Kue Lapis Pepe ( Indonesian Tapioca & Rice Flour Layered Cake)

Hello Kindness,

I can’t get enough of this Kue Lapis Pepe. A childhood favourite, a delicious snack to share with your loved ones.

READ MORE OR JUMP TO RECIPE HERE

Kue Lapis Pepe. Kue= cake, lapis= layers in Indonesian. So Kue Lapis Pepe is a thin-layered cake made of rice flour and tapioca starch. It is one of my favourite Indonesian traditional cakes growing up because it is so much fun to eat, peeling it layer by layer. Somehow it is so addicting and satisfying, much like peeling cheese strings. We normally bought ours in the local traditional market where the street vendors sell all kinds of traditional treats.

The texture is chewy, with a mildly sweet taste, with a hint of coconut milk. It is a light-tasting dessert to have as a snack or afternoon tea.

Traditionally Kue Pepe is flavoured only with pandan, sometimes chocolate with the rest of the fun colours being artificial. I made this one with all-natural super powders from Suncore Foods, which not only give the cake some beautiful hues but also add exciting flavours to every layer. The sweet base of the cake is complimented with a tangy floral note from Hibiscus, refreshing Dragonfruit, nuttiness and slight bitterness from matcha.

The beauty of this cake is that you can design/ flavour it however you like it. You can have thicker or thinner layers, and play with how you’d like your flavour/colour to layer. What will your Kue Pepe flavour be?

HOW TO MAKE KUE LAPIS PEPE, INDONESIAN GLUTEN FREE TAPIOCA LAYERED CAKE

Yield 6-8

M.Aimee (milkofthykindness)

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Kue Lapis Pepe (Indonesian Rice and Tapioca Flour Layered Cake)

This mildly sweet tasting cake is chewy, gluten-free and make a great snack

Ingredients

BATTER

• 300 g tapioca starch
• 200 g white sugar
• 60 g fine white rice flour
• 350 ml thick coconut milk
• 450 ml water
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 2 Tbsp of Suncore’s Emerald Pandan

COLOURED BATTER

• 1/2 Tbsp Suncore's Pink Pitaya for light pink
• 1 tsp Suncore Pink Pitaya +2 tsp Canary Yellow Safflower for orange-yellow
• 1/2 tsp Suncore’s Fucshia Hibiscus for dark burgundy
• 2 tsp Suncore’s Midori Jade Matcha for green

Instructions

MAKING THE BATTER

1. Sieve tapioca starch, rice flour, sugar, pandan and salt together. Pour the coconut milk and water into the mix, and combine it well.
2. Divide the batter into even amounts of bowls of colours you want to make and add subsequent Suncore’s superpower for the colours

STEAMING

1. Filled a pot half full with water and put a steaming basket large enough to fit your mould. I used an 11/2 recipe for an 8X8X21/4 inch mould
2. Brush the inside of your mould with oil, cover the bottom with parchment paper and brush oil on top of it, place the mould inside the steamer.
3. Cover the lid with a piece of fabric to absorb all the condensation so the moisture will not fall into the cake.
4. Bring the steamer water to boil, mix the batter gently before pouring to avoid sediment in the bottom.
5. Pour to desired thickness into the mould until it covers the whole surface of the mould. Place the lid and let it cook for 5-7 minutes for each layer until the layer turns opaque and dry ( important). Repeat with different colours depending on your design until it is finished. Steam for another 15 minutes after the last layer ( normally the last layer is subsequently put thicker).
6. Let the cake cool, then remove it from the mould.
7. Cut with a knife blade wrapped in plastic wrap to prevent sticking. Best to consume in a day or two, and leave it at room temperature.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @milkofthykindness on instagram and hashtag it # fareastfridayfeast

Hope you get to make some and enjoy it! If you do please tag me!

Xx,

M