A traditional Cantonese mooncake[2] is a round pastry, measuring about 10 cm (4 in) in diameter and 3–4 cm (1+1⁄4–1+1⁄2 in) thick, with a rich, thick filling usually made from lotus seed paste (other typical fillings include red bean paste or mixed nuts) surrounded by a thin, 2–3 mm (approximately 1/8 of an inch) crust and may contain yolks from salted duck eggs.

Just as the Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated in various Asian localities due to the presence of Chinese communities throughout the region,[5] mooncakes are enjoyed in other parts of Asia too.

[6][7][8] Most mooncakes consist of a thick, tender pastry skin enveloping a sweet, dense filling, which may contain one or several whole salted egg yolks in the center to symbolize the full moon.

Traditional mooncakes have an imprint on top consisting of the Chinese characters for "longevity" or "harmony", as well as the name of the bakery and the filling inside.

The mooncakes contained a secret message: on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, kill the rulers.

Over time, both the crusts and the composition of the fillings of mooncakes have diversified, in particular, due to a commercial need to drive up sales in the face of intense competition between producers and from other food types.

Taro paste (芋泥, yù ní), pineapple and durian were amongst the first to be introduced, especially amongst the overseas Chinese communities in Southeast Asia.

[15] Miniature mooncakes also appeared, in part to allow for easier individual consumption without the need to cut the large cakes.

For added hygiene, each cake is often wrapped in airtight plastic, accompanied by a tiny food preserver packet.

Mooncakes containing taro paste and pineapple, which were considered novelty items at their time of invention, have become commonplace in recent years.

Some other examples include Traditional Chinese delicacies such as ginseng and bird's nest were soon followed by abalone and shark fin.

Häagen-Dazs were one of the first to create an ice-cream mooncake, with a choice of either the "traditional," snow-skin, or Belgian/Swiss white, milk, and dark chocolate crusts.

Other Western ingredients, including champagne ganache, malt whisky, volcanic-salt caramel and even Black truffles, caviar and foie gras have made it into mooncakes.

Their designs are based on the Cantonese mooncake, are associated with Chinese culture and are sold all year round, mainly in Japan's Chinatowns.

Instead of the imprinted pattern on top common in Cantonese versions, Taiwanese mooncakes have a red stamp typically in celebratory Chinese character.

[20] Modern, more trendy Taiwanese moon cakes are wide in variety that includes low fat, lard free and ice cream versions.

Fillings may include pork, chocolate, cheese, milk, durian, jackfruit and many other exotic fruits made into a paste.

The most popular types, especially in Kuala Lumpur, are White Lotus Seed Paste Cake, Snow Skins and Black Sesame With Yolk.

Snowskin mooncakes in Singapore feature flavors ranging from Lychee Martini, Baileys, Matcha Red Bean, durian, and various fruit pastes.

Many hotels and fine Chinese cuisine restaurants offer mooncakes packaged in elaborate boxes with multiple compartments and jeweled clasps.

In Bangkok, traditional and modern moon cakes are not limited to Chinatown on Yaowarat Road, but they are also found in stalls of large supermarkets.

Bánh nướng (baked mooncake) is made from wheat flour, cooking oil, and simple syrup boiled with malt.

After being filled with various combinations of salted egg yolk, dried sausage, mung bean paste, salt, sugar, cooking oil, sugared pig fat, lotus seed, watermelon seed, it will be brushed with egg wash, then baked in the oven.

The crust is made from roasted glutinous rice flour, pomelo blossom water or vanilla and simple syrup.