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Lapis Legit Cake


Lapis Legit (Dutch: spekkoek) is spice-flavored multilayered cake. A legacy of Dutch occupation  in Indonesia, the cake is enjoyed during Eid ul-Fitr and Christmas celebrations. In the  Netherlands, the sliced cake is served as dessert in Rijstafel (Indonesian rice table).

The cake has firm texture, similar to Baumkuchen in a baking plate but without chocolate or  sugar shell. The cake requires lots of patience to bake. Each thin layer is made by pouring  a small amount of the batter from a small cup, baked one layer after another in the oven until  golden with heat from the top. Cake baked in gas oven has better aroma compared to cake baked in electric oven, but a Dutch oven with charcoal fire on top of the lid produces the best result.
Lapis Legit

In case clove buds or cardamon seeds are difficult to find, use spekkoek powder as a replacement. Milling and mixing the spice before baking produces a cake with an excellent aroma.

Ingredients
  • 10 large yolks
  • 4 eggs whites
  • 125 gr castor sugar
  • 195 gr sweetened condensed milk
  • 500 gr butter
  • 125 gr cake flour
  • 10 clove buds, milled
  • 10 cardamom seeds, milled
  • 2 teaspoon nutmeg mace powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla powder

Directions
  1. Mix and sift spice ingredients.
  2. Beat butter until smooth and creamy.
  3. Beat egg yolks with castor sugar until fluffy.
  4. Beat egg whites in seperate mixing bowl until fluffy, then mix with egg yolks.
  5. Mix the spices, condensed milk, flour, and butter.
  6. Grease a baking pan.
  7. Using a small cup, pour 30-35 cc batter into baking pan to make a layer.
  8. Bake in preheated 350°F oven, heat from top, until golden (4-5 minutes).
  9. Remove from oven, paint butter for flavoring, and pour 30-35 cc batter to make another layer.
  10. Repeat to make around 30-40 layers.

Notes, tips, and variations
Adding to the complexity of the baking process, some cake shops add dried plums (prunes) inside and on top of the cake.