Sarawak Black Cake (Kek Serikaya or Kek Hitam) 砂劳越黑蛋糕

After i made Kaya, the first thing came into my mind is to make this famous Sarawak Black Cake. I received two bottles of gula hitam (a special browning sugar for black cake) from a reader (Thanks to Angeline) few months back. 

When i try to take these pictures just now, sky was dark with heavy rain, very poor lighting this time and it was so difficult to take picture with very dark and black cake ^_^..



This is the gula hitam

Recipe adapted from Mui Mui aka My Little Favourite DIY. See so many ingredients in this recipe..i could not find Nestle cream that used by Mui Mui, instead i replaced it with dairy whipping cream.

Not sure why the batter became curdle..

After mixed with flour, the batter become smooth, but the colour still not look dark at this stage..

After steamed, cake colour changed to very dark. In order for this black cake look more attractive, i sprinkle with silver beads

I have never eaten this cake before, if you asked how this cake taste like, for me, it taste quite close to "dodol" and a bit bitter caramel taste, not that over sweet and this cake is very moist but a bit oily..

It was tricky to handle gula hitam, the texture similar like maltose. When i added into batter, it was sticking to the whisk and i have hard time to mix it well with batter..I think should add some hot water to dilute gula hitam before adding into cake batter..

I halved the recipe and made a small cake instead..

Sarawak Black Cake (Kek Serikaya or Kek Hitam) 砂劳越黑蛋糕

(recipe source: adapted from My Little Favourite DIY who adapted from Mrs EG, with minor changes)
*makes a 7” square cake

173g unsalted butter
60g sugar
110g plain flour
4 eggs (large)
50g condense milk
60g Horlick
50g dairy whipping cream
90g kaya (i used homemade kaya)
70g gula hitam
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Method
1. Grease and lined parchment paper on a 7" square baking tray. Allow extra parchment paper or baking paper over hang on both side of the baking tray.
2. Beat butter and sugar till pale. Add in egg one at a time, beating till each combine well.
3. Beat in condensed milk, whipping cream and kaya till well combine. Then add in gula hitam.
4. Fold in Horlick, cocoa powder and flour and mixed well.
5. Pour mixture into the prepared baking tray. Cover the cake loose with a piece of aluminium foil to prevent (condensation) water from dripping into the cake.
6. Steam over medium high heat for 2 hours in a steamer or wok. Do check water level regularly and replenish when necessary.