Kueh Lapis, sometimes spelt as Kuih Lapis or Kue Lapis, is an iconic dessert that’s buttery, sweet and wonderfully fun to eat — the key is to peel back each of the layers clean without breakage.

Yet, did you know that the multi-layered cake’s roots can be traced all the way back to the baumkuchen? When the Dutch arrived in Indonesia in the 15th century, they brought with them their version of the German ring-shaped layered cake that’s typically crafted with a simple batter of butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt, and flour. Many years later, the kueh lapis was born, this time with each batter browning on a rectangular/square pan before a new layer of batter is poured over.