Banh da lon: Vietnam's Colorful Layered Steamed Cake

What Is "Banh Da Lon"?

"Banh da lon" translates to "pig skin cake," a name that confuses first-timers since there's no pork involved. The name refers purely to the cake's appearance—its translucent, slightly gelatinous layers resemble pig skin when sliced. It's a beloved Southern Vietnamese steamed layer cake: soft, chewy, and slightly bouncy, with alternating thin layers (roughly 1 cm thick) of colored tapioca starch and rice flour, filled with mashed mung bean, taro, or durian. Coconut milk and sugar bind it all together.

In Northern Vietnam (베트남 / 越南 / ベトナム), you'll hear a similar cake called "banh chin tang may"—"nine-layer cloud cake"—emphasizing the visual drama of stacking so many distinct layers. The Southern version tends to be thicker, sweeter, and heavier on coconut milk, while Northern renditions lean slightly drier and less sweet. In the Central region, particularly around Hue, you'll find variations with fewer layers but more pronounced filling ratios.

At its core, "banh da lon" belongs to the broader family of "banh" (cakes and pastries) that Vietnamese home cooks and market vendors have perfected over generations—sitting alongside "banh cuon" (steamed rice rolls), "banh xeo" (sizzling crepes), and dozens of other regional specialties.

The Colors and Flavors

Traditional "banh da lon" gets its vibrant colors from natural plant extracts, though modern vendors sometimes use artificial food coloring for speed. The classic combinations are:

Pandan and Mung Bean: Pandan leaves give the tapioca a soft green hue, paired with a mild, nutty mung bean paste. This is the most common version you'll encounter at markets, and the one most Southern Vietnamese grew up eating. The mung bean paste is prepared by soaking dried beans overnight, steaming them until soft, then mashing with sugar and coconut milk until smooth.

Pandan and Durian: Same green color, but the filling is rich, creamy durian—intensely aromatic and sweet, with that polarizing funk durian lovers crave. Durian versions typically cost 20-30% more than mung bean, running around 8,000-12,000 VND per slice versus 5,000-8,000 VND for the standard.

La Cam and Taro: "La cam" (Dicliptera tinctoria) leaves produce a striking purple color when boiled. Taro filling is denser and earthier than mung bean, with a subtle sweetness. This version is particularly popular in the Mekong Delta (메콩 델타 / 湄公河三角洲 / メコンデルタ) provinces where taro grows abundantly.

Butterfly Pea and Coconut: A less common but increasingly trendy variation uses butterfly pea flower ("hoa dau biec") for a vivid blue layer, paired with plain sweetened coconut. You'll see this at newer dessert shops targeting younger crowds in Districts 1 and 3 of Ho Chi Minh City.

The texture is key: soft and chewy from the tapioca, balanced by the richness of coconut milk and the specific filling. Slice it into small diamonds or rectangles—each piece shows off those distinct layers. A well-made "banh da lon" should peel apart cleanly at the layer boundaries. If the layers blend together or crack apart, the steaming timing was off.

Image by Diego Delso via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)

Where to Find It in Ho Chi Minh City

"Banh da lon" is a regular at family gatherings and celebrations, but also a quick street snack. In Ho Chi Minh City, hit the dessert sections of large markets or hunt for small, independent vendors in busy neighborhoods. Districts 1, 3, and 5 (Cho Lon) are solid starting points—look for stalls specializing in "che" (Vietnamese sweets) or displays of various steamed cakes.

Some specific spots worth checking:

• Binh Tay Market (District 6/Cho Lon area): The ground floor dessert section has multiple vendors selling "banh da lon" by the slice or whole cake. Prices range from 5,000-10,000 VND per slice. Best selection early morning (6:00-9:00 AM) when vendors have fresh stock.
• Ba Chieu Market (Binh Thanh District): A local market with a strong "banh" section. Less touristy, better prices. Whole cakes run 40,000-60,000 VND depending on size and filling.
• Ben Thanh Market (District 1): The famous Ben Thanh Market has stalls selling "banh da lon," though prices skew higher (8,000-15,000 VND per slice) due to the tourist traffic.
• Street vendors along Nguyen Trai (District 5): Walking from Cho Lon toward District 1, you'll pass small carts and glass-case displays selling sliced cakes. These vendors often carry multiple varieties side by side—good for sampling.

Freshness matters: high-turnover vendors mean better texture and flavor. Ask locals or follow the crowds early morning when vendors are restocking. "Banh da lon" sits at room temperature on display, so cakes made that morning are ideal. By late afternoon, the outer layers can dry out and lose their bounce.

When ordering, point and say "cho toi mot mieng" (give me one piece). If you want to try multiple flavors, "moi loai mot mieng" (one piece of each type) works. Most vendors will wrap slices in banana leaf or clear plastic.

Image by Diego Delso via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)

Beyond Saigon: Where Else to Try It

While "banh da lon" is most associated with Saigon and the southern provinces, you can find it across Vietnam with regional twists:

• Can Tho and the Mekong Delta: The heartland of this cake. Mekong vendors tend to use more coconut milk and make thicker layers. Floating markets and morning street stalls are your best bet. Taro versions dominate here.
• Da Lat: The cooler highland climate means the cake holds its texture longer. Some Da Lat vendors add sweet potato for an orange-yellow layer.
• Hoi An: Less common than in the south, but the central market carries versions closer to the northern "banh chin tang may" style—thinner, less sweet.
• Hanoi: Look for it labeled as "banh da lon" at Southern-style dessert shops, or as "banh chin tang may" at traditional northern sweet stalls. The Dong Xuan Market area has a few vendors.

