Traditional Indonesian Layer Cake (Thousand Layer Spice Cake/ Kue Lapis Legit)
Indonesian layer cake or kue lapis legit is an ultra rich and moist butter cake baked layer by layer. It has warm flavours of mixed spices such as cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cardamom, and the subtle hint of vanilla.
Indonesian spice layer cakes are must-have Lunar New Year treats in our home to offer family and friends when they come calling or visiting.
These unique butter cakes go by their local name, kue lapis legit, in Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. It is sometimes referred to as a ‘thousand layer cake’, most likely to impress how laborious and time-consuming it is to bake this cake, layer by layer.
Save for Later:Traditional Indonesian Layer Cake
Pin this on PinterestIndonesian layer cakes these days offer unique flavours and textures. Popular variations include layers baked with dried or mixed fruit thrown in such as this prune layer cake, or incorporated with the puree of tropical fruits such as this durian layer cake.
About this traditional Indonesian layer cake
Now, there’s no denying that layer cakes have an insane amount of eggs, egg yolks and loads of butter.
Did you know some traditional Indonesian recipes even call for as many as 25 egg yolks! But this is no time to be thinking of calories!
If you’re looking to make this, you’re just in time for my recipe update. This Indonesian layer cake is authentic and traditional in flavour.
Rich, buttery and moist, but not overly greasy. And it has just the perfect balance of mixed spice and vanilla, in my humble opinion. I’m really hoping you’ll enjoy this improved version!
Ingredients for Indonesian layer cake
- butter
- caster sugar
- condensed milk
- self-raising flour (update: I have baked this exact recipe replacing the self-raising flour with cake flour and 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and it turns out a more tender cake)
- ready-made mixed spice (or make your own)
- whole eggs
- egg yolks
- salt
- sponge gel (also referred to as sponge cake emulsifier/ stabilizer)
- vanilla extract
- brandy (optional)
How to make Indonesian layer cake
Layer cakes are quite easy to make, but it does need a few hours and attentiveness because these layer cakes are grilled one layer at at time.
Each layer is made by pouring a small amount of cake batter into a baking pan, and then grilled under the top heat of an oven until it is baked golden.
The tin is then removed from the oven and the process is repeated, adding layer upon layer, until all the batter is used.
For instance, it takes about 2.5 hrs to bake an entire cake like this with 13 layers.
You’ll probably be hovering constantly by the oven, and that’s why this cake is often considered a labour of love!
Step-by-step: Making the cake batter
- Step 1: Sift self-raising flour (or cake flour and baking powder), mixed spice and salt into a mixing bowl.
- Steps 2 & 3: Fit a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. At medium speed, cream butter and condensed milk until smooth, light and fluffy, about 5 – 7 minutes. Stop the mixer once or twice to scrape the butter down the sides of the bowl. If you’ve only got one mixer bowl, scoop out the butter mixture into another bowl. Thoroughly wash and dry the mixer bowl.
Note: Do not use high speed as the heat generated could warm the butter, making the mixture greasy. Beat until the mixture feels light, fluffy and creamy on your spatula.
- Step 4: Swap the paddle with a whisk attachment. In the clean and dry mixer bowl, whip whole eggs, egg yolks, caster sugar and sponge gel on medium speed until pale, very thick and fluffy. This may take 7 – 9 minutes, depending on the temperature of the eggs as well as the mixing speed.
Note: Do not rush through this step by beating at high speed. It may take more than the time stated, but do not worry. It is important to beat as long as required to get to the ribbon stage.
- Step 5: Whip until ribbon stage. This is when the mixture falls back into the bowl in ribbons, which pools on the surface for a few seconds (about 7 seconds) before disappearing into the mixture.
- Step 6: Now tip in the sifted flour-spice mixture and continue beating until well incorporated. About 15 seconds.
- Step 7: Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the creamed butter mixture in 3 additions, each time beating until well mixed before adding the next.
- Step 8: Lastly, stir in the vanilla extract and brandy (optional) until well mixed.
Step-by-step: Building the cake layers
Get your oven going and pre-heat to 200°C (392°F) with top and bottom heating mode. Position the oven rack in the centre of the oven.
Now’s the time to get your baking pan ready, if you haven’t done so already. It’s usually the first thing I get done and out of the way, even before I start prepping the cake ingredients.
Remember to switch your oven to grill mode (after it’s reached the stated temperature) and heat up the cake pan for 2 minutes.
