Batik Cake

There was once I ate this cake and remembered it every year must go to this friend’s house for the cake during Chinese New Year.  No doubt Sarawakian can make a good cake without using an oven.

The very first time I made this cake was 12 years ago. That time, I was trying to make a cake for myself. However, the outcome was too sweet because I put too much condensed milk into it. 

I heard that my sister will come to visit me and want me to prepare some desserts for her. Suddenly think of I have been long time did not make this cake.

Here is the recipe.

Preparation Time: 1 hour

Mould: 8-inch with removable bottom

Ingredients:

500g    Marie Biscuits

5          Eggs

250g    Margarine (I use Buttercup)

½ Tin   Full Cream Condensed Milk (1 tin about 375g if not mistaken)

1 tsp     Vanilla Essence

1½ cups Superfine Flour

½ cup   Castor Sugar

5 tbsps Cocoa Powder

5 tbsps Milo Powder

½ cup   Boiling Water

Method:

1. Put all Marie Biscuits into a plastic bag and crush them into small pieces.
2. Dissolve cocoa powder and Milo powder with boiling water. Set aside to cool.
3. Grease the mould with baking paper.
4. In a mixing bowl, beat margarine with sugar until well mixed.
5. Add in eggs one by one. Add in Milo mixture, milk, flour and vanilla essence. Mix well.
6. Transfer the mixture into a saucepan and cook at the low heat until it becomes soft dough. You must stir it non-stop to prevent the bottom becomes burnt.
7. Add in crushed biscuits and stir well.
8. Transfer the cooked dough into the mould and press it till firm.
9. Leave it cool down then store it into the fridge for at least 5 hours.
10. Cut the cake into small pieces to serve.
11. Serve best when chilled.

Phoenix Kueh (Honey Comb Cake)

When I was a kid, I liked to eat Phoenix Kueh (a.k.a honey comb cake). Every year during Chinese New Year, my mom would buy me this cake from the wet market. The traditional aroma is still fresh in my mind.

I try to bake this cake today. However, the outlook is not as beautiful as I expected. I might have over-stirred the egg mixture which has caused it did not raise as high as it could.

Baking Time: 45 – 50 minutes

Oven Temperature: 180C

Mould: 9”

Ingredients:

250g    Sugar

225ml   Warm Water

90g      Butter

65ml     Condensed Milk (should be reduced to 50ml)

6          Eggs

160g    Superfine Flour

1tsp      Sodium Bicarbonate

1/4tsp   Vanilla Essence

1tsp      Cocoa Powder (dissolved in 10ml warm water)

Method:

(1)   In a stainless steel saucepan, stir fry sugar until golden brown, then pour in water to cook become thick syrup. Leave cool.

(2)   In a clean bowl, beat butter and add in condensed milk gradually. Beat till well combined.

(3)   In another clean bowl, whisk eggs until light and fluffy.

(4)   Fold in sifted superfine flour and sodium bicarbonate into thick syrup. Add in vanilla essence and cocoa mixture. Mix well.

(5)   Fold in butter mixture and egg mixture. Mix well.

(6)   Pour the batter into cake mould.

(7)   Bake in preheated oven at 180C for 45 – 50 minutes.