Taking the cake for the Idul Fitri celebration

Kue Lapis Legit

One of the most popular cakes during the Idul Fitri celebration. This recipe is a "homemade" one from the northern coastal area of Central Java.

Ingredients: 170 g butter; 170 g ground sugar; 5 egg yolks; 85 g wheat flour; 1 tsp ground nutmeg; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp ground cloves; 1/2 tsp ground cardamom; 5 egg whites, 50 g; 1 tbs butter for greasing

Method: 1. Beat butter until creamy. Add ground sugar and egg yolks. Continue beating until thick. 2. Mix wheat flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom and sift. Add little by little to the beaten butter while mixing. 3. Beat egg whites until stiff and add to the mixture of no. 2. Mix thoroughly. 4. Take a round or oblong baking tin and grease with butter. Then pour in a sufficient amount of batter to cover the tin thinly. Bake in the oven at medium heat until done and brownish. Grease the baked layer thinly with butter and put another layer over the first. Continue until the batter is finished.

Note: To make a moister version, do not totally close the oven door.

(Makes 25 slices)

2. Lapis Surabaya

A modified but no less satisfying version of kue lapis legit. For people who like robust appearances and are not hesitant about consuming egg yolks.

Ingredients: 12 egg yolks; 6 egg whites; 400 g ground sugar; 1 tbs ovalet (cake improver, available at supermarkets); 300 wheat flour (sifted); 2 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp vanilla powder; 300 g butter (melted); 2 tbs cocoa powder; 3 tsp butter, for greasing; 3 tsp wheat flour (for dusting); 100 g strawberry jam.

Method: 1. Beat egg yolks, egg white, sugar and ovalet until stiff. 2. Mix wheat flour and baking powder and put into the egg mixture 3. Add vanilla powder and melted butter. Mix. 4. Divide batter into three parts. Mix one part with cocoa powder 5. Take three round baking tins, diameter 23 cm, height 3.5 cm and grease with butter Dust with flour. 6. Pour batter into baking pans and alternately bake for 35 minutes on medium heat. 7. When done, cover the upper parts of the white ones with marmalade, put the chocolate one in center. Press.

Suggestion: The remaining egg whites could be made into meringues (Makes 20 slices)

3. Lapis Selembut Bayu

A creation of pink and light green colored biscuit batter, Selembut bayu means as soft as the morning breeze.

Ingredients: 6 hen eggs; 180 g ground sugar; 200 g wheat flour; 2 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp vanilla essence; 1/4 tsp rose essence; 4 drops of green food coloring; 4 drops of red food coloring; 1 tsp butter (for greasing the baking tin); 1/2 tbs wheat flour (for dusting the tin); 6 tbs lobi-lobi (a cherry-like fruit) marmalade (supermarket); 100 g grated, toasted coconut; 1 lobi-lobi, for decoration; 3 mint leaves (for decoration)

Method: 1. Divide egg yolks and egg whites. Beat egg whites until stiff. 2. Beat egg yolks and sugar until creamy. 3. Sift wheat flour and baking powder, then add little by little. to the beaten egg yolks. 4. Add vanilla essence, rose essence and beaten egg whites. Mix thoroughly and divide into two parts. 5. One part is colored green and the other part red. 6. Grease a round baking tin (diameter 24 cm, height 4 cm) with butter and dust with flour. Pour in the green part and bake in medium heat until done and set aside. 7. Bake the red part in the baking tin with the same procedure as the green one. 8. When done then cover the upper part of the green one with 2 Tbs marmalade and cover the top and sides of red one entirely with the remaining marmalade. Put the red on upon the green one and dust with the grated coconut. 9. Put the lobi-lobi and some mint leaves on top of the cake.

(Makes 8 slices)

4. Lapis Ayam

A savory chicken layer cake for a hearty teatime snack.

Ingredients: 4 egg whites; 100 g ground sugar; 8 egg yolks; 50 g wheat flour (sifted); 1/4 tsp vanilla essence; a pinch of salt; 1/2 tbs butter for greasing; 2 sheets of baking paper 35 x 30 cm; 1/2 tbs butter, for greasing the paper;

For the filling: 1 onion, 100 g; 2 cloves of garlic; a slice of ginger; a slice of galangal; 2 tbs cooking oil for stir frying; 250 g ground chicken meat; 100 ml milk; 1 tbs finely chopped local celery; 1 tbs finely chopped leek; 1 tsp salt or to taste; 1/2 tsp ground pepper; A sheet of baking paper; 1 tsp butter, for greasing

Method: 1. Beat egg whites until stiff. 2. Beat sugar and butter until creamy. 3. Add wheat flour, vanilla essence salt and beaten egg whites. Stir until mixed. 4. Take a 25 x 25 x 3 cm baking tin, grease with butter and put a sheet of baking paper in the tin and grease with butter. Pour in batter and bake in medium heat for 45 minutes.

Filling: 1. Chop onion, garlic and ginger finely. Bruise the galangal. 2. Heat the oil and stir fry the chopped mixture and galangal until aromatic. Add chicken meat and cook until done. 3. Add milk, celery, leek, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until done, set aside. 4. Take a sheet of baking paper, grease with butter and put the cake on it. Slice the cake vertically in equal halves and cover one half with the filling. Put the other half on it and press. Garnish to your liking.

Roda Arbai

The strawberry roll is an evergreen in our array of biscuit batter cakes.

Ingredients: 4 egg whites; 100 g ground sugar; 8 egg yolks; 50 g wheat flour (sifted); 1/4 tsp vanilla essence; a pinch of salt; 1 tsp butter to grease the baking tin; 2 tsp wheat flour, for dusting; 6 tbs strawberry jam; 35 x 30 cm baking paper to line the tin; 1 tsp butter to grease the baking tin; 3 tbs ground sugar for dusting; 1 tbs sucade (sugar-coated lemon peel, green or red to your liking).

