Steamed Kuih Lapis is a popular snack in Malaysia and Singapore and it literally means layer cake in Malay. When I was a little girl, I enjoyed eating this kuih by peeling the different coloured layer by layer. This Kuih Lapis recipe was adapted from a Chinese coobook ~ Malaysian Delicacies. I was a little hesitant at first whether to try this recipe or not when I saw more tapioca flour rather than the rice flour is used. Since I only have a packet of tapioca flour and little rice flour on hand, I just went ahead to try this recipe. The Kuih Lapis turned out very fragrant and with acceptable texture as well. But I'll definitely want to try the rice flour and mung bean flour mixture next time, so that I can compare the texture of this Kueh Lapis. Oh... due to my laziness and as I wanted to complete the process fast, you will notice a thick layer on two colours, Only 6 layers were made instead of 9 and the lapis will definitely looks taller and prettier if I were to use a smaller cake pan.
Kuih Lapis (Steamed Layer Cake)
- Ingredients:
100g Rice flour
500ml Water
400g Sugar (used 280g)
4 Pandan leaves
500ml Thick coconut milk with a pinch of salt
Rose pink colouring
Method:
- In a pot boil water,sugar and pandan leaves together till sugar dissolved. Turn off heat, discard pandan leaves and add in coconut milk. Stir well and leave aside to cool.
- Mix tapioca flour and rice flour together and gradually blend well into coconut liquid with a hand whisk. Then strain mixture through a sieve to ensure it is free from lumps.
- Divide mixture in two equal portions and add desire colouring into one portion, keeping one portion white. (You can use more colours if you prefer to have more colourful layers)
- Grease a 7 inch square or round cake pan and place in steaming pot for few minutes over high heat.
- Pour about 100-125ml of white liquid into the heated pan and steam at high heat for about 4 minutes or until batter is cooked. Then add 100-125ml of pink liquid onto it and steam for another 4 minutes. (reduce liquid for thinner layers)
- Repeat the procedure, alternating white and pink liquid until all the batter is used up. Remember to stir the batter every time before pouring out the liquid to steam each time.
- Add a little more rose pink colour to the last layer to make it a deeper shade of pink.
- Leave Kuih Lapis to cool completely after steamed and invert the cake pan to knock out the kuih.
- Grease knife with little oil before cutting. You may also brush a little oil on the surface as gloss finishing.
Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend!
Huh...got both flours here...maybe I should give this a try! Though they won't turn out so pretty.
ReplyDeleteSo nicely done. Love those even layers and colour.
ReplyDeleteHi Ann~~
ReplyDeleteNice~~~ ^^ i love this kuih~~
Hi Ann, wah... your kuih lapis so pretty and yummylicious. Nice click and presentation.
ReplyDeleteHave a nice day.
Thanks Amelia!
DeleteAwww.. looks so lovely :) Looks like a lovely Valentine's day gift :)
ReplyDeleteThanks! I should post this in February for Valentine's day :D
DeleteHehee.. You're so artistic, Ann. Wonderful photos, pretty bakes, and clear instructions, love your blog! 赞！*thumbs up* :)
DeleteI'm never a fan of these nonya treats, but pink is my fave colour & you've made them so irresistible, Ann!
ReplyDeleteShirley, I love pink too!
DeleteI want to make these too! So pretty! BTW, why you cancel out the Sago flour? Because you do not have that in your pantry?
ReplyDeleteYes, I don't sago flour in my pantry at that time.
DeleteOne more masterpiece...i wish either to have little bit of your talent or have you as my next door neighbor! This really looks amazing Ann!
ReplyDeleteThank you Sandra. How wish I'm your neighbor too so that I can try your delicious creations :)
Delete这也是九层糕对吗？很美丽也。赞
ReplyDelete哈哈哈。。。一定是给那厚度搞糊涂了 ：DD
DeleteWhat a perfect kuih lapis, Ann! Love the sweet pink colour, yoh, pink is always my favourite colour, haha! And did you notice that in your 1st photo, the 2 folded layers of kuih lapis has formed a heart shape?
ReplyDeleteJessie, I don't think this is a perfect kuih. The layers are too thick... hahaa
DeleteWahh... you really looked everything into details. If I realized earlier, I'll post it on Valentine's day.