In any Vietnamese city, your best strategy is finding the local wet market's dessert section. "Banh da lon" rarely appears on restaurant menus—it's firmly a market and street food item.

Regional Cousins Across Southeast Asia

"Banh da lon" isn't unique to Vietnam. Similar steamed layer cakes appear across Southeast Asia:

• Kuih Lapis (Malaysia and Indonesia): Steamed layer cake with coconut milk, tapioca flour, and colorful hues. Often uses more sugar and has a firmer bite.
• Khanom Chan (Thailand): Thailand's version, featuring distinct layers and a chewy texture. Typically uses jasmine-scented coconut cream.
• Num Chak Chan (Cambodia): The Khmer take on the layered steamed cake, often with palm sugar instead of white sugar.
• Kutsinta (Philippines): Filipinos have their own rice cake variant, though it's typically single-layered rather than stacked.

Each country and region adapts the basic formula to local ingredients and tastes, but the principle remains: patient, meticulous steaming to build those iconic layers. The Vietnamese version stands out for its emphasis on natural colorants and the variety of fillings layered between the starch.

Making It at Home

If you want to try making "banh da lon" yourself, the process is straightforward but requires patience. Mix tapioca starch, rice flour, sugar, and coconut milk into a batter. Divide it and color the portions with pandan juice, "la cam" extract, or food coloring. Prepare your fillings (mung bean, taro, or durian paste) separately.

The building is where it gets meditative: steam a thin layer of batter, add a thin layer of filling, steam again, repeat until you've got height. Each layer must set before the next goes in—typically 5-7 minutes of steaming per layer on medium-high heat. The result is a beautiful, distinct-layered cake you can customize for sweetness and flavor intensity—a rewarding way to explore Vietnamese culinary tradition in your own kitchen.

Basic ratio for one cake (20 cm round pan):

• 200g tapioca starch
• 50g rice flour
• 400ml coconut milk
• 150g sugar
• Pinch of salt
• Pandan juice or coloring of choice
• 150g prepared filling (mashed mung bean or taro)

Grease your steaming pan with coconut oil before the first layer to ensure clean release. Total time for a 9-layer cake: roughly 60-75 minutes of active steaming. Let the finished cake cool completely (2+ hours at room temperature or 1 hour in the fridge) before slicing—cutting while warm will smear the layers.

Common Mistakes and What Surprises Foreigners

Expecting it to taste like Western cake. "Banh da lon" has zero flour leavening, no eggs, no butter. The texture is closer to firm jelly or mochi than sponge cake. Approach it as its own category.

Choosing durian without knowing what durian is. The durian version is intensely fragrant. If you haven't tried durian before, start with the mung bean or taro version. Ask "nhan gi?" (what filling?) before buying.

Eating it cold from a fridge. Refrigeration makes the tapioca layers hard and unpleasant. "Banh da lon" is best at room temperature. If you stored leftovers in the fridge, let them sit out 20-30 minutes before eating, or briefly steam to restore softness.

Assuming the colors mean different flavors. The colored layers (green, purple, blue) are all tapioca starch batter—they taste the same regardless of color. The flavor difference comes from the filling layers sandwiched between them.

Buying late in the day. Cakes made at 4-5 AM are past their prime by 3 PM. The surface dries, edges stiffen. Morning shopping yields the best texture.

Confusing it with "banh bo" (honeycomb cake). Tourists sometimes mix up the two since both are steamed and colorful. "Banh bo" has a spongy, porous interior with visible air holes; "banh da lon" is dense and layered with no air pockets.

Quick Reference

• Full name: Banh da lon (Southern), Banh chin tang may (Northern)
• Literal translation: "Pig skin cake" (refers to appearance, not ingredients)
• Main ingredients: Tapioca starch, rice flour, coconut milk, sugar, mung bean/taro/durian
• Dietary notes: Naturally vegan and gluten-free
• Price range: 5,000-15,000 VND per slice; 40,000-80,000 VND whole cake
• Best time to buy: 6:00-10:00 AM at wet markets
• Shelf life: Best consumed same day; keeps 1-2 days at room temperature, 3-4 days refrigerated (re-steam before eating)
• Where to find: Wet markets, "che" dessert stalls, street carts—rarely in restaurants
• Pair it with: A glass of "ca phe sua da" (iced milk coffee) or hot jasmine tea
• Useful phrase: "Banh da lon nhan dau xanh" = pig skin cake with mung bean filling

Pairing with Other Vietnamese Desserts

If you're doing a dessert crawl through a Saigon market, "banh da lon" pairs well with other Southern specialties on the same stall. Most "che" vendors also carry "goi cuon" (fresh spring rolls) for a savory-sweet contrast, and you'll often find "banh bo," "banh pia" (flaky durian pastry from Soc Trang), and "che ba mau" (three-color dessert) within arm's reach.

A solid market dessert route: start with a slice of "banh da lon," follow with a bowl of "che" over crushed ice, then finish with a "ca phe sua da" from the drink stall next door. Budget 30,000-50,000 VND total for all three. It's the kind of low-key eating that makes market mornings in Ho Chi Minh City worth waking up for—no reservation, no menu, just pointing and tasting.

Bottom Line

"Banh da lon" won't make anyone's list of famous Vietnamese exports alongside pho or banh mi, but that's part of its appeal. It's an everyday sweet that Southern Vietnamese families have been making and eating for generations without much outside fanfare. Grab a slice at any wet market for under 10,000 VND, eat it at room temperature, and you'll understand why it persists—simple ingredients, satisfying texture, zero pretension.