Indonesian Durian Layer Cake
An excellent easy-to-bake recipe for durian Indonesian layer cake (durian lapis cake), delicious as an everyday tea treat, and a festive cake for the Lunar New Year. (Source: 'Layer Cakes: Baking with Love' by Evon Kow)
Ingredients
- 150 g whole eggs, without shells
- 250 g egg yolks
- 250 g caster sugar
- 1 tbsp sponge gel/ovalette
- 100 g self-raising flour sifted
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 150 g durian puree at room temperature
- 250 g butter at room temperature
- 2 tbsp condensed milk
Instructions
- Press durian puree through a sieve with the back of a metal spoon, scraping the underside of the sieve to obtain a fine puree.
- In an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and condensed milk on medium speed (speed 3 on my Kitchen Aid mixer) until light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
- Still using the electric mixer, now fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk whole eggs, egg yolks, sugar and sponge gel (ovalette) in a cleaned mixer bowl on high speed (speed 4 to 5) until mixture is thick and fluffy, about 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside.
- Combine sifted flour and mixed spice in a bowl. Add to the egg mixture and whisk at medium speed (speed 3) until well incorporated.
- Reduce mixer speed to low (speed 2), and add butter mixture in 3 batches, beating well after each addition until well combined. Add in durian puree and beat until well combined.
- Pre-heat the oven to 200 deg C (390 deg F). Set the oven rack in the bottom third of the oven. Grease and line the base of an 8-inch square cake pan. When oven temperature reaches 200 deg C, place the cake pan in the oven and heat for 2 minutes.
- Set the oven to GRILL mode. Spread 4 - 5 tablespoons of batter evenly over the base of the pan, and to all corners of the pan. Use the back of a metal spoon to level the surface. Grill until the layer is cooked and browned to a deep golden brown colour (read Recipe Notes below).
- Remove cake pan from the oven. Using a metal fork, prick holes in the cooked layer, and press down lightly on the entire surface with a fondant or lapis press (read Recipe Notes below).
- Continue to spread 4 - 5 tablespoons of batter for the next layer, and level evenly with the back of a metal spoon. Grill until cooked and deeply browned, prick holes and press to 'seal' the layers as before. Repeat process until all the batter is used up. Caution: Baking time will shorten as the cake increases in height, as the layers get closer to the top heating element in grill mode.
- When the last layer has cooked, switch from grill mode to bake mode at 180 deg C (top and bottom heat), and bake the cake for another 10 minutes, before removing from the oven.
- Remove cake pan from oven, set it on a rack to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. If you wish to have deep, lined impressions on the top of the cake, place a grid-wired cooling rack (with the legs or feet pointing up) on the top of the cake pan, aligning the lines of the grid with the sides of the cake pan. Then holding the cake pan and rack tightly together, flip over the cake pan and rack, so that the bottom of the cake pan is now facing up. Remove the cake pan, and let the cake completely cool on the rack. Flip the cake over again when completely cooled, and slice as desired.
Notes
- To achieve distinct and beautifully mocha-coloured layer lines, you will need to brown the tops sufficiently to a deep or dark golden brown (note the emphasis on dark, folks), just don't end up burning the tops. And when it comes to deciding how many layers, it all depends on the amount of batter and size of your cake pan.
- If you don't have a fondant or lapis press, you can use a fairly heavy glass container (like the air-tight Lock&Lock ones) as a weight. When using glass weights, do be careful - press lightly and just briefly for 2-3 seconds in any one particular area, wipe the base dry of steam or condensation with a clean paper towel, to avoid the browned top sticking to the glass base, before pressing the weight onto the next area.
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 18-inch square cake
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