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Kek lapis Sarawak
Kek lapis Sarawak: Kuching's buttery layer cake, cut and rebuilt into a two-colour chequerboard
In Kuching, kek lapis Sarawak is baked for Hari Raya, Christmas and Gawai, and every family gives boxes of it away. Unlike Indonesia's spiced lapis legit, Sarawak cakes are sweet, dense and buttery, often made with condensed milk, and famous for their bright geometric patterns. Many layers are grilled one by one, then the cake is cut into strips and glued back together with jam to make the design. This is the beginner's chequerboard in plain and pandan green. Chef's tip: spread each layer thin and even with the back of a spoon; uneven layers make the pattern crooked.
- Total time
- 195 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 20
Ingredients
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Grease a 20 cm square tin with ⅓ oz butter and line the base with baking paper. Heat the grill to medium-high with a shelf about 15 cm below it, and also heat the oven part (if separate) to 350°F.
10 minStep 2: Beat 9 oz unsalted butter, 2 ⅛ oz caster sugar and ¾ cup condensed milk for 5 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Beat in 6 eggs one at a time, then fold in 4 oz plain flour, 1 oz milk powder and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Divide the batter between two bowls and stir 1 tsp pandan paste or extract into one.
15 minStep 3: Bake the first layer: spread 3 tbsp of plain batter evenly in the tin and bake in the oven for 6–8 minutes until set. From then on, spread 3 tbsp of batter per layer and cook under the grill for 3–5 minutes, until set with a light golden top. Press each layer flat with a spatula before adding the next. Alternate plain and green every layer. Common mistake: grilling until brown; Sarawak layers should stay pale, or the cut pattern looks muddy.
120 minStep 4: When all the batter is used, bake the cake in the oven at 350°F for 5 minutes more. Cool completely in the tin, then chill for 1 hour so it slices cleanly.
65 minStep 5: Trim the edges and cut the cake into 4 equal strips across the layers. Turn every other strip upside down so the colours alternate, brush the sides with warm 4 tbsp apricot or strawberry jam and press the strips back together into a block. Wrap tightly and leave 2 hours before slicing thinly.
20 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kek lapis Sarawak take?
- About 195 minutes in total: 45 minutes to prepare and 150 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 20 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of unsalted butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of condensed milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
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