A Unique Cake, Loved By All

Ambon Boenda Bakery Layer Cake
Photo credits to Linda Lo

Thousand layer cake, kueh lapis, kek lapis or layer cake, whichever way it’s been called. It’s a well-known and unique cake loved by many. However, this humble layer cake has a long history. Layer cake was first produced during the 19th-century Dutch colonial times in Indonesia. It is a replica of European’s multi-layered Spit Cake but is made with lots of eggs, butter and spices.

Ambon Boenda Bakery

Ambon Boenda Bakery
Photo credits to Ambon Boenda Bakery

Ambon Boenda Bakery was founded in 2016 in the heart of Petaling Jaya. Their founder has a close bond with her mother, hence ‘Boenda’ was chosen to represent this special bond. Boenda means mother in the traditional Indonesian language.

The bakery is offering authentic and traditional flavoured Indonesian layer cakes. All their layer cakes are handmade with fresh and finest, natural ingredients without any added preservatives, additives and artificial colouring. Many of the ingredients are sourced internationally from US, Germany and of course, Indonesia.

Few items are fully imported from Indonesia which are spices and the customised oven. Ambon Boenda Bakery wanted to ensure that the authenticity and traditional values of Indonesian layer cake are preserved in their cakes. That is why some of their ingredients are imported from Indonesia.

Their layer cakes texture are smooth, light, moist and with a right amount of sweetness! Yet, the rich, perfectly golden brown aroma of the layer cake is visibly shown in all their cakes. The cakes are available via online and through their walk-in outlet.

Elements To Make An Authentic Layer Cake 

Spice and everything nice is one of the few elements to make an authentic layer cake. Every ingredient is carefully selected to make sure that the flavours of the Indonesian layer cake remain.

Spices

Spices
Photo credits to Ambon Boenda Bakery

Cinnamon, cardamom, clove, nutmeg and anise are few of the core spices used in the preparing a layer cake. Ambon Boenda Bakery carefully selects and imported these spices from Indonesia because the taste, texture, colour, shape and smell of each spice differ from one country to another.

Such as Indonesian cinnamon, also known as Cassia cinnamon which is famous for its hard and spicy flavour. Moreover, cinnamon is one of a highly suggested food which helps to lose weight.

These spices are added into all the layer cakes which produced the ‘spicy’ aroma.

Dried Fruits

Dried Prunes
Photo credits to Stapleton-Spence

Premium dried prunes are imported from California, which is known for the best prunes in the world. Prunes are named as one of the superfoods and are loaded with nutrients.

Whereas the cranberries are a native to America, United Kingdom and Canada. It’s a type shrub or vines which are harvest for its beautiful red berries. These red berries are perfect for making tarts, cookies, cakes and more. Cranberries are a demand during Thanksgiving and Christmas. The cranberries used in baking the layer cakes are imported from America.

Eggs and Butter

Eggs and butter
Photo credits to Strengthsensei

Other than spices, a layer cake needs LOTS of eggs (yolks to be precise!) and butter is needed to get that rich, moist, buttery and unique flavour. At least 2 dozens of egg yolks are required to bake a single 1kg layer cake.

German Mocha

A beautiful mocha paste
Photo credits to secure auifinefoods

‘Mocha’ is a coffee and chocolate flavoured paste which is suitable for making desserts. Ambon Boenda Bakery uses German mocha paste which has a milder coffee taste. Compared with our local Malaysian mocha paste, it has a stronger, bitter coffee taste which some individuals may not like.

Certain manufacturers will mix syrup in their mocha paste to reduce the bitterness of the coffee. However, German’s mocha has the right balance of taste and flavour.

Pandan Leaves

Pandan Leaves
Photo Credits to stethnews

One of a ‘must have’ ingredients in many Asian desserts. These pandan leaves are native throughout Malaysia and the rest of the Asia. The leaf extract or juice will be added to their layer cakes for the beautiful pandan flavour, fragrance and colour.

