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The appeal of handmade mooncakes stems from the perfect combination of natural flavors and the uniqueness of each cake. Made from fresh, high-quality ingredients without preservatives, handmade mooncakes offer a safe and healthy culinary experience. Furthermore, the variety in shapes, ingredients, and flavors, along with affordable prices, has made handmade mooncakes a popular choice for many.
Handmade Mooncakes - Hundreds of sellers, thousands of buyers.
Traditional flavors, modern aesthetics
With over 5 years of experience in the profession, Ms. Vu Tran Nha Uyen has turned her passion for making handmade mooncakes into reality with her bakery, Peony Deserts, in Da Lat. Through online channels, she brings unique mooncakes, made from the freshest ingredients, directly to customers.
She said, "I started making handmade mooncakes in 2019, initially just to create cakes to give as gifts to family, relatives, and friends. After receiving encouragement from loved ones, I expanded and reached out to my first customers. I not only love baking but also have a passion for creating beautiful and meticulously crafted cakes. Besides that, this work also brings me economic value."
The appeal of handmade mooncakes comes from the perfect combination of natural flavors and the uniqueness of each individual cake.
To meet the ever-increasing demands of customers, the mooncake market is constantly innovating. Besides traditional flavors, many shop owners have invested in unique 3D molds, creating whimsical animal shapes, intricate floral designs, or even the 12 zodiac animals, replacing the traditional square and round molds. This diversity not only enriches customer choices but also demonstrates the continuous creativity of the bakers.
This year, Nha Uyen has brought a fresh perspective to the Mid-Autumn Festival with her "Kirin Bringing Good Fortune" or "Flower and Moon" collection. Each mooncake is a work of art, shaped like auspicious mythical creatures symbolizing luck and prosperity. Besides the dragon-shaped mooncakes – the year's mascot – the collection also impresses with its unique unicorn, carp, and rose-shaped mooncakes.
Each cake is a work of art, shaped like mascots symbolizing good luck and prosperity.
According to Nha Uyen, each year she begins researching new designs, referencing and selecting those that she finds attractive and appealing. She carefully develops the ideas and executes each step of this process.
Nha Uyen started by designing the box template and selecting the accessories. She mostly did everything by hand, from preparing the packaging, not using commercially available packaging. She made the box patterns herself, cut them by hand, assembled the boxes, and created the base layer using various materials such as art paper, velvet, and embossed 3D images.
Box design and accessory selection
In addition, Nha Uyen also makes small details herself, such as the charms that accompany each box of cakes. For example, the dragon and phoenix jade charm she created from epoxy and knots in the Japanese mizuhiki style; she learned how to tie them and spent time tying each one.
After finalizing the packaging, she moved on to the baking process. She selected suitable cake designs, developed a concept for each year, and coordinated the colors and symbols of each cake design to match the specific gift set and its meaning. She chose the flavors, researched new flavors, learned the preparation methods, and meticulously crafted every small detail, making changes annually.
Tips for choosing high-quality handmade mooncakes.
"I prioritize using clean, traceable ingredients and avoid using products that are readily available on the market. Ingredients are sourced from reputable and long-standing distributors," she emphasized.
Secrets to winning the hearts of diners.
The biggest challenge with handmade mooncakes is their shelf life, which doesn't extend beyond a month or more at room temperature. Because no preservatives or stabilizers are used, the baking process must be very strict and clean to minimize microbial growth. After numerous trials, Nha Uyen found the best way to preserve them in a natural environment, but unforeseen factors such as external temperature can still affect quality.
The biggest challenge for handmade mooncakes is their short shelf life.
Peony Deserts' cakes typically have a shelf life of 7 to 10 days at ideal temperatures, not too hot or humid. In the refrigerator, the cakes can be stored for 20 days to 1 month. This ensures the cakes remain fresh, retain their flavor, and do not affect consumer health.
Despite intense competition in this year's mooncake market with many unique handcrafted products, overall purchasing power has decreased compared to last year. According to Nha Uyen, the number of orders this year has decreased by about 30% compared to 2023.
Despite intense competition in this year's mooncake market with many unique handcrafted products, overall purchasing power has decreased somewhat compared to last year.
