The Chinese steamed cake that uses rice flour and is often pink is fa gao. It is a cupcake-like pastry made from rice flour or other flour, sugar, and a leavening agent, then cooked by steaming rather than baking.
Fa gao is strongly associated with Chinese New Year and other celebrations. Its name is linked to prosperity: fa can suggest prosperity or expansion, while gao means cake. During steaming, the top commonly splits into three or four sections, a shape traditionally interpreted as a smile or a sign of good fortune.
The cake is not always pink. White and pink are common colors, while palm sugar can make it brown. Pink fa gao is especially associated with Chinese communities in Mauritius and Réunion, where it is known as poutou chinois or related Hakka names and is eaten during the Lunar New Year.
Fa gao should not be confused with mantou, which is a plain steamed wheat bun, or nian gao, a sticky rice cake with a denser, chewier texture.