Note: It’s also very important to know your grilling temperature range. I use the lowest level in my oven as it maintains an internal baking temperature at around 200°C (392°F). Use the grilling level that gives you this temperature in your oven.
- Scoop a ladle of batter (or you can weigh 80 – 85 gm). Spread the batter with the back of a metal spoon to fill the base. Level the first layer as evenly as possible.
- For the 1st layer, grill for 3 minutes until cooked and lightly browned. Do not over-bake the first layer.
Note: I usually regard the first 2-3 layers as ‘sacrificial’ layers, so don’t get hung up over these starting layers as long as you don’t burn any. Once you get into the work flow, are able to adjust the grilling temperature if it’s too hot, and also determine the baking time, then the subsequent layers will turn out much nicer.
- Remove from the oven, prick a few holes in the baked layer and gently press with a lapis press. Spread the next layer of batter.
Again, spread with the back of a spoon and shake the pan to level it evenly. Tap the pan hard on the counter once or twice to minimise air bubbles. Grill for 5 – 6 minutes, or until a deep golden brown. Optional: Rotate the pan halfway through the baking time – this helps the top to brown evenly.
Note: In spite of your best efforts, trapped air bubbles may balloon under the layer during the grilling process. This is normal. Prick the air bubbles as soon as they start to form, before the crust begins to set. It’s perfectly okay to quickly open the oven door, pull out the oven rack a bit so you can safely prick it with a toothpick or cake skewer to let the air escape. Then close the oven door again.
- Repeat layering and grilling until all the batter is used up. Note: The last 2 to 3 layers will take less time to bake and brown, so do observe the cake frequently and watch the time.
- Once the last layer has lightly browned, set the oven mode to top and bottom heating at 180°C (356°F) and bake the cake for another 2 – 3 minutes. During this last few minutes of baking, you can cover the top of the pan with aluminum foil if it gets too brown.
- Allow cake to cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Run a knife along the edges and invert the cake to release. Set on a wire rack until completely cooled.
Now, for the most exciting part after all that effort! Trim a bit off the sides of the cake to reveal the beautiful layer pattern.
To store, make sure the cake has completely cooled. Store in an air-tight container at room temperature, and it will keep well for up to 5 days.
If storing for longer, wrap the cooled cake tightly with a few layers of clingwrap, and chill for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.
Baking layer cakes: Helpful tips to avoid some common pitfalls
Have all the cake ingredients at room temperature.
Eggs at room temperature will incorporate more air when whipped, than when cold. Butter should be just softened. It should yield slightly when lightly pressed, but not too soft as to feel oily.
The ideal temperature to have butter at is 19 deg C for optimal creaming. Take your time and be sure to cream till the butter feels light and fluffy on your spatula.
Place the cake pan in the centre of the oven.
If cake pan is placed too far down from the top heat, it will take much longer to brown the layers. The extended grilling may dry out the layers.
The layers are fairly thin, so it’ll only take a matter of a couple of minutes to cook. It’s the browning that takes up the extra time.
Bake each layer to a golden brown.
The darker the toasted tops are, the more vivid the layered pattern will be, and also much more flavourful! Just be careful not to end up burning it.
Avoid spreading the layers too thin.
Too thin and the layers may run the risk of drying out and browning too quickly. You might even risk burning the layers, unless you’re ready to plomp yourself on a stool right in front of your oven door and watch it like a hawk.
Too thick, and you’ll have less layers to your cake, though that’s totally OKAY. I usually try to aim for anywhere between 10 to 13 layers, or about a 5-mm thickness per layer.
Remember to prick each baked layer with a fork.
Prick in just a few places across the layer. This will help minimise, though not necessarily prevent trapped air from ‘ballooning’.
If you see air bubbles forming as the layer bakes in the oven, don’t worry! Just open the oven door, quickly yank out the pan, prick those bubbles with a toothpick, and return it to grill.
Press lightly with a fondant press to get even layers.
This also helps to prevent air pockets from building up as you add on each layer. It also helps create a nice and tight pattern.
But just don’t apply too much pressure, or else the cake will end up compact and dense.
Adjust your oven rack, moving it down a level, if necessary, for the last 2 to 3 layers.
That’s because as the layers build up, the top gets closer to the top heating element and will brown very, very quickly!
Here are more awesome butter cake recipes to inspire your next bake:
- Indonesian Prune Layer Cake (Prune Lapis Cake)
- Durian Indonesian Layer Cake
- How to Make Rich & Moist Fruit Cake
- Very Rich Butter Cake
- Orange Pound Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Glaze
- Vanilla Pound Cake – Ultra Moist & Buttery!
