[2] Around this time, the Portuguese established a presence in places such as Malacca, Singapore and Taiwan, which they referred to as now archaic name "Formosa" for the island.

[9][5] In Taiwanese Hokkien, "pineapple" (王梨; ông-lâi) sounds similar to a phrase meaning "to come forth, prosperous and thriving" (旺來; ōng-lâi).

As a result, pineapple cakes are often given as engagement gifts, or simply as well-wishing presents in an everyday context.

[citation needed] Today, pineapple cake is considered one of Taiwan's culinary symbols.

[citation needed] However, in contemporary bakeries, adding winter melon to the filling may be seen as an indicator of lower quality.