Tai Yang Tang Lao Dian

Review

Tai Yang Tang Lao Dian stands at No. 25, Section 2 of Ziyou Road in Central District, the street known for sun cakes. It opened in 1954; former chairman Lei Wen-hsiung trained in Taipei and then developed the sun cake here, and the third generation, Lei Yao-tsung, now runs the shop, still making the cakes by hand every day. Reports say it has sold more than 450 million cakes, and it marked its 70th anniversary in 2024. It is not the only Tai Yang Tang on the street: the old shop next door at No. 23 closed in 2012, while No. 25 registered a sunflower trademark in 1954. Several shops claim to be the original, and the question has never been settled.

The signature sun cake has a light, thin flaky crust and a chewy malt filling that is not very sweet. There are six flavors: malt, honey, coffee, wheat germ, brown sugar and pineapple, plus a wellness line sweetened with trehalose that claims 55% less sugar. The pineapple sun cake won a 2021 Taiwan pastry innovation award, the lemon cake has also won an award, and in 2017 the shop was recognised by the Ministry of Economic Affairs as an outstanding innovative heritage business. The retro gift boxes work well as presents and keep for about 30 days.

Media coverage tends to focus on history and awards, and descriptions of the taste are fairly similar. The drawbacks people mention most are the crumbly crust, which makes eating on the go messy, and the battle over who is the original, which leaves first-time visitors unsure which shop to buy from. Specific negative reviews online are rare, and it is generally seen as a reliable gift.

The main shop opens roughly 08:00 to 22:00 and is within walking distance of Taichung Station. Upstairs is a sun cake culture museum where you can book pastry classes and a make-your-own sun cake session; schools, families and foreign tour groups are welcome. If you do not want to make the trip, the cakes are also sold at the Taichung, Taoyuan, Taipei and Banqiao high-speed rail stations, Taipei department stores and the airport. Sources do not mention parking or payment methods.

It suits anyone after a classic Taichung souvenir, or families who want children to try making sun cakes. For a first purchase choose the original malt or honey, and pick the reduced-sugar range if you dislike sweetness. Old Taichung locals soak the cake in hot milk or roasted flour tea, which is worth trying at home.