Oven

The oven used by Ambon Boenda Bakery is customised and imported from Indonesia. The electric oven is different from the conventional type as this model is meant for baking layer cakes only.

The Gruelling 18 Layers For A Perfect Cake 

An Original Flavour Layer Cake
Photo Credits to Ambon Boenda Bakery

To bake a layer cake is a long and tiring process, the gruelling 18 layers for a perfect cake! Apart from using exclusive ingredients, layer cake needs to be baked layer upon layer. Each layer cake needs at least 16 to 18 layers and it is a tedious process!

Every layer is carefully baked and crafted to a beautiful, golden brown. It’s an art when it comes to baking a layer cake as the ingredients and process involved must be precise and consistent. To ensure that the cake’s unique, rich, moist and flavourful aroma is preserved, Ambon Boenda Bakery only uses the best ingredients.

 5 Wonderful Flavours of Layer Cakes

Mocha Chocolate Layer Cake
Photo credits to Ambon Boenda

Ambon Boenda Bakery offers 5 wonderful flavours of layer cakes, which are:

• Original Layer Cake
  Made with Indonesian spices, butter, margarine and eggs for that rich, flavourful authentic Indonesian layer cake!
• Pandan Layer Cake
  Using Indonesian Pandan leaf extract for its flavour, smell and luscious green colour.
• Mocha Chocolate Layer Cake
  Made with German chocolate paste and Indonesian spices.
• Prunes Layer Cake
  Filled with loads of dried prunes, imported from California.
• Cranberries Layer Cake (New)
  Their latest creation, for those who likes natural and fruity taste!

Honeycomb Cake

Honeycomb Cake
Photo Credits to Ambon Boenda Bakery

Ambon Boenda Bakery also offers another unique creation called Honeycomb cake. This cake has a chewy texture which is light, fresh and with the right amount of sweetness. Suitable for those who does not like sweet stuff.

As the cake is sliced, it resembles inside a honeycomb. Hence, the name ‘Honeycomb cake’ derives from. The Honeycomb cake is available in 1kg size.

Authentic Flavours Of Indonesia In A Cake

Ambon Boenda Bakery layer cakes are priced at:

• Original and Pandan flavour RM 128.90
• Prunes and Cranberries layer cake RM 148.90
• Honeycomb cake RM 58.90

With the quality ingredients used and the hard work to bake a layer cake, it’s no wonder that traditional Indonesian layer cake is crowned as one of the world’s most delicious national cakes. It’s rich, buttery flavour makes the layer cake a must have dessert and treat during special occasions or as a gift.

Moving Ahead

Hygiene plays another important role within Ambon Boenda Bakery. They make sure that all utensils used for baking, down to storing their ingredients are properly kept, clean and safe.

Currently, their layer cakes are available in vacuum pack which is suitable for travelling. The bakery is in a midst of applying for HALAL certificate.

They have a retail outlet located at Aman Suria, catering to walk-in customers. Their layer cakes can be ordered through their website and Facebook. Cakes can be collected at Aman Suria outlet and free delivery services are available for Damansara area only.  For more information about their cakes, please contact Ambon Boenda Bakery at 012-365 0822.

Since Father’s Day and Hari Raya Aidilfitri is just around the corner, do check out Ambon Boenda Bakery’s Layer and Honeycomb cakes.

The Iron Lady Behind the Layer Cake

Linda Lo is the founder of Ambon Boenda Bakery. She was born in Medan, Indonesia and currently resides in Malaysia. Linda loved to bake, cook and making desserts since young. She was ‘exposed’ to a real kitchen when she was studying Hotel Management in Australia.

Soon, she found her true calling and with her mother’s blessing and encouragement, Linda slowly pursues her passion and starts to bake when she was back in Medan.

While in Indonesia, Linda was lucky enough to learn from 5 experienced bakers who thought her the secrets of baking. And the rest is like what people said – the rest is history!

Ambon Boenda Bakery reflects Linda’s mother who encourages her to start her baking business. In the end, the name signifies her mother’s love, which is more than appropriate to show Linda’s gratitude.