A taste of history

In her videos, Zou emphasizes the stories behind each piece rather than simply showcasing her techniques. She recalls visiting the China gallery at the British Museum and noticing that many artifacts had vague descriptions — often limited to just a title and catalog number.

"But every historical treasure has its own unique tale to tell," she said.

For example, one of her most popular creations is a cake replica of a bronze owl-shaped zun wine vessel, which has garnered over 100,000 likes. Its adorable appearance stands in stark contrast to the solemn ceremonial role it once played.

The vessel, dating back to the Shang Dynasty (c. 16th century-11th century BC), was unearthed from the tomb of Fu Hao, China's first documented female general and royal consort.

Zou admits the design was complex and she hesitated at first to recreate it. But after learning about Fu's life from a museum guide, she was inspired by the strength of this ancient woman and motivated to take on the challenge.

What touched her most was how Fu Hao's strength still resonates today. "Many women play crucial roles in both their families and careers — they are the heroines of our time," Zou said.

Crafting these artifact-inspired cakes is demanding. One challenge is accurately capturing color.