Kue Pukis (Indonesian Coconut Milk Cake)
Soft, fluffy, and chewy Kue Pukis is an Indonesian traditional sweet snack, similar to pancakes but with its signature half-moon shape and made with coconut milk. It is great eaten plain as it is or you can also add flavors into the batter or add toppings you preferred.
Have you ever had Kue Pukis? Kue Pukis is a traditional Indonesian sweet snack found at many street food stands, traditional markets, and night markets in cities throughout Indonesia.
Kue Pukis is made from a simple batter of wheat flour, sugar, eggs, butter, yeast, and coconut milk. It has a similar texture to pancakes but with a chewier and fluffier texture and subtle coconut flavor. What also makes this dessert unique is its signature half-moon or semicircle shape from the pukis molds.
The recipe is so easy to make. To make it more fun, you can add various kinds of toppings on top. Chocolate, cheese, strawberry, or anything you prefer.
What is Kue Pukis?
Kue Pukis or simply called pukis is an Indonesian kue or traditional snack from Central Java, Indonesia. It is a bite-sized coconut milk cake made with a wheat flour-based batter and cooked in a special mold pan.
Special Molds To Make Kue Pukis
You definitely need a pukis pan to make the signature shape of Kue Pukis. Similar to a muffin tin, pukis pan has a row of rectangular cavities instead of rounded ones. Each cavity has a rounded semi-circle bottom, thus creating half-moon or boat-shaped cakes.
The pan can easily be bought in Indonesia online or offline. If you can’t find any, the best substitute is to use a takoyaki pan or appam pan. Make sure to purchase the pan with a lid.
Ingredients for Kue Pukis
- Eggs – Use room-temperature eggs because they blend more evenly in the batter.
- Granulated sugar – To sweeten.
- Salt – To taste.
- All-purpose flour – You can use all-purpose flour or bread flour or the mix for this recipe.
- Coconut milk – You can use either fresh, canned, or carton coconut milk.
- Yeast – The raising agent in this recipe.
- Unsalted butter – To make the cake richer and moist.
- Vanilla extract – To enhance the flavor.
Variants
Kue Pukis can come in various different flavors and toppings. The most common flavors for the batter are chocolate, pandan, and fermented cassava tapai. For the toppings, chocolate sprinkles and grated cheddar cheese are the most popular. But you can add almost anything like bits of peanuts, jackfruit, oreos, and many more.
How to Make
- In a small bowl, combine a little bit of warm coconut milk, yeast, and a little bit of granulated sugar to activate the yeast. Rest for 10 minutes or until the mixture is foamy and frothy. Beat eggs and the remaining sugar until thick, pale, and fluffy. While the mixer is still running, add the flour, coconut milk, yeast mixture, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Beat until well incorporated.
- Cover the batter with cling wrap and rest for 1 hour or until the batter is double in size. Mix the batter to remove the air bubbles until the batter becomes smooth.
- Heat a pukis pan on low heat over a stovetop. Grease the molds with butter. Fill the molds 3/4 full.
- Close the lid and cook until the sides are golden brown, for about 3-4 minutes.
- You can also add toppings when the cakes are half done if preferred.
- Remove the cakes from the pan. When still hot, brush the sides with butter.
How to Store
Kue Pukis must be eaten on the same day they are made. The cake is made with coconut milk and it gets spoiled quickly.
Kue Pukis (Indonesian Coconut Milk Cake)
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 13 tbsp (163 gr) granulated sugar, divided
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups (250 gr) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp instant or active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) coconut milk, divided
- 1/3 cup (75 gr) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Warm milk – Heat 1/4 cup (60 ml) coconut milk until lukewarm.
- Activate yeast – In a small bowl, combine warm coconut milk, yeast, and 1 tbsp granulated sugar to activate the yeast. Rest for 10 minutes or until the mixture is foamy and frothy. Set aside.
- Beat eggs and sugar – Using a standing mixer with a whisk attachment or hand mixer, beat eggs, the remaining granulated sugar, and salt on high speed until thick, pale, and fluffy, for about 10 minutes.
- Add flour and coconut milk – Reduce the speed to low-medium speed. While the mixer is still running, add half of the flour and then half of the coconut milk. After the mixture is combined, add the remaining flour and coconut milk.
- Add the yeast mixture and beat until combined.
- Add melted butter and vanilla extract. Beat until well incorporated.
- Rest – Cover the batter with cling wrap and rest for 1 hour or until the batter is double in size.
- Mix the batter to remove the air bubbles until the batter becomes smooth.
- Cook – Heat a pukis pan on low heat over a stovetop. Grease the molds with butter. Fill the molds 3/4 full. Close the lid and cook until the sides are golden brown, for about 3-4 minutes. You can also add toppings when the cakes are half done if preferred.
- Brush with butter – Remove the cakes from the pan. When still hot, brush the sides with butter.
