The cake is usually cut into square-shaped slices and steamed or pan-fried before serving. The cake is soft but keeps its shape when it is ready to serve. Often a golden brown color, it tastes slippery, refreshing and tasty with a chestnut flavor. Sometimes the cake has chopped water chestnuts embedded into each square piece. 

The Water chestnut cake(马蹄糕Mǎtí gāo) is a sweet Cantonese dim sum snack made of Chinese water chestnut(chestnuts are the reddish-brown nuts that grow on chestnut trees. You can eat chestnuts) powder or shreds. The best water chestnuts are said to be produced in Pantang in western Guangzhou(广州Guǎngzhōu).