Cakes & Bread
Kue Apem Kukus (Steamed Fermented Rice Cakes)
Prep
240 min
Cook
15 min
Servings
12
Level
Medium
Soft, fluffy steamed apem, a classic Javanese treat! This fermented rice flour cake uses tape singkong (fermented cassava) as a natural leavening agent. The result is soft and porous with a slight tang from fermentation. A meaningful cake often served at thanksgiving and communal feasts (kenduri).
🧂 Ingredients
🍽️ Servings: 12
Adjust the servings and the ingredient amounts & nutrition below update automatically.
- 200 g rice flour
- 50 g all-purpose flour
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 50 g tape singkong (fermented cassava), ripe
- 200 ml warm coconut milk
- 100 ml warm water
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Green pandan or pink food coloring, to taste (optional)
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👩🍳 Instructions
- 1 Mash the tape singkong (fermented cassava), then mix it with the warm water and sugar, stirring until well combined
- 2 Add the rice flour and all-purpose flour, and stir
- 3 Pour in the warm coconut milk a little at a time while stirring, until the batter reaches a thick, pourable consistency
- 4 Add the salt and food coloring, if using
- 5 Cover the batter with a cloth and let it rest in a warm place for 3-4 hours, until it becomes foamy and rises from the natural fermentation of the tape
- 6 Heat an apem mold (a small serabi mold or small round nonstick pan) over low heat
- 7 Grease it lightly with a bit of oil
- 8 Pour the batter to fill about 3/4 of the mold — the batter will rise as it cooks
- 9 Cover and cook over low heat for 10-12 minutes, until the surface sets and small holes form
- 10 Do not flip — apem is cooked on one side only
- 11 Remove from heat and serve warm or at room temperature
💡 Tips
• Tape singkong (fermented cassava) is a natural leavening agent — 3-4 hours of fermentation is enough to produce the bubbles that give apem its porous texture
• Once the batter has fermented, avoid stirring it too vigorously so you don't lose the air bubbles
• Low heat is key to cooking the apem evenly without burning the bottom
📊 Nutrition Facts / serving
140
Calories (kcal)
3g
Protein
3g
Fat
28g
Carbs
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