Laklak: Ingredients, Origin and Where to Eat It

Laklak Balinese pancake is a small, soft cake of rice flour and coconut milk, cooked in a round mould until the base browns and the top sets. It is topped with freshly grated coconut and a warm syrup of palm sugar, then folded or eaten as it is. You will find it in traditional markets, at roadside stalls and in family kitchens across the island, usually in the morning or the afternoon with a cup of tea or coffee. This page explains what laklak is made from, how the mould shapes it, why it appears in ceremonies, and how to recognise a good one when you are trying it for the first time.

Laklak Balinese pancake: what it is and how it is eaten

Laklak, also called jaje laklak, is one of the traditional rice-flour snacks of Bali. Its closest relative in Java is the serabi, a thin, round cake cooked in a mould. The Balinese version is usually smaller and softer, with a sweet topping that gives it its character. A typical piece is round and flat, a few centimetres across and only a few millimetres thick, with one firmer side from the base and one softer side from the top.

The snack is eaten by hand. Vendors often wrap a few pieces in paper or a banana leaf, and buyers eat them while they walk or sit at the stall. Laklak is light enough to eat between meals, and it sits well alongside a hot drink. It is not a dessert in the western sense, and it is not heavy, so it is usually eaten in small amounts.

Ingredients and the green colour

The base of the batter is rice flour mixed with coconut milk and water. A little salt and a small amount of baking powder give the cake lift, and some household recipes add tapioca flour or glutinous rice flour to change the texture. The batter should pour easily while still holding its shape on the mould. A thick batter yields a dense cake, and a thin one burns at the edges before the centre sets.

The colour of laklak comes from the leaves of the suji plant or from pandan leaves. Both give the batter a natural green tint and a faint, grassy aroma that many people associate with the snack. The leaves are crushed or steeped in water, and the coloured water is mixed into the batter. Pandan is the more widely used of the two in many homes, and the cook may choose either depending on what is at hand.

Suji and pandan leaves

Suji leaves give a clear green, while pandan gives a green that is slightly softer and has its own sweetness. Both are common in Balinese kitchens and in the traditional sweets sold at markets. The leaf water is added with the coconut milk, and the batter should be stirred enough to spread the colour evenly. When the colour is uneven, the leaves were probably not steeped long enough.

The white version

Some laklak are white. These rely on coconut milk alone and do not use leaf colouring. The taste is milder and the texture a little richer, and many people prefer the white version for its clean flavour. Neither version is the more authentic one, and the choice usually comes down to the cook’s habit or the family’s taste.

How laklak is cooked in a clay mould

Laklak is cooked in a small round mould rather than a flat pan. Traditionally this is a clay mould set over a fire or a small stove. The mould is heated, lightly oiled and then filled with batter. A lid or a cover is placed over the top so the surface sets while the base browns. The result is a crisp, golden bottom and a soft, slightly springy top.

The clay mould matters for the flavour. Many vendors still cook over a wood-fired stove, and the smoke gives the cakes a faint aroma that is hard to reproduce on a gas ring. A modern metal mould on a gas burner will still produce a good laklak, but it tends to be a little less smoky and a little more even in colour. The timing is short, so the cook has to watch the mould closely and lift the cake out as soon as the base is set.

The shape is part of the eating experience. A well-cooked laklak folds easily without tearing, which is why the topping can be added without breaking the cake. A cake that is too thick or too thin will crack when folded, and that is a sign the batter needs adjusting.

The palm sugar syrup and grated coconut

The topping is the part most people remember. Freshly grated coconut is spread over the cake, and a warm syrup of palm sugar is poured over it. The Balinese name for the syrup is kinca, and it is made by melting palm sugar, usually called gula aren or gula merah, with a little water and a pandan leaf until the mixture is dark and smooth. The pandan leaf adds a light fragrance that matches the colour of the cake.

The syrup should be warm and fluid rather than boiled down to toffee. Cooked too long, it turns bitter at the edges, so a careful stall keeps the syrup warm and pours it fresh. The coconut takes the syrup well, and the two together give a rich, slightly caramel flavour that balances the plain base of the cake. Some sellers use brown sugar when palm sugar is scarce, but palm sugar gives the deeper flavour that most people expect.

Laklak in Balinese ceremonies and daily life

Laklak is more than a snack. It is one of the foods that appear in Balinese ceremonial life, and it is made for offerings as well as for eating. A version of the cake is placed on family offering trays alongside other small cakes and snacks that make up the array of foods presented at temple ceremonies and household rituals. Because of this, the snack is often seen in the same settings as other offering foods, on family trays and at temple occasions.

For everyday life, laklak is simpler. Families make it at home for the afternoon, for visitors and for small gatherings. It is sold in the morning market, where the cakes are often among the first snacks to sell out. The cake is common enough that you will find it in several places on the same street, and each stall has its own way with the colour and the syrup.

