This is one of my favourite cakes but I have been putting off making this cake for the longest time. It is not a cake for the faint-hearted, literally saying. An original
lapis legit uses about 30 egg yolks to make, not to mention about half pounds of butter. If the richness of the cake doesn't give you a heart attack, the process of making it will. Also known as a thousand layer cake (of course there is no thousand layer), it is very much a labour intensive endavour. You have to be at the oven most of the time watching the cake gets browned, levelling and then adding another thin layer. The process repeats itself at least 20 times to be considered a good bake. You need a lot of care and attention to produce even layers of straight-lined cake. After making this, I actually appreciate this cake more. It is a labour of love, a patience-endurance cake. This rookie here took 2 hours to finish my 20 layers. If you are making this for your loved ones, make sure you receive a well deserved recognition. Otherwise, just buy the
lapis legit (better yet, at his/hers expense).
Lapis legit, also known as
spek koek has its origins from the Nederlands whereby
spek koek basically means bacon cake or cookie. Even the preferred butter is a Dutch butter called
Wjisman. Having said that, the cake has evolved, since its colonial days, into what is uniquely Indonesian. If you haven't tasted this cake, it is rich and dense with a hint of spice to bring out the flavour of the cake. It can also be made into various variations, the popular one being added with prunes. The Chinese in Indonesia has adopted this cake as a celebration cake as well, a must-have luxury during Chinese New Year celebration.
