verified endorsements (sponsored content filtered out)

The Donggang Township Office designates shuanggaorun as one of the 'Small Three Treasures of Donggang' and a representative traditional Donggang cake.
Qiu Family Shuanggaorun is located at Donggang's Second Market, operated by three generations, made in limited daily quantities — a long-running local institution.
A traditional celebration cake for Donggang fishing-village weddings and festivities, with significant local cultural symbolism.

Visitor tips

It often sells out in the afternoon; arrive at the market in the morning to buy, to avoid a wasted trip.
Whole uncut blocks can be frozen, but the texture suffers — try to buy only the amount you can eat the same day.
Those with sensitive digestion or diabetes should not eat more than 2 small pieces at a time; the sugar content and stickiness are both high.

Information compiled from the Pingtung County Government Tourism Bureau, Donggang Township Office, and large volumes of public reviews; sponsored content has been filtered out. Photos will be replaced with exclusive channel footage after Dio's on-site shoot.

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