Tried this recipe? I’d love to see! Remember to share your pics on Instagram and tag @foodelicacy or #foodelicacy.
Traditional Indonesian Layer Cake (Kue Lapis Legit)
Ingredients
- 100 g self-raising flour or replace with cake flour and add 1 tsp baking powder
- 1½ tsp mixed spice
- ¼ tsp salt
- 250 g unsalted butter softened at room temperature
- 2 tbsp condensed milk
- 3 whole eggs large
- 16 egg yolks
- 250 g caster sugar
- 1 tbsp sponge cake gel/emulsifier I use SP or Ovalett
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp brandy optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C (392°F). Grease and line the base of an 8-inch (20-cm) square cake pan with baking paper. Position the oven rack in the centre of the oven.
- Sift self-raising flour (or cake flour and baking powder), mixed spice and salt into a mixing bowl. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and condensed milk at medium speed until smooth, light and fluffy, about 5 – 7 minutes. Stop the mixer once or twice to scrape the butter down the sides of the bowl. Set aside.Note: Do not use high speed as the heat generated could warm the butter, making the mixture greasy. Beat until the mixture feels light, fluffy, and creamy on your spatula.
- Fit the stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. In a clean and dry mixer bowl, whip whole eggs, egg yolks, caster sugar and sponge gel on medium speed until pale, very thick and fluffy. This may take 7 – 9 minutes, depending on the temperature of the eggs as well as the mixing speed.Note: Do not rush through this step by beating at high speed. It may take more than the time stated, but do not worry. It is important to beat as long as required to get to the ribbon stage.
- Whip until ribbon stage. This is when the mixture falls back into the bowl in ribbons, which stays on the surface for a few seconds (about 7 seconds) before disappearing into the mixture.
- Tip in the sifted flour-spice mixture and continue beating until well incorporated. About 15 seconds.
- Reduce mixer speed to low. Add the creamed butter mixture in 3 additions, each time beating until well mixed before adding the next.
- Last, tip in the vanilla extract and brandy (optional) and beat on low speed for 5-10 seconds until well mixed.
- Heat the cake pan in the preheated oven for 2 minutes. Switch to grill mode (top heating only). Note: It’s also very important to know your grilling temperature range. I use the lowest level in my oven as it maintains an internal baking temperature at around 200°C (392°F). Use the grilling level that gives you this temperature in your oven.
- Scoop a ladle of batter (or 80 – 85 gm by weight) and spread with the back of a metal spoon to fill the base. Level the first layer as evenly as possible.
- For the 1st layer, grill for 3 minutes or until cooked and lightly browned. Do not over-bake the first layer.Note: I usually regard the first 2-3 layers as ‘sacrificial’ layers, so don’t get hung up over these starting layers as long as you don’t burn any. Once you get into the work flow, are able to adjust the grilling temperature if it’s too hot, and also determine the baking time, then the subsequent layers will turn out much nicer.
- Remove from the oven, prick a few holes in the baked layer with a fork, and gently press with a lapis press. Spread the next layer of batter. Again, spread with the back of a spoon and shake the pan to level it evenly. Tap the pan hard on the counter once or twice to minimise air bubbles. Grill for 5 minutes, or until golden brown.Note: In spite of your best efforts, trapped air bubbles may balloon under the layer during the grilling process. This is normal. Prick the air bubbles as soon as they start to form, before the crust begins to set. It’s perfectly okay to quickly open the oven door, pull out the oven rack a bit so you can safely prick it with a toothpick to let the air escape. Then close the oven door again.
- Repeat layering and grilling until all the batter is used up. Note: The last 2 to 3 layers make take less time to bake and brown, so do observe the cake frequently and watch the time.
- Once the last layer has lightly browned, set the oven mode to top and bottom heating at 180°C (356°F) and bake the cake for another 2 – 3 minutes. During this last few minutes of baking, you can cover the top of the pan with aluminum foil if it gets too brown.
- Allow cake to cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Run a knife along the edges and invert the cake to release. Set on a wire rack until completely cooled.
- Trim a bit off the sides of the cake to reveal the layers. To store, wrap the cooled cake tightly with a few layers of clingwrap, and chill or freeze.
Hi Celia, can we use this recipe to make a rainbow lapis? Thanks in advance
Hi Mag, though I haven’t tried it myself, I think this would work out for a rainbow lapis. You would just need to determine how many coloured batters you want (and divide the batter equally) and add the respective food colours, then grill layer by layer as usual. Hope this helps! Please share a pic (#foodelicacy or @foodelicacy) if you make it, I’d love to see! Happy weekend!
