Attendees will have the chance to learn from master artisans as they demonstrate how to make iconic traditional southern cakes. -- Photo laodong.vn

CẦN THƠ -- The 12th traditional southern cake festival is set to take place from April 4 to April 8 at Bình Thủy District Square in Cần Thơ City.

This year’s festival will showcase Việt Nam’s rich culinary heritage under the theme 'Preserving and Promoting the Value of Traditional Southern Cakes', according to the Cần Thơ Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

A grand celebration of culinary heritage

The 12th traditional southern cake festival promises an unforgettable experience for visitors. -- Photo canthotourism.vn

With about 230 booths, the festival will feature various thematic spaces, including 118 booths in the traditional cake zone, 59 booths in the regional specialties zone and 40 booths in the culinary zone.

The event will bring together participants from 18 provinces and cities across the Mekong Delta, as well as northern, central and Central Highlands regions including Hà Tĩnh, Huế, Ninh Thuận, Bình Thuận and Đắk Lắk.

Some traditional southern sweets that visitors can try at the festival. -- Photo from Đất Việt Tour Facebook page

Beyond a marketplace for traditional delicacies, the festival will also offer visitors a unique hands-on experience. Attendees will have the chance to learn from master artisans as they demonstrate how to make iconic traditional southern cakes, such as bánh ít (a small, sticky rice cake made from glutinous rice flour, often filled with mung bean or coconut), bánh tét (A traditional cylindrical southern Vietnamese cake made from glutinous rice, mung beans and pork, wrapped in banana leaves).

Other cake-making demonstrations include bánh kẹp (a thin, crispy cake, often shaped like a fan or a circle, made from flour, eggs and sugar), bánh phục linh (a sweet, powdery cake made from tapioca starch, coconut milk and sugar, known for its soft, melt-in-the-mouth texture) and bánh tằm se tay (a chewy, hand-rolled cassava cake resembling silkworms, usually served with coconut milk and roasted sesame seeds).

The festival will also re-enact the traditional craft of making Thuận Hưng rice paper from Cần Thơ's Thốt Nốt District.

Exciting highlights

The massive bánh xèo made at last year’s festival. This time, cake makers plan to surpass the record set last year. The enormous pancake, measuring nine metres in circumference, will be stuffed with a remarkable 100 Nha Trang lobsters. -- Photo congly.vn

Two main attractions will headline this year’s festival. First, the much-anticipated 'super-sized' bánh xèo (a crispy, yellow pancake made from rice flour, coconut milk and turmeric, filled with shrimp, pork and bean sprouts) will make a comeback, this time surpassing the record set last year. The enormous pancake, measuring nine metres in circumference, will be stuffed with duck meat, shrimp and a remarkable 100 Nha Trang lobsters.

Second, a massive bánh chưng (a traditional square-shaped northern Vietnamese cake made from glutinous rice, mung beans and pork, wrapped in dong leaves) will be unveiled as the largest ever made in the Mekong Delta.

Measuring 1.9 metres by 1.9 metres, with a thickness of 0.8m and weighing over 300 kilogrammes, this cake will be crafted by 20 artisans over 24 hours. The ingredients will be meticulously sourced, including OM rice from Hậu River Farm, premium mung beans and high-quality pork.

A platform for cultural exchange and economic growth

According to Vice Chairman of Cần Thơ City People’s Committee Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Diệp, the festival aims to preserve, honour and promote Việt Nam’s culinary traditions.

It also provides artisans good chances to showcase their skills, foster innovation and connect with businesses domestically and internationally to expand their markets.

To support artisans, the festival organisers have reduced booth rental fees by 25 per cent (from VNĐ8 million to VNĐ6 million per booth). This initiative encourages greater participation and innovation, ensuring a vibrant and diverse display of traditional cakes.

Cultural and artistic programmes

Beyond the food, visitors can enjoy various cultural and artistic programmes, including art performances, exhibitions of ornamental plants and the traditional southern cakes competition.

The festival will also commemorate the Hùng Kings' Anniversary with a special traditional cake-offering ceremony.

With hundreds of mouthwatering cakes, the massive bánh xèo and bánh chưng, and an array of cultural activities, the 12th Traditional Southern Cake Festival promises an unforgettable experience for visitors, both domestic and international. — VNS