Kueh Lapis


Some people call it Kek Lapis (meaning cake lapis), some people call it Kueh Legit and some people just call it "Cake". *____* This is nonetheless one of the most enjoyable traditional cakes made during Chinese New Year in the Far East region (Singapore, Malaysia etc)

In simple terms, Kueh Lapis is an extremely dense sponge cake, baked layer upon layer, thus creating the white and brown lines. It is an extremely tedious cake to bake because you can't just chuck it into the oven and expect it to be done. It has to be baked with a small portion of the mixture, wait for it to turn brown before layering it with another portion of mixture. It gives the illusion that there are two ingredients used because of the two layers but its actually one!

Its origins are not entirely clear. Some people say its a Nonya cuisine made by the Peranakans but most people recognise it as a dessert from Indonesia. And because Indonesia was a colony of the Dutch, there is apparently some Dutch influence too. It is more often known to them as "spekkoek".

Whatever the real origin is, it is definitely something that my family and I enjoy back home. My family used to sell Chinese New Year goodies like love letters, kueh bangkit, cashew nut cookies and of course Kueh Lapis. I say "used to" because in these recent years, we no longer sell as much as we used to. During our peak, my aunties including my mum would gather with their children to make and sell New Year goodies in hundreds of bottles or boxes. Now, we probably sell.. 20?

I've always helped with the making - I'd roll love letters, cut the dough with the cookie cutter, separate the egg from the white etc but never was I in the main role of measuring or baking. Now that I've grown up and away from home, I thought I should actually make some of them to remind me that Chinese New Year is actually coming. So my first task is to make Kueh Lapis. I took the recipe from my aunt before I left for London and she was absolutely sure that I was going to fail making it with my gas oven. (We use electric oven at home.) How optimistic!

Here're some pictures..





And this is the end result



Well, to be honest this is my second time making it. The first one was badly burnt although the taste is there. This is quite up to scratch but can and will be better. In all, the satisfaction of getting it right is just... ahhhhhhhhh!!

Pls comment!!

Messing in the Kitchen
11:03
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