Spekkoek facts for kids
Spekkoek, plain and with pandan
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| Alternative names | Kue lapis legit, spekuk, spiku, kueh lapis |
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| Type | Cake |
| Place of origin | Indonesia |
| Region or state | Java |
| Main ingredients | Egg yolks, butter, sugar, cinnamon, clove, mace and anise |
Spekkoek is a special Indonesian layer cake. In Indonesia, people also call it kue lapis legit or spekuk. This tasty cake was first made a long time ago. It was created when Indonesia was known as the Dutch East Indies.
Spekkoek is a firm cake. It's a unique version of a European multi-layered cake. But unlike some European cakes, it's not cooked on a spinning spit. Instead, it uses a mix of Indonesian spices. These spices include cardamom, cinnamon, clove, mace, and anise. The cake is made with flour, lots of egg yolks, and rich butter or margarine.
This cake is very popular in Indonesia. People often enjoy it during holidays. It's a special treat for Christmas (natal), Chinese New Year (imlek), and Lebaran. Spekkoek is also a common gift or dessert at birthday parties and weddings. In the Netherlands, you can find slices of this cake in most grocery stores. It's also sold in Asian markets, called Tokos. It's traditionally served as a dessert with a big meal called rijsttafel. It's also a favorite dessert in Hadhramout.
Contents
What's in a Name?
The name Spekkoek comes from the Dutch words for "pork belly" or "bacon" and "cake." This name describes how the cake looks. It has many dark and light layers, like bacon.
In Indonesian, the cake is called lapis legit. This means "sweet layer cake." In English, people sometimes call it "thousand layer cake." Or they might say "thousand layer spice cake."
Where Did Spekkoek Come From?
People believe that Spekkoek was first made by the wives of Dutch officials. This happened in a city called Batavia. Today, Batavia is known as Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. The cake was often served during evening tea times in the colonial period.
How to Make Spekkoek
Making Spekkoek takes a lot of time and effort. A typical Spekkoek has more than 18 layers! This means baking it needs a lot of patience.
Mixing the Batter
The main ingredients for the cake batter are butter, flour, and sugar. There's usually about one part butter, one part flour, and two parts sugar.
Baking Each Layer
To make each layer, a small amount of batter is poured into a baking tin. This tin then goes into an oven. The cake is grilled from above. It stays in the oven until that layer turns golden brown. Then, the tin is taken out. This process is repeated many times to build up all the layers.
Some people say that Dutch ovens work best. These ovens have a charcoal fire on top of the lid. Electric ovens are also good because cakes bake faster in them. They are better than gas ovens for Spekkoek.
Adding Spices and Flavors
If it's hard to find whole clove buds or cardamom seeds, bakers can use Spekkoek powder. But grinding and mixing the spices just before baking makes the cake smell wonderful. The ground spices are very fine. They can clump together in the batter. So, they must be sieved into the flour at least three times.
In Indonesia, there are many kinds of lapis legit. Some cakes have almonds, cashew nuts, or cheese. Others have prunes or raisins. You can even find cakes flavored with chocolate and pandan.
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Spekkoek on sale in an Indo (Eurasian) shop in Amsterdam, Netherlands
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A festive Indonesian kue lapis legit in Singapore
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Kue lapis legit with prunes
Cost of Spekkoek
Because it takes so much work to bake, Spekkoek is a special treat. It can be quite expensive. In 2010, it cost about €20 per kilogram in the Netherlands. In Indonesia, a similar-sized lapis legit could cost up to Rp 400,000. This was about €12.50 at that time.
Usually, a typical lapis legit cake is sold in a square pan. This pan is about 20x20x6 centimeters. A homemade cake can cost at least Rp 350,000. A special, commercial cake can cost up to Rp 900,000.
Cakes Like Spekkoek
Kue Lapis Malang and Surabaya
In Malang, East Java, there is a cake called kue lapis malang or spiku malang. This cake has two layers. It's made in a different way. Bakers prepare two different batters. One is naturally yellow. The other is mixed with cocoa powder to make it dark brown. Each batter is poured into its own baking tin and baked. To put the cake together, one layer is placed on top of the other. A thin layer of fruit jam goes in between.
In Surabaya, there's a similar cake called kue lapis surabaya or spiku surabaya. This cake has three layers. It's made using a method similar to spiku malang. Kue lapis surabaya is often used to make birthday cakes and wedding cakes in Indonesia.
Comparing Lapis Legit and Kue Lapis
Lapis legit is similar to another traditional Indonesian cake called kue lapis. But there are some differences. Lapis legit is a puffy, layered cake made of flour and is baked. Kue lapis is a moist, layered pudding. It's made of rice flour and sago, and it is steamed.
Sarawak Layer Cake
Lapis legit has also become popular in Malaysia. A type of layer cake developed in Sarawak is called the Sarawak layer cake or kek lapis Sarawak. This cake has even more colors and flavors than lapis legit.
See also
In Spanish: Spekkoek para niños
