Indonesian Layer Cake - Kueh/Kek Lapis -

When growing up in Berlin, Germany, my mom would bake with me this incredible Indonesian layer cake, also known as Kueh/Kek Lapis and those super tasty miniature Chinese Peanut Cookies (花生餅) for our Chinese New Year. I treasured every single moment - from preparing this layer cake until pealing each layer off to eat + on top of it, my mom would hardly cook or bake in the kitchen since my dad was the professional chef. So I loved every single moment whenever she decided to bake/cook with me.

This year I decided to do the same thing with my little Wan boys. They are old enough now to help me here and there in the kitchen and they love it. You might end up with more mess or even need more time but it's all fine. When I was in Hong Kong this year, I asked my mom for her recipe. She has this old hand written cake recipe book as she use to work in a bakery in Jakarta as a little girl trying to earn some pocket money. Can you imagine how old this little book is ?? It is 50 years old. My gosh, it's older than me ... lol ... trust me, if I ever get my hands on it, I would have to get a professional translator first as I don't know how to read Indonesian. Such pity. Don't even get my mom heat up with this topic, she still gets angry at me for not willing to learn how to speak/read Indonesian. So hush ....

The Chinese year of rabbit is approaching within few days .... are you all ready for it ?? I am not. I am hanging in there with a thread, as I started coming down with a cough, a slight ear infection and finally have lost my voice on Saturday. Thank god, I had some anti-biotic standing by. My Doctor knows me too well not to give me any. I always end up with the same thing whenever getting a cough. Don't worry .. I am fine - at least for now. Fine enough to blog, that should tell you something right ?

Together with my three Wan boys, I would like to wish you — my reader, my family and friends, blogger-friends and anyone else who celebrates Chinese New Year ...

恭喜發財！揚眉「兔」氣！ (Or “gong hey fatt choy!” in Cantonese, which means congratulations and be prosperous! May the Year of the Rabbit do you proud — very, very proud!)

Indonesian Layer Cake - Kueh/Kek Lapis -

6 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla essence
250g icing sugar, sifted
15 egg yolks
390g unsalted butter, room temperature, softened and beaten
120g aall purpose flour
½ tsp baking powder
2 tsp all spice powder
2 tbs brandy

Step 1:
Whisk whites and vanilla to soft peak.

Step 2:

Gradually add icing sugar till stiff peaks form.

Step 3:

Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well between each yolk.

Step 4:

Add butter and beat till well incorporated.

Step 5:

Sift the flour, baking powder and spice powder together.

Step 6:

Fold in the flour, baking powder, all spice powder in three batches.

Step 7:

Then stir in the brandy.

Step 8:

Grease a 20-22 cm square cake tin with a lift-up base and line the outside of the tin with foil so batter does not leak through any gaps.

Step 9:

Turn the oven to grill/broil function.

Step 10:

Put about a third of a cup of the cake mixture onto the base of the cake tin and spread it evenly over the base.

Step 11:

Put the tin under the grill for about five minutes or the top is a golden brown.

Step 12:

Remove from oven and scoop the same amount of batter for the second layer. (There is no need to wait for the cake to cool between layers). Repeat the same process. Keep going until you have finished all the batter.

Step 13:

Once finished baking all your layers, remove cake immediately from the cake tin and let it cool on a rack.

Step 14:

Slice into thin portions and enjoy !