Hi, I tried making this cake and the batter looks curdled. Do you have a video to share?
Hi Sarah, I’m afraid I haven’t made a recipe video. It’s expected that the batter will curdle each time you introduce creamed butter, but continue beating at low speed until it smoothens out before each addition. It won’t look completely smooth once butter is incorporated (the step-by-step photos in the post will give you an idea of how the batter should look), but the goal is to get the batter to the same consistency. This would indicate that the butter is well incorporated. If the batter remains very curdled, the butter was probably not as well creamed as it should be at the start. You’ll want the butter creamed till light and fluffy, but not greasy. I hope this helps!
Hi Celia,
What happens if I don’t use Ovalette/SP/Emulco, as I can’t find them where I am? Can I omit it from the recipe?
Many thanks.
Hi Nicole, I haven’t tried making this without the ‘insurance’ of a sponge gel emulsifier which basically helps stabilize the whipped egg batter to produce lighter, airy layers when baked layer by layer. As the batter will also be sitting for prolonged periods of time between layer bakes, an emulsifier also prevents the batter from deflating too quickly by ‘holding’ in the trapped air. However, without it, it could still work if you substitute the self-raising flour with a low protein flour like cake or pastry flour. It will be a softer, more tender texture if that’s what you like as well. You would have to add baking powder, about 1 tsp for 100 g of cake flour. I do hope it works out, would appreciate if you could let me know!
Hi Celia
Thanks for sharing the recipe. I’ll like to try this recipe. However, I have 9″ Square Pan instead of 8″. How much do I need to increase the ingredients?
Thanks
Hi Goh, you can definitely increase the ingredients to fit a 9-inch pan, but it also depends if your mixer bowl capacity can handle the amount of batter. When I do it in my Kitchen Aid (4.8L capacity) mixer, the beaten eggs batter (before adding flour and butter) reaches almost the top of the bowl during whipping.
If I were to do this, I would increase all the ingredients by 33%, to make it easier to determine the number of eggs, so: 133 g self-raising flour; 2 tsp mixed spice; 0.5 tsp salt; 335 g butter; 50 g condensed milk; 4 whole eggs; 21 egg yolks; 335 g caster sugar; 1 tbsp + 1 tsp sponge gel; 1.5 tsp vanilla extract. I’d love to know how this works out for you.
There was no amount of vanilla extract mention in the ingredients recipe.
Hi Chris, thank you for noticing! Sorry I missed it, I used 1 tsp vanilla extract.
Hi! I’d love to make this cake, but in New Zealand, there’s nobody selling sponge cake gel/emulsifier (or at least not under the names SP or Ovalett.) Do you happen to know if there are any substitutes for it (E.g. other generic emulsifiers, like lecithin or, dare I say it, yogurt), or can it be omitted completely? Thank you!
Hi Kye, not sure if you received my reply in time before my site crashed for a while. But just in case it didn’t get delivered, I wanted to say that I haven’t tried this without using gel emulsifier or a suitable substitute so I can’t say from experience. I would omit it completely as there are plenty of egg yolks, which are natural emulsifiers as well. The reason it’s used here is because the batter would be left to stand at room temperature for a long period of time while you’re grilling the cake layers one by one. So the gel emulsifier works to strengthen and stabilise the batter, and help the batter bulk up in volume when whipping up the eggs. Hope this helps!
Dear Celia,
May I know if I wanna make a
Coffee lapis, can I replace vanilla essence with coffee essence? Do I still need to add mixed spice ? Or using coffee Emulco is better.
Hi CC, you can do both – replace the vanilla essence with coffee essence, as well as add coffee emulco for a more intense coffee flavour without messing with the rest of the ingredient ratios. I would probably start with 1 – 1.5 tbsp. I would highly recommend leaving in the mixed spice if you’d like the traditional lapis flavour. Also, you may need to add a bit more sugar to offset the bitterness of the coffee emulco. Hope this helps and I’d love to know how it turns out!
Hi Celia, thank you for sharing this recipe. Kueh Lapis is very expensive in Singapore so I tried making it with your recipe. Your instructions is so precise and easy to follow. I just finished baking it, and is still hot from the oven. The process really need a lot of focus and you can’t really leave the oven to attend to other things cos that would result in a slightly more burn layer. Overall the cake turn out well. I can’t wait to share it with my family. Once again, thank you for sharing, Celia! May God bless you!
