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Spiku (lapis Surabaya)
Three-layer butter sponge with jam
East Java's three-layer butter sponge with jam
IndonesianVisitors leaving Surabaya are expected to carry home a box of spiku as oleh-oleh, the gift from your travels, and it also turns up for Lebaran and Chinese New Year. The name comes from the Dutch spekkoek, but this is a different cake: three thick layers of rich, yolk-heavy butter sponge, two plain and one chocolate, stuck together with apricot or strawberry jam. The crumb is soft, tight and buttery, best in thin slices with tea. Folding the melted butter in roughly or too fast lets it sink and bake into a greasy band at the bottom, so add it in a thin stream and fold just until it vanishes. Chef's tip: bake the three layers at the same time in three identical tins; weigh the batter into them so the layers come out even.
- Total time
- 85 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
For the sponge
- 12 egg yolksat room temperature
- 2 eggs
- 7 oz caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 oz plain flour
- ⅔ oz milk powder
- 9 oz buttermelted and cooled, plus a little for the tins
- ½ oz cocoa powdermixed with 1 tbsp hot water
For the filling
- 5 ½ oz apricot or strawberry jam
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Method
0/10 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Butter three 20 cm square tins and line the bases. (With one tin, bake the layers one after another.)
Step 2: Whisk 12 egg yolks, 2 eggs, 7 oz caster sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract with an electric mixer on high for 10 minutes, until very thick, pale and tripled.
10 minStep 3: Sift 4 oz plain flour and ⅔ oz milk powder together and fold into the eggs in three additions.
Step 4: Pour 9 oz butter down the side of the bowl in a thin stream, folding gently as you go, until no streaks of butter remain.
Step 5: Weigh the batter and put a third into a separate bowl. Fold ½ oz cocoa powder into that third.
Step 6: Divide the plain batter between two tins and pour the chocolate batter into the third.
Step 7: Bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden (the chocolate one darker), springy when pressed and a skewer comes out clean.
22 minStep 8: Turn out onto racks and cool completely, about 20 minutes.
20 minStep 9: Warm 5 ½ oz apricot or strawberry jam until spreadable. Lay one plain layer on a board, spread with half the jam, top with the chocolate layer, spread with the rest of the jam, then top with the second plain layer.
Step 10: Press gently, wrap and rest for 1 hour, then trim the edges and cut into slices. Keeps for 4 days, wrapped.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 270 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 26 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does spiku (lapis Surabaya) take?
- About 85 minutes in total: 60 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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