Indonesian layer cake

This is a very traditional Indonesian cake that is grilled layer by layer in the oven, but the results are impressive and totally worth it.

Indonesian layer cake Credit: Poh's Kitchen

• serves

  12

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  1 hour

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 6 egg whites
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 250 g icing sugar, sifted
• 15 egg yolks
• 390 g unsalted butter, at room temperature, softened, beaten
• 120 g plain flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp five spice powder
• 2 tbsp brandy

Instructions

1. Whisk egg whites and vanilla until soft peaks form. Gradually add icing sugar, whisking, until stiff peaks form.
2. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well between each addition.
3. Add butter and beat until well incorporated.
4. Sift flour, baking powder and spice powder together. Fold into egg mixture in three batches. Stir in brandy.
5. Preheat oven on grill function. Grease a 20-22 cm square cake tin with removable base and line outside of tin with foil so batter does not leak through any gaps.
6. Spread ⅓ cup of cake batter evenly over base of cake tin.
7. Put tin under grill for about 5 minutes, or until top is a golden brown.
8. Remove from oven and spread over another ⅓ cup batter for the second layer. (There is no need to wait for the cake to cool between layers.) Repeat the same process until you have finished all the batter. Serve.

 

Poh's Kitchen, season 1 to season 3, premieres on Tuesday 20 November at 8.30pm. The series airs Tuesdays at 8.30pm on SBS Food (Channel 33). After they air, episodes will stream at SBS On Demand. 

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.