Hi Jayne! Thank you so much for sharing! You’re awesome to bake this for your family, and I hope you and your family liked how the lapis cake turned out. You’re right, it costs a lot to buy these cakes, and I have always loved to make these from scratch because I can reduce the greasiness and sweetness to my liking too. It might take a few bakes to get the timing right for grilling each layer, since each oven is different. But I can tell you, it gets easier and easier. And nothing beats the appreciation of your loved ones for a homebaked lapis cake! Happy Lunar New Year to you too and God bless you too!
Great recipe, absolutely love it ! Thanks Celia.
On the side, would you reckon the difference between using cake flour vs self raising flour for this recipe?
Hi Mark, thank you so much for your feedback! I would highly recommend baking with cake flour as well. It will be a softer, more tender texture if that’s what you like as well. You would have to add baking powder, about 1 tsp for 100 g of cake flour.
Dear Celia, thanks a million for the Angel food cake recipe as it uses 12 egg whites. I am making another Lapis tomorrow using exactly your recipe. You are a gem.
You’re always welcome, Doris! Happy Lunar New Year to you and your family!
Hello Celia, with the 16 egg whites, I would like to ask for your advice on any ideas on what to cook or bake with these egg whites. Thank you.
Hi Doris, I like using up the extra whites for angel food cake. Here’s an angel food cake recipe you might like to try!
Hello there! You mentioned that 3 eggs and 16 egg yolks should be included in this recipe. May I check if the 16 egg yolks is counted in the 3 eggs that I’ll be using? So meaning I’ll only need 13 egg yolks because the 3 whole eggs will have additional 3 yolks as well
Hi Joey, thanks for writing in! It’s 3 whole eggs, plus an additional 16 egg yolks. So you’ll have a total of 19 yolks.
Hi Celia
I set my broiler at the minimum temperature of 400F and placed the pan at the lowest level of the oven . The layers in between ended up dry by the time the top turns brown . Should I place the rack in the center of the oven instead?
I was using your previous Mrs Leong recipe but would like to try your new improved recipe. Can I omit the sponge cake gel since I have difficulty getting the gel in Canada?
Hi Alice, it’s lovely to hear from you again! I would advise placing the cake pan in the centre or just below centre. This is because it takes a much shorter time to grill and brown, so it won’t dry out as quickly. If placed too low in the oven, it will take a much longer time, and the extended grilling time will dry out the first few layers as you get towards the end (or top, in this case). The sponge gel helps the beaten eggs to hold the air whipped into it, so it definitely helps but I haven’t tried without it so I can’t say with certainty how it will affect the overall final texture. If you like, I can always send you Mrs Leong’s recipe if you feel confident in that recipe. Just let me know!☺
Hi Celia,
I have GE Oven and the broil mode have Hi/Lo what mode should I use. Should I pre-heat the oven to 340 degree F and switched to broil. Please advise.
Thank you.
Hi Pat, I looked up GE ovens temperature range for Hi/Lo broil mode and they’re pretty high (550/450 deg F). I would probably preheat at 340 F, then switch to Lo Broil and start by placing the cake pan in the lower half of the oven, i.e. the top of the pan sits just below center of the oven. Given the higher temperature, the layers will take less time to bake, so you’ll need to keep a watchful eye and gauge how many mins each layer takes to brown. As the layers build up, the time will be shorter. Hope this helps!
Hi Celia. So I did it! Super happy with the way it tastes. Had all the flavours and textures. However, I think I might not have browned it enough. I would like to send you a picture to ask your advise on what could have been done differently perhaps in order to get the same look as yours. My layers are not as defined as yours. But they are there ?
Hello Denise, that’s so awesome to hear! Congratulations! I’d love to see your beautiful layer cake. You can email me your pics at celialim@foodelicacy.com. It sounds like the layers weren’t browned enough to create visibly distinct lines.I had the same issue initially cos I was afraid that I would overbake the tops. But if you grill long enough to get a nice, deep brown (but not burn the layers),it really creates the beautiful lines in the slices. Thank you so much for sharing!
Do sell this cake
Hi Norina, so sorry to have missed your message! Did you mean to ask if I sell these cakes? I’m afraid I haven’t endeavoured yet to making cakes for order. Thank you for writing in!