So beautiful steamed kuih. I wish I can done like yours.
ReplyDeleteHi Mel, I think you can do a better job than me :)
Deletereally pretty colour, I love pink :D
ReplyDeleteHi Ann! When I was a boy, I enjoyed peeling and eating this kuey layer by layer too... Now, I just put the whole piece in the mouth.. :)
ReplyDeletehahaa... I still love to peel the layers...
DeleteAnn, this brings back childhood memories! My grandaunts use to make this kueh using 9 colours. As a kid, I also liked to peel and eat it layer by layer.
ReplyDeletePhong Hong, I also love the 9 layers colour but am a little lazy when making this myself.
DeleteThis is one of my favourite local steamed kuihs! Somehow, I always find it yummier if it's rainbow coloured hehe. I also eat it layer by layer ;p
ReplyDeleteHi Janine, Will definitely make the rainbow colour the next time.
DeleteBeautiful color, and nice even layers...lovely!
ReplyDeletevery nice colour and looks good!
ReplyDeletei have never tried the recipe with more tapioca flour...interesting experiment .... I want to eat to try how' s the texture like. Beautiful colour 六层糕。
ReplyDeleteLi Shuan, yes when I googled I found this recipe usually used rice flour instead. Anyway tapioca flour still works well with the layers more chewy :)
Delete做糕我的兴趣不大，虽然我家婆很想吃
ReplyDelete哈哈～我看还是你请我比较快(^O^)
没问题，希望你不会觉得难吃就好了。
Deletehow much color and flavor has this recipe....looks amazing!
ReplyDeleteYou can add a little more colour if you want a deeper colour. As for the flavour are from the coconut milk and pandan leaves.
DeleteIt looks incredibly pretty!
ReplyDeleteWonderful even layers and such a pretty colour, I would so love to try a slice of this cake with my morning coffee now!
ReplyDeletesure, Tanja :)
DeleteNice steamed layer cake, I has been thinking of making this kuih but never get my hand on it yet. I was like you, I like to eat it by peeling layer by layer.
ReplyDeleteI think better use the rice flour to make this kuih. The texture should be better than this one.
Delete你的作品总是那么完美，你太棒了：）
ReplyDelete你过奖啦！好看不一定好吃。。。 呵呵
DeleteLooks so beautiful... i would never want to eat it...
ReplyDeletedoes the kuih lapis texture turned out chewier than normal? it looks stunning!
ReplyDeleteAnn， 这糕点做到很美很美，这颜色看了很舒服的感觉。。。
ReplyDeleteAnn , your kuih are fantastic ! They look really pretty :D I bet they tastes delicious as well ;)
ReplyDeleteI love how delicate this looks - and the layers are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteSo pretty and so elastic! Irrsistible!
ReplyDeleteThis brings back some childhood memories. My godmother always bought me these little treats when I was little. They were usually in green and white layers. I really have to learn how to make these. First, I need to see where I can get pandan leaves. Thank you so much for sharing. :)
ReplyDeleteYour pictures remind me of my childhood! I remember peeling off the rainbow layers one by one.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous presentation! Can't keep my eyes off the kuih....
ReplyDeleteyummy and lovely :)
ReplyDeleteAnn,
ReplyDeleteThis is a old time favorite!
My grandma use to make this for sell when I was little. Her customer loves her '九层糕'very much.
She is very tall so her customers give her a nick named 'panjang嫂'. So her customer always said Panjang嫂的九层糕，薄又好吃:p
Yours looks great. I loves to pull the layer apart and eat piece by piece..:p My panjang grandma 's recipe is more rice flour but yours is more tapioca flour. I bet it is QQ and yum yum!
I must try your too.
Thanks for sharing!
mui
Hi Mui Mui,
Deletehahaa... Panjang嫂的九层糕 sounds so familiar.. Oh, I ever heard this name from a TV drama.
Did your grandma passed her recipe to you? So can share with me :))
The thought that came to mind is that, change the "pink" to "red" and it is so "National Day"! ;p
ReplyDeleteI remember this as Gao Teng Kuih (in Hokkien) and I will eat them layer by layer too.