It is a tradition in
Sarawak,
Malaysia to serve
Sarawak Layered Cakes on special occasions. In the Malay language they known as
Kek Lapis Sarawak,
Kek Lapis Moden Sarawak,
Kek Sarawak or
Kek Lapis. They are often baked for religious or cultural celebrations such as
Eid ul-Fitr,
Christmas,
Deepavali, birthdays and weddings.
People in Malaysia practice an open house on festival day. A unique feature of Sarawak's open houses is the modern layered cakes.
History
Modern Sarawakian layered cakes were introduced to the people of Sarawak from Indonesia officially around 1988. The Indonesian version has been known since the Dutch colonial era; its most famous varieties are the Lapis Legit, a spice-flavored multilayered cake, and Lapis Surabaya.
Puan Rabiah Amit is well-known in Malaysia as an expert in making modern Sarawakian layered cakes. Around the year 2000, Puan Rabiah Amit introduced this cake to the whole of Malaysia. She also wrote her own recipe book, Kek Lapis Sarawak, which was published in the year 2003. Her journey in introducing this modern layered cakes in Bintulu, Sarawak began in 1989. She became a teacher (guru) to her neighbors, teaching them how to make these beautiful cakes.
Characteristics
Sarawakian modern layered cakes can be divided into two categories: cakes with ordinary layers and cakes with patterns, motifs, or shapes. All must have at least two colors. The cake can be baked in an oven or microwave. The batter uses butter 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.
