The Vietnamese wedding cake made from mung bean paste, rice flour, and coconut, with a name meaning “husband and wife,” is bánh phu thê.
Bánh phu thê is a traditional Vietnamese confection associated with weddings and engagement ceremonies. Its name literally refers to husband and wife, so the cake symbolizes marital partnership and harmony. It is also called bánh xu xê in some usage.
The cake commonly has a translucent or lightly colored outer layer made from rice-based starch, enclosing mung-bean paste mixed with sugar and coconut. The package may be wrapped in leaves or presented in a small box, depending on the region and occasion.
Bánh phu thê is not simply a general wedding dessert: its name and symbolic role are central to its identity. It should also be distinguished from bánh da lợn, a layered steamed cake whose texture and construction are different.