Hi, I went to singapore last year and to Indonesia, where I tried this cake and I loved it! My husband just went to visit his family in indonesia and bought me a bit of the cake but nothing like I remembered! 🙁 I am really happy to find this recipe and someone with the same name haha ! Thank you 🙂
Hello Celia! Greetings from Singapore! Thank you so much for sharing! You can easily make this cake at home now. It’s like a labour of love, building up and baking the layers one by one, but you will find that it’s so worth all the effort. Nothing beats the flavour of homebaked layer cakes! It will taste better with time, so once the cake is done, let it cool completely (try to overcome your urge to slice it right away and that’s going to be tough! haha) and chill overnight, covered in cling wrap. The flavours will come together beautifully the next couple of days. We usually slice the cake when it is chilled, as many slices as we want, keeping the rest wrapped in the fridge, and let those slices come to room temperature (or microwave a few seconds) before eating. Deeeeelicious!! Hope you’ll give this a try!
Hi, I know my comment is coming very late, but hope you see this and reply. When grilling the cake layers, which position in the oven do you start with? Middle rack? Thanks!
Hi Patricia, yes I place the cake pan on the middle rack?
Hi Celia, do you use just the top heat element throughout the whole baking process or do you switch to bottom & top halfway through?
Hi Ivy, I use the grill function (top heat only) for the entire baking process. As the layers build up and get closer to the top heating element, the layers will bake and brown more quickly requiring less time, so it’s recommended that when you’re left with the last 2 to 3 layers to bake, place your cake pan on the lowest oven rack.
Hi Celia,
Am attempting to make Kuih lapis this week. The thing is, I will be using a tabletop convection oven. While it has a broil function the broil does not come with a temperature nor is there a low broil or a high broil. Do you have any advice on that please? Much appreciated. Oh I’m in NYC hence the broiler issue. Thanks much!
Hi Clara, thank you so much for asking! I had the same issue with my older European model oven, where there wasn’t a heat setting for the grill/broil mode. So what I did was pre-heat the oven to the specified temperature (in this recipe, it’s 170 C or 340 F) using bake mode. Once the oven reaches that temperature, I switched to grill/broil mode. The temperature might drop just a tad when you switch to broil mode, but it’s better to grill the layers at a moderate temperature than overly hot. Hope this helps!
Why is that when I beat the butter it never be creamy like your recipes say?
Hi, Susan, thanks for writing in! When you cream the butter, you only need to beat it until it becomes light and fluffy. Depending on your mixer speed, it may take anywhere between 5 to 10 minutes, on medium speed. Before you start creaming, the butter should be slightly softened at room temperature, and not too warm, otherwise air cannot be optimally incorporated into the butter and the cake will be dense. Hope this helps!
Hi, I’m curious What is in the mixed spice?
Hi Nat, typically, mixed spice is a ready-made spice mix of ground cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. The spice combination may vary slightly across brands and manufacturers, and may include other spices like green cardamom and star anise.☺
Hi Celia,
I am living in Vancouver, BC & would love to try baking this cake for CNY. My oven does not have a grill function . It has only baking & broiling . Can I use my toaster oven instead as it has a grill function .? My only concern is whether a toaster oven is able to maintain a constant temperature.
Thank you.
Alice
Hello Alice, greetings from Singapore! If I understand correctly, the broil function typical of ovens in Canada and the US, is essentially the same as the grill function in ovens in the UK, Europe and Asia. What is preferred is top element heating only, so if your broil function does that, it should be okay. As we’ll be building up the cake layer by layer, top heating allows the new layer to bake through, without the risk of burning the bottom (the first layer), that is why bake function which uses both top and bottom heating elements is not ideal. You’ll have to watch closely how long it takes to bake each layer, as broiler temp settings vary. Ideally, between 170 – 200 deg C is best (340 – 400 def F). Hope it all works out!
May I know what will be the oven temp then? Grill setting is pretty high . If I am not wrong, it is above 200 degrees celsius. Mine is Miele model. So will 170 degrees do as what it is written? Pls advise and thanks
Hi Magda, apologies for my delayed reply, was in a location overseas without wifi access?. Yes, it helps to know your oven temp settings for grill mode so if you can get your oven temp to 170 deg C in grill mode, it should work out fine. With my older oven, I have to pre-heat my oven to 170 deg C, then switch to grill mode. Happy baking!?
Hi, Thanks for sharing! Just wondering if you have a good and easy Tau suan?? thanks Living in Australia. Otherwise just buy in Singapore
Hi Lorna, thanks so much for dropping me a line! You can have a go at this easy tau suan recipe here. Tau suan is one of my most favourite Chinese hot desserts, I have to have it at least once a week here!?? Hope you get to enjoy it there too, now that you can prepare it yourself!