Sarawak kek lapis, or layered cakes, are well-known for their richly coloured and exquisite layered patterns, which require a laborious baking procedure.
Baking the cake layer by layer takes a great deal of patience and precision.
In addition to their eye-catching designs, Sarawak kek lapis come in a wide range of flavours, including pandan, chocolate, vanilla, nuts, and fruits like raisins and prunes, among many others.
Additionally, some kek lapis are baked with a blend of spices, such as cloves and cinnamon, giving them a more distinctive and unique flavour.
Not only are Sarawak kek lapis a delicious treat, but they also represent creativity and precision in cake baking.
The rich culture and traditions of Sarawak are beautifully reflected in every layer and pattern created.
Nonetheless, many people, particularly those who are not from Sarawak, often question the cost of kek lapis, which can be somewhat pricey, especially the premium varieties.
Sarawak Tribune spoke with 32-year-old Dewi Haffyza Tomi, a premium Sarawak kek lapis maker, about her profession and her stunning kek lapis.
Here is our conversation with Dewi, whom her family and friends affectionately refer to as Teng:
Q: How long have you been making kek lapis, and where did you learn your skills?
A: I started learning how to make kek lapis in 2016 because I enjoy sweet foods, particularly cakes. I developed a keen interest in making kek lapis and used my mother’s recipe book to teach myself.
What is the most challenging part of making premium kek lapis, and how do you ensure it turns out perfect every time?
The toughest element for me is layering cakes that contain thick chocolate, like Cadbury Dairy Milk bars. Skills are crucial to ensuring perfection because an incorrect procedure will result in an uncooked portion of the layer containing the chocolate bars. There was one time when I just started making my Cadbury Bar Bite recipe — a kek lapis made with Cadbury Dairy Milk bars — and I had to try up to six times to achieve the perfect result!
Kek lapis is a traditional cake in certain cultures. How do you balance honouring its tradition while also modernising or personalising it?
I can affirm that we have been exposed to, or accustomed to, kek lapis made with top-notch ingredients since we were young children. For instance, when making kek lapis, our grandmothers or mothers would use pure butter like Golden Churn, Yeo’s Seri Kaya (a coconut jam mixed with pandan that has an enticing sweet-savoury flavour), and other ingredients. As a result, I developed a taste for these premium ingredients myself and decided to produce my kek lapis only with them. Since most people in today’s generation enjoy cheese and chocolate, I frequently pair them with my kek lapis to give it a contemporary twist.
What is the most unique kek lapis you have ever made for your customers?
I have invented three different kinds of kek lapis: Cadbury Bar Bite (made using Cadbury Dairy Milk bars), Cadbury Copanchi (made using Cadbury Dairy Milk bars with pandan flavouring), and PS5 Bueno (made using Kinder Bueno chocolate wafers). Even without other premium components, the cost of the chocolate bars alone to make a mould of Cadbury Bar Bite kek lapis can exceed hundreds of ringgit. Despite the high cost of my kek lapis, I guarantee an explosive sweetness due to the use of only the best ingredients! Just so you know, I also teach all three of my super premium kek lapis remotely through PJJ (pembelajaran jarak jauh). If you’re interested, you may reach me at 014-7091284 or look me up (Teng Haji Tomi) on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
Have you seen any changes in demand or trends in the kek lapis industry recently?
For me, most people these days, especially non-Sarawakians, only know the basic, budget kek lapis — the kind made without pure butter or other premium ingredients. As a result, they are unable to experience the authentic flavour of Sarawak kek lapis. To preserve the original kek lapis’ mouth-watering taste for as long as possible, I choose to use only high-quality ingredients in each of my kek lapis. Indirectly, this may also help people — especially tourists — understand why Sarawak’s premium kek lapis costs so much.
