Kuih Lapis – 9 Layered Coconut Cake
This unusual 9-layered cake is cooked in a steamer, and makes a great snack.
Ingredients
For the syrup:
- 177 ml (3/4 cup) sugar
- 2 pieces of pandan leaves, optional
For the batter:
- 177 ml (3/4 cup) rice flour
- .5 grams (1/8 teaspoon) salt
- 1.9 liters (8 cups) coconut milk
- Drops of red and green food coloring, as needed
Preparation
- For the syrup: In a medium saucepan, combine 355 ml (1 1/2 cups) water with the sugar and pandan leaves, if using. Place over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, then remove from heat and set aside to cool. Remove and discard pandan leaves once cooled.
2. For the batter: Mix the rice flour with 156 ml (2/3 cup) water to form a dough. Set aside to rest for 1 hour.
3. Mix the salt into the coconut milk, stir well and pour into the dough. Stir to combine, add the syrup, and mix again. Divide batter into 2 parts, add red food coloring to one part and green to the other.
4. Prepare a steamer with water and place 18 cm (7 inch) square pan in it to heat. Stir the red and green batters to remove any lumps. When the water is boiling, pour 118 ml (1/2 cup) of red batter into the pan. Cover the lid and steam for 5 minutes. Next, pour in 118 ml (1/2 cup) of green batter and steam for 5 minutes. Repeat with remaining batters, steaming each layer for 5 minutes; the last (9th) layer should be red.
5. After the 9th layer is steamed, open the lid, then close again to steam for another 5 minutes. Repeat this procedure for 2 more times. When it is done, turn off heat. Cool the cake on a rack until completely cooled, then cut into squares to serve. Enjoy this great snack!
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Lynn Yew Evers
Lynn was raised in Malaysia and started playing piano at age 4. She graduated from London’s Trinity School of Music and began her career. She has played in Carnegie Hall, The Grand Ole’ Opry, and the Berlin Philharmonic. She also loves to cook and has taken courses from Master Chefs, as well as learning traditional Malaysian Nyonya from her grandmother. She considers herself “just a home cook”, but is quite accomplished and her food is spectacular.
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Hi Lynn,
May I ask on the kuih lapis recipe. Wonder if you have missed out the tapioca flour on thr ingredients section cos I tried your recipe followed to the dot and it didn’t set. I wondered if the tapioca flour has been missed out in the recipe. Thanks.