The Sarawak layer cake, (Malay: kek lapis Sarawak or kek lapis; Jawi: كيك لاڤيس سراوق[1]) is a delicacy from state of Sarawak, Malaysia, which comes in normal layers or in intricate patterns. It is often served on special occasions, such as cultural and religious celebrations, including marriages and birthdays.
 A colourful Kek Lapis containing raisins | |
| Alternative names | Kek lapis Sarawak, Kek lapis Moden Sarawak, Kek Sarawak, Kek lapis |
|---|---|
| Type | Layer cake |
| Place of origin | Malaysia |
| Region or state | Sarawak |
| Main ingredients | Butter or vegetable oil, milk, eggs, jam |
Sarawak layer cake are often baked and served for religious or cultural celebrations such as Eid ul-Fitr, Christmas, Deepavali, Gawai, birthdays and weddings. It can be found almost everywhere in Sarawak and a favourite gift bought by visitors as it is available all year around. These high demands open up the doors to the development of kek lapis Sarawak baking industry.[2]
History
editThe Sarawak layer cake, with its origin rooted in Indonesia's lapis legit or kek lapis Betawi (Batavia, the old name of Jakarta).[3][4] draws influence from a European spit cake[5][6] made by Dutch administrator's wives during the colonial period in Batavia. It found its way to Sarawak in the 1970s and 1980s, brought in by the Betawis.
Originally served during evening tea,[3] this spiced Betawi cake boasted a unique blend of spices like cinnamon, cardamom, clove, and star anise, creating a distinctive flavour profile.[7] As the Betawi community spread across Peninsular Malaysia, Johoreans especially embraced the recipe, preserving its original spiced essence.
However, Sarawak took a distinctive path, infusing new ingredients, flavours, and colours into the layered cake, leading to the emergence of the modern Sarawak layer cake.[8] This innovative adaptation occurred as the Sarawak people added their own touches to the traditional recipe, resulting in a delightful variation unique to the region.[9]
Characteristics
editSarawakian modern layered cakes can be divided into two types: cakes with ordinary layers and cakes with patterns, motifs, or shapes. All must have at least two colours. The cake can be baked in an oven or microwave. The batter uses butter, margarine or vegetable oil, milk and eggs, and requires a strong arm or electric mixer to be properly prepared. The baked cake has a high, firm texture and the layers are fastened together with jam or a similarly sticky sweet substance. More detailed cakes often require special moulds to maintain the perfect layer thickness.
BBC in its article,[10] described it:
Also called the Sarawak layer cake, kek lapis typically has a minimum of 12 layers. The cake is created by carefully adding one thin layer of batter after another onto a baking pan every few minutes, broiling (or grilling) each layer in the oven to ensure the lower layers are never burnt. The plain version alternates light and dark strips of cake batter, whereas the coloured cakes have geometric patterns that, depending on the final pattern, can involve 20 or more layers. The final cake is cooled and then cut into strips, with different pieces reassembled using thick jam or condensed milk as adhesive. Often, multiple cakes have to be baked, and pieces from each of them are assembled to create a complex pattern. This is then wrapped up in a thin cake layer of a single colour, or arranged between two sets of plain (ie, with no colours or patterns) multi-layered cakes.
Protected geographical indication
edit
In Malaysia, kek lapis Sarawak (Sarawak layer cake) has been a protected geographical indication since 2010.[11] This means that any product may only be called "kek lapis Sarawak/Sarawak layer cake" if it is manufactured in Sarawak according to the specifications of the Sarawak Layer Cake Manufacturers Association. It is illegal to label a similarly manufactured cake "kek lapis Sarawak/Sarawak layer cake" if it is not actually made in Sarawak, and strictly speaking, producers outside the state may only legally name their products "Sarawak-style" layer cake.
References
edit- ^ Ismail, Mohammad; Nazuha, Dian; Zulkifli, Nurul Aida Syahirah; Masron, Mohd Zairul (2021). "Menyingkap keunikan makanan warisan negeri Sarawak: kek lapis Sarawak" [Revealing the uniqueness of Sarawak's culinary heritage: Sarawak layer cake]. Jurnal Sejarah Lisan Malaysia (JSLIM) (in Malay). 5 (3): 257–279. ISSN 2600-7088.
- ^ Mohamad Syamim, Hamsawi (2021). Development of Semi-automated Kek Lapis Sarawak Machine: Analysis on Baking and Cooking Processes (masters thesis). Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS).
- ^ a b Vimal Palasekaran (October 14, 2018). "Kek Lapis: Saluting its sweet heritage". Free Malaysia Today.
- ^ "Kueh Lapis (or Kuih Lapis), Simply Delicious… Any Occasion". Kueh Lapis Singapore.
- ^ Zoe Li; Maggie Hiufu Wong (2 April 2017). "Cakes of the world: Tiramisu, cheesecake, Pavlova and more national treats". CNN.
- ^ "Lapis Legit". Atlas Obscura.
- ^ "Sarawak Layer Cake aka Kek Lapis Sarawak | Malaysia Borneo". Visit Sarawak 2022 #BounceBackBetter. 2019-12-11. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
- ^ Meran Abu Bakar (19 July 2013). "Tarikan kek lapis Sarawak". Utusan Malaysia (in Malay). Archived from the original on 13 April 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
- ^ "Healthier trends for Kek lapis Sarawak". The Borneo Post. 26 July 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
- ^ Ramadurai, Charukesi. "Kek lapis: The most beautiful cake for Ramadan". www.bbc.com. Archived from the original on 2024-04-11. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
- ^ KEK LAPIS SARAWAK Geographical Indication at the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia