Cinnamon Bika Ambon Recipe

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There seem to be many names for this famous kuih or kueh: some called it Kuih Ambon Bika, or Bingka Ambon or Kueh Ambon.  It originated from Kota Ambon in Maluka but was made popular from Ambon (hence the name) (for reference, please check Travelling-foodies).  I love this kueh since I am a kid.  I am fascinated by how this kueh can have the honeycomb structure after baking.  Of course, then I am too young to understand that the Ambon batter needs yeast and take a long rest to ferment, that will eventually yields the honeycomb structure.

To be honest, I have tried making this Ambon numerous times and have my fair share of failures many times.  I have done a fair bit of research for this recipe, and adapted my recipe from KitchenTigress.   With our hectic city life, I adapted to KitchenTigress’s recipe as it skips the step of using the starter dough.  I have further refine the process.  Salt will retard the yeast, hence when I add in the dry ingredients, I add the salt but skip the yeast.  When the batter has added the eggs, I add the yeast in just before I add in the Coconut milk mixture.  The yeast needs the sugar (melted into coconut milk) to start working out, plus the warm temperature.

I have also experimented using Sago powder and Tapioca starch in the making of Bika Ambon, I find that the outcome yielded using Sago powder is not as good as the one using Tapioca starch.  So I am sticking to using Tapioca Starch for my Ambon cakes.

Though I love the Pandan flavour in the Ambon cake, it is a bit tedious to prepare the Pandan juice.  If you wish, you can take 3 – 4 Pandan leaves, wash and pat dry, cut into 2cm strips, but into blender to blend into fine bits, then add 2-3 tbsp of water to it, mix well and squeeze out the juice via drainer.  Then add the pandan juice to the batter.  For my laziness, I use Cinnamon here to replace the Pandan juice.  I use 1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder which turns out to be a bit too overbearing, hence I reduce the quantity to 1/4 tsp below.

I have reduced the castor sugar from 85 grams (original recipe) to 55 grams, which I must say the Ambon cake still taste very sweet to me.  I leave it to you to adjust to your preference level on the sweetness.

  This is how the Ambon batter looks like after fermentation, with bubbles forming on the surface.

    For the baking, first the Ambon batter is baked at the bottom shelf of oven, then move to the middle shelf of the oven.

Cinnamon Bika Ambon Recipe (7″ cake tin)

Preparation Time: 30 mins (excluding fermentation).  Serve 4 – 6 pax.

Ingredients:

85 grams Tapioca Starch Flour

1/4 tsp salt

170 grams coconut milk

55 grams castor sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon powder

4 small eggs (about 185 grams) (or 3 medium size eggs)

1/2 tsp yeast

Method:

  1. Pour the coconut milk and castor sugar into a saucepan over low / medium heat until the sugar melts or about to boil.  Put aside to cool down slightly.
  2. In a separate dry bowl, add in Tapioca Starch, salt and cinnamon powder.  Mix well with a whisk.
  3. Add in the eggs one by one to the dry ingredients (in step 2), use the whisk to mix well when each egg is added, until batter is well mixed.
  4. Add in the yeast to the batter now.
  5. Pour in the coconut milk mixture slowly to the batter (the coconut milk should still be warm, warm enough for the hand to touch, ideally less than 43 degrees, else  the heat will kill the yeast).  Mixed well until just combined (but do not over-mix).
  6. Set the batter aside to ferment for 2.5 – 3 hours.  (Make sure there are bubbles formed on the surface of the batter.  If there is no bubbles, you will need to throw away the batter)
  7. Pre-heat oven to 160 oC, set the oven to bottom heat at least 15 – 20 mins before you bake.
  8. Line the cake tin with greaseproof paper (both the bottom and sides of the cake tin).
  9. Take the whisk to mix the batter just before baking, as the Tapioca starch would have sink to the bottom of the bowl.  Mix just enough to combine, do not over-mix.  Pour the batter into the cake tin.
  10. Put the batter into the bottom shelf of oven to bake for 30 mins (or until the ambon seems firm and does not jiggle when shaken.  I took out to check the bottom color of the ambon to make sure it is brown or well baked.)
  11. Take out the cake tin and move to the middle shelf of the oven.  Increase the oven temperature to 180 oC (set oven heat to top heat only).  Bake for 15 mins or until the top  turns golden brown,
  12. Turn off the heat, let the ambon cool down in the oven for another 15 mins before taking out (with the oven door slightly ajar).