Chinese Five Spice cake. Chinese Five-Spice brings together all five flavors - sweet, sour, bitter, umami and salty. The spice blend's star anise, Szechuan peppercorns, fennel, cassia, and cloves add depth to this wholemeal carrot cake. Carrot and Chinese Five Spice Cake So this is the year of the fire monkey. What will it bring? What won't it bring?