Mooncake Madness: A Moon for All Seasons

Whether you’re shopping for your in-laws or for clueless friends, there’s a mooncake to match. Adele Wong and Kate Springer narrow down your shopping list with this handy guide to all things lunar.

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Published: 4:00pm, 21 Aug 2014Updated: 4:17pm, 19 Oct 2016

In-laws you want to impress

Nothing says: “I’m thoughtful, have great taste and I’m great for your daughter” like pre-ordering the legendary mini custard mooncakes from The Peninsula’s Spring Moon ($485 per box). They’re already all snapped up for this year (expect to be in the dog house if you missed out), but plump for the next-best thing: chocolate custard mooncakes from the Peninsula Boutique ($380 per box).

Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2920-2888.

Spring Moon custard mooncakes: If you have to ask how to get them, you don’t even stand a chance

In-laws you detest

Not so tight with your in-laws? Send them a mixed message with a box of durian-flavored mooncakes from Shang Palace at the Kowloon Shangri-La ($298 for eight). These mini snowy mooncakes are loaded with specially imported Malaysian “D24” durian paste—only the best for the in-laws!—for just enough of that distinctive aroma.

64 Mody Rd., East Tsim Sha Tsui, 2721-2111.

Durian mooncakes from Shang Palace: you either love ‘em or hate ‘em: (just like your in-laws)

Kids you’re bribing

Want to finally get the upper hand with those naughty tykes in your life? Suggest a truce: one hour of peace for every adorable bunny-shaped custard mooncake from Arome Bakery. There are 10 in the box ($158 per box), so go ahead and buy yourself some time off.

Various locations, including: Shop 4, Golden Centre, 188 Des Voeux Rd., Sheung Wan, 2851-7796.

Non-appreciative types

There’s always someone who hates the real thing and would rather just have chocolate instead. HeyYo's chocolate-shell ice cream mooncakes come with a whole Ferrero Rocher in the middle, instead of your usual egg yolk ($278 per box). There are also different flavors of ice cream available, from pistachio to mixed berries to, yup, even more chocolate.

PPG Cake House, Shop B71, Windsor House, 311 Gloucester Rd., Causeway Bay, 3583-2065.

Confused mooncake, chocolately mooncakes at HeYyo

Traditional grandparents

With so many crazy mooncake flavors and varieties to choose from, sometimes you just need something simple and timeless to deliver the message. Your grandparents will appreciate Fook Lam Moon's Classic Four Moon Cake series ($680 per box). The traditional double yolk cakes come with white lotus or golden lotus fillings—which is about as much variation as por por and gung gung can take.

35-45 Johnston Rd., Wan Chai, 2866-0663.

Golden oldies at Fook Lam Moon

A practical partner

So you want a gift for the sensible, practical type? Look no further than Cuisine Cuisine's Mid-Autumn special: mooncakes that come in a box... that turns into a tea tray ($268-298 per box). What irritatingly well-organized person wouldn’t want one of those? Choose from pumpkin with bird’s nest, or the more traditional white lotus seed or custard combos.

Available at two locations, including Shop 3101, 3/F, IFC Mall, 8 Finance St., Central, 2393-3933.

Cuisine Cuisine’s mooncake box of the future

That high-flying friend

Got a swanky friend who spends their life in first class lounges? Send them a box of posh custard cream mooncakes from Duddell’s ($328 per box), sold in a shiny red box designed by Sovereign Asian Art Prize-winner Adrian Wong. How’s that for first class?

3-4/F, 1 Duddell St., Central, 2525-9191. Order from tiny.cc/hk-duddellsmoon.

First class mooncakes at Duddell's

The DIY-er

If you’ve got one of those friends who insists on doing everything themselves, enroll them in Yan Toh Heen's mooncake-making class at the InterCon. They’ll be able to pick up the skills to create their own custard cream varieties, using butter and eggs and two hours of manual labor. Students also get to design their own mooncake moulds for a truly personalized spin.

Sep 6, 11:45am-1:45pm. 18 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2721-1211.

Yolks on you at Yan Toh Heen’s mooncake classes