In 2022 the cake was recognised by the Indonesian government as part of the national intangible cultural heritage, under the traditional crafts and skills domain. That recognition reflects how widely the cake is made by hand across the island.

Where to find laklak on the island

Laklak is easiest to find in the traditional markets of Bali, particularly the early morning markets where local cooks sell their own snacks. Look for a stall with a row of small round moulds on the fire and a bowl of grated coconut beside them. The cakes are cooked to order in many places, so you can watch the batter go into the mould and see the base turn golden.

Roadside stalls and small food sellers in villages also keep laklak on the tray. In family settings, the cake often appears on a plate beside coffee or tea at the end of a meal. The best way to try it is to ask a local cook or a market seller where the cakes are made that morning. Many sellers are happy to explain the colour and the syrup if you ask.

For a wider picture of the island’s food, the Balinese food guide covers the dishes and sweets that sit alongside laklak in a typical market, and the guide to ceremonial food in Bali explains the offerings and the occasions where small cakes like this one are prepared.

Regional and family variations

Laklak varies from one part of Bali to another and from one kitchen to the next. The cake is made widely across the island, sold at markets and stalls in coastal towns and inland villages alike, and it works as a sweet counterpoint to spicier local dishes wherever it is served. Villages differ in the leaf they use, the thickness of the batter and how much palm sugar goes into the syrup.

The family recipe matters more than any regional rule. Some cooks add a little glutinous rice flour to give the cake a chewier texture, while others keep to rice flour and coconut milk alone. The syrup can be darker and thicker in one home and lighter in another. If you taste several laklak in one day, you will notice these small differences quickly, and they are part of the pleasure of the snack.

Black glutinous rice and other versions

One popular variation uses black glutinous rice in the batter. The cake takes on a darker, purple-grey shade and a slightly sticky texture, and it is cooked in the same clay mould. It is sold in markets alongside the green and white versions and is often chosen for its richer flavour. Black glutinous rice takes longer to soften, so the cook controls the heat more carefully with this version.

Other cakes sold near laklak share the same base of rice flour, coconut and palm sugar. Visitors who enjoy one often enjoy the others, and the markets are the easiest place to compare them. The jaja uli page and the sumping page cover two other market favourites that many visitors try alongside laklak. The spice paste known as base genep is a different kind of cooking altogether, used in savoury dishes rather than in sweet cakes, so it is worth learning the difference before you cook at home.

Laklak compared with serabi and similar cakes

Laklak looks much like the serabi of Java, and the two share a mould-cooked method and a rice-flour base. The main difference is the flavour. Laklak uses leaf colour and a palm sugar syrup with grated coconut, while the serabi is often eaten with a sweet coconut sauce or plain. The Balinese cake is also more closely tied to the island’s own offerings and markets, so you will find it in a different setting from its Javanese relative.

Compared with other Balinese rice-flour snacks, laklak is softer and lighter. It is not as dense as some glutinous cakes, and it is easier to eat in quantity. If you are new to Balinese snacks, laklak is a gentle place to start.

Practical tips for trying laklak for the first time

Laklak is best eaten fresh and warm. A cake that has sat for hours loses its crisp base and the syrup begins to set. Buy a few pieces at a time and eat them soon after they are made. If you are in a market in the early morning, that is the best time to catch the cakes at their freshest.

• Ask the cook what the colour comes from, since leaf colouring and coconut milk give different results.
• Ask about the sweetener, because palm sugar gives a deeper flavour than brown sugar.
• Check the filling and topping if you have a coconut or nut allergy, as the coconut is the main element.
• Eat the laklak warm, and try it with a cup of tea or coffee to balance the sweetness.
• Ask before photographing a family’s kitchen or a ceremony, since many cooks are working on offerings.

Laklak is a snack that rewards curiosity. Watching the batter go into the mould, seeing the base turn golden and tasting the syrup while it is still warm will tell you more about the cake than any text on a page.

Questions people ask about laklak

Is laklak always green?

No. Green laklak uses suji or pandan leaves for colour, and white laklak uses coconut milk without leaf colouring. Black glutinous rice versions are a darker shade again. The colour tells you which version you are buying, but it does not decide how good the cake is.

What is the syrup called?

The syrup that is poured over laklak is often called kinca in Balinese kitchens. It is made from palm sugar, water and a pandan leaf, cooked until dark and smooth.

Is laklak eaten only at ceremonies?

No. Laklak is made for offerings, but it is also a common everyday snack that families eat and markets sell throughout the year. Ceremonies make it more visible, but it is not limited to them.

How should I eat laklak?

Eat it with your hands, usually folded or rolled around the coconut and syrup. Most people eat a few pieces at a time with a warm drink, and the cake is best soon after it is cooked.

Can I make laklak at home?

Yes, with a small round mould and a steady heat. A metal mould on a gas burner works, though the flavour will be a little different from the clay version. Start with a simple batter of rice flour and coconut milk, and add the leaf colour if you want the green version.

Related guides: Pesan-Pesan, telur bumbu bali, pisang rai.