Food, especially China's cuisine industry, has become an integral component of cultural exchanges, which are being increasingly used to break barriers caused by different languages and cultural backgrounds. In recent years, an increasing number of Chinese women chefs, especially young chefs, have stood out on the world stage. They have shown the world their excellent cooking skills, and their innovative ideas for cuisine development. More importantly, they have presented Chinese women's wisdom and strength as they have promoted Chinese cuisine and culture in the new era.
Women of China highlights several stories involving Chinese women who have smartly combined the concepts and techniques of Chinese cuisine with food that is popular worldwide. The women have been leaving their marks on cultural exchanges, and those marks have helped advance the creative and vigorous global food culture. In this article, we share the story of Sun Xuesong, a gold-medal-winning baker who stood out at the Cake International competition with a Mulan-themed cake.
Dressed in battle armor, Mulan holds a spear as she sits atop a galloping, white horse, with mane flowing, against the backdrop of a traditional Chinese pavilion, with upturned eaves. Who could have guessed that delicate work, resembling an elaborate Chinese figurine, was actually a fondant cake? In November 2025, Sun Xuesong, a baker originally from China, stood out at the Cake International competition, in Birmingham, the United Kingdom, as she showed off her Mulan-themed fondant cake. Sun won the gold medal in the competition's "Decorative Exhibits" category.
"There were two reasons for choosing the Mulan theme. In Chinese culture, Mulan is a paragon of 'loyalty and filial piety.' Her loyalty to defending the country and her filial piety to her father deserve recognition worldwide. I also wanted to convey the strength of women. Mulan is a heroine in my heart. She proves courage, wisdom and resilience have nothing to do with gender," Sun explains.
Creating the fondant cake was no easy task. It took Sun about two months, from design to completion. Shaping the horse was the most challenging part. She revised the horse many times in her effort to capture the dynamism of the horse running. After each revision, she felt there was still room for improvement. "If I had more time, I definitely could have made it better," Sun says.
Paying special attention to details is ingrained in Sun, as she once worked as a software engineer. She began her career in 2012, after she graduated from university with a major in computer science. She worked as a software engineer in China for three years before she moved to the United States in 2015. She has loved art since childhood, and she started baking after her graduation. "At first, I just wanted to make beautiful cookies and cakes for my family and friends. I shared my works on social media, but I didn't expect to gain so much attention. Gradually, I found that baking made me happier than sitting in front of a computer every day. I realized I could heal others with beautiful things, and at the same time, heal myself," Sun says.
In 2025, Sun began taking baking courses, and she decided to participate in competitions. "I hope to broaden my horizons, learn from fondant artists from all over the world, and bring Chinese culture to the world," Sun says.
Holding to this belief, Sun began preparing for the competition. After she completed the cake, Sun faced a serious challenge: Transporting the cake from the United States to the United Kingdom. The cake was "badly injured" by the jostling during transportation. Portions of the horse's mane broke off. Also, a few strands of Mulan's hair went missing, and tiles from the pavilion's eaves were scattered in the shock-absorbing cotton, as if a miniature earthquake had occurred. Sun worked through her first night in the United Kingdom to repair the damaged parts. She says it was like "putting together a puzzle." She finally managed to restore the work for the competition.
"Decorative Exhibits" is one of the most demanding categories at Cake International, and the top award, "Best in Show," is often presented to an entrant in that category. As such, Sun had to compete against the top fondant artists from around the world. It also meant she had to achieve perfection — in creativity, technique and artistic expression.
During the competition, the Mulan cake was surrounded by spectators. "Many people were attracted by this work, and they asked about Mulan's story," Sun says. "This is exactly what I wanted — to use the cake as a bridge to showcase Chinese culture." She was extremely excited when she learned her cake had earned her the gold medal. "This is my first time participating in an international competition, and it's one of the most difficult cake competitions in the world. I brought Chinese culture to the world stage!" Sun says, proudly.
Sun now runs her own baking studio in Los Angeles, the United States, where she customizes cakes to meet customers' needs. "Customer feedback has always been excellent. I have hardly done any promotion, because I believe quality is the best advertisement," Sun says. She plans to organize baking courses, to share her creative ideas with others. She is also preparing for her next competition. "Next time, I will strive for the 'Best in Show' award," Sun says, her eyes shining with determination. "But more importantly, I hope the world can see more Chinese culture through my works."
As a Chinese living abroad, Sun believes food is a universal language. "Although people from different countries speak different languages, their vision and tastes are connected. Using food and baking as a cultural carrier, to let more people understand our Chinese culture, is an extremely proud thing for overseas Chinese," Sun says. She believes women play a unique role in this process. "From family kitchens to baking classrooms, women are often organizers of community activities. Women have built warm cultural-exchange communities overseas. If food is the shell, then the sensibility, gentleness and resilience emanating from women give food a soul," Sun adds.
In Sun's heart, Mulan is more than a legend. "She is every woman who dares to stand tall in her own name," Sun says. And Sun's own story — from software engineer to international gold-medal-winning baker, through her continuous pursuit of excellence and passion, and helping people understand the beauty of Chinese culture — is the best interpretation of this spirit.
Photos from Interviewee
(Women of China English Monthly February 2026)
Editor: Wang Shasha