Method: 1. Beat the egg whites until stiff, set aside. 2. Beat the sugar and egg yolks until creamy. 3. Add wheat flour, vanilla essence, salt and the beaten egg whites. 4. Grease a roll cake baking tin with slightly deepened parts with butter and dust with wheat flour. 5. Pour in batter and bake at medium heat for about 45 minutes. 6. When done, grease the baking paper with butter and put the baked cake onto it. When still hot, put strawberry jam in each deepened part. Roll carefully and let stand a while before cutting in slices.

Note: When using a flat baking tin, the strawberry jam will be in the center. (Makes 8 slices)

Kue Rempah-Rempahan (Spice Cake)

Spices a gogo in this aromatic cake spice cake. Mostly served at breakfast.

Ingredients: 300 g wheat flour; 1 tsp baking powder; 300 g palm sugar; 200 g sucade; 1 tsp ground pepper; 1 tsp ground cloves; 1 Tbs ground cinnamon; 1 hen egg; 250 ml milk; 1 tbs butter for greasing; 1/2 tbs flour, for dusting

Method: 1. Sift wheat flour, baking powder and add palm sugar. 2. Cut the sucade in small parts. Add pepper, cloves and cinnamon. 3. Break the egg over the wheat flour and mix well, add sucade and spices. 4. Slowly pour in milk and mix well. 5. Grease and dust a baking tin of 25 cm length, about 7 cm deep, with butter and flour, pour in batter. 6. Preheat oven on medium and bake the cake for approximately 60 minutes until done.

Note: The structure of the cake will not be too soft (Makes 10 slices)

Kue Marmor Pisang

With hundreds of varieties of bananas, the fruit makes its way into many a dessert, including this banana marble cake.

Ingredients: 250 g ripe banana (raja or Medan); 125 g butter or margarine; 175 g ground sugar; 2 hen eggs; 175 g wheat flour; 1 tsp baking powder; 125 ml milk; 2 tbs cocoa powder; 2 tbs water; 1/2 tbs butter or margarine, for greasing; 1/2 tbs wheat flour, for dusting

Method: 1. Peel bananas and mash finely. 2. Beat butter or margarine and sugar until creamy. 3. Add the eggs one at a time while beating. 4. Add banana and beat well. 5. Sift wheat flour and baking powder and add to the banana mixture. 6. Pour in milk. 7. Dissolve cocoa in water. Add to half of the cake batter. 8. Grease and dust the baking tin and pour in the two kinds of batter alternately by spoonfuls in the baking tin. 9. Bake on medium heat for 35-40 minutes.

(Makes 10-12 slices)

8. Kue Tapekur

A cake for breaking the fast. Tapai or tape singkong is fermented cassava.

Ingredients: 500 g soft and ripe tapai singkong (supermarket); 100 g pitted dates; 100 g butter; 150 g ground sugar; 150 g wheat flour; 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1/4 tsp salt; 1 tsp vanilla powder; 50 ml thick coconut milk; 1 tbs butter, for greasing; 1/2 tbs wheat flour, for dusting.

Method: 1. Discard possible fibrous parts in the tapai and mash. Cut the dates into small pieces. 2. Beat the butter and sugar until creamy. Mix wheat flour, baking powder, salt and vanilla and add to the beaten butter mixture. 3. Add the mashed tapai and dates and pour in coconut milk. Mix well. 4. Grease and dust a suitable baking tin. 5. Pour in the batter and bake in medium heat for about 40-45 minutes until done. Let cool before slicing.

(Makes 10-12 slices)

9. Roti Kurma (Date Bread)

During Ramadhan, dates are the first to be consumed after breaking the fast, here served in a satisfying bread.

Ingredients: 350 g pitted dates; 250 wheat flour; 5 g instant yeast; 3 tbs tepid milk; 3 hen eggs; 50 ml honey; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tbs butter for greasing; 1/2 tbs wheat flour, for dusting;

Method: 1. Cut the dates into small pieces. 2. Place wheat flour in a deep bowl, make a well and place yeast in it. Pour in tepid milk. Mix flour and yeast thoroughly and let stand for about 30 minutes. 3. Break the eggs alternately on the leavened dough, mix, and add honey, salt and dates. Cover with a clean napkin and let stand for 30 minutes. 4. Grease a oblong tin with butter and dust with wheat flour. Put the dough in the tin. Bake at medium heat for 45 minutes until done.

(Makes 10 slices)

10. Lapis Kukus Ubi (Sweet Potato Layer Cake)

There are several kinds of sweet potatoes with different colors. Choose the orange colored ones or the ubi merah for this cake.

Ingredients: 3 hen eggs; 175 g ground sugar; 50 ml thick coconut milk; 1 tbs yeast; 300 g boiled sweet potato, mashed; 125 ml thick coconut milk; 100 wheat flour; 1/2 tsp vanilla powder; 3 tbs milk; 2 tbs cocoa powder; 1 Tbs margarine, for greasing; 1/2 tbs wheat flour, for dusting.

Method: 1. Beat eggs and sugar until creamy. 2. Add 50 ml thick coconut milk and yeast. Repeat beating until thick. 3. Add mashed sweet potatoes and 125 ml thick coconut milk. 4. Add wheat flour, vanilla powder, milk and beat once more. 5. Divide the dough into half. One part remains as is, and the other part is colored chocolate through the addition of cocoa powder. 6. Grease and dust a suitable baking tin. Place a steamer over the flame and when the water boils then put the tin into the steamer. Steam one third of the white batter until done, then add one third of the chocolate colored one. 7. Proceed alternately until batter is finished. Slice when cool

(Makes 10 slices)

-- Suryatini N. Ganie