Malaysian Honeycomb Cake

5 from 1 vote

Malaysian Honeycomb Cake or Kek Sarang Semut is a chewy, bouncy cake with beehive-like texture. This caramel-flavored cake has subtle sweetness and a lightly crisp crust with a soft, springy center.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1

Total Time1 15

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Malaysian

Servings: slices

Calories: 159kcal

Author: Claudia

Equipment

1 whisk
1 mixing bowl
1 sauce pan
1 strainer

Ingredients

250 gr sugar
400 ml hot water
4 eggs
60 ml condensed milk
60 ml condensed milk chocolate
120 gr cake flour
120 gr tapioca flour
120 gr melted butter
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder

Instructions

Let’s start by making the caramel. Add sugar to a pan and heat over medium heat. Once the sugar begins to melt, reduce the heat to low. Stay close—this part needs patience. Stir occasionally with a spatula and wait until the sugar fully dissolves and turns a rich golden brown. Carefully pour in the hot water in at least three parts. Don’t add it all at once—it will bubble up and may splash. Be extra careful; the caramel is extremely hot.
Let the caramel dissolve completely in the water. Once done, turn off the heat and set it aside to cool. While waiting, grease your bundt pan. In a mixing bowl, crack the eggs and whisk until foamy. Add in the condensed milk.
Pour in the chocolate condensed milk and whisk until smooth. Add all-purpose flour, followed by tapioca flour.
Whisk until the flour is fully incorporated. Add baking soda and baking powder, then pour in the melted butter.
Mix in the butter well, then gradually pour in the caramel water in batches, whisking as you go. Let the batter rest for at least 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 392°F (200°C). Strain the batter into the greased pan to remove any lumps.
Bake at 392°F (200°C) using lower heat only for 45 minutes, then switch to 180°C (356°F) using top and bottom heat for another 15 minutes. Check if it is done with a bamboo stick—it should come out clean. Remove the cake from the pan and let it cool on a wire rack. Slice once it’s no longer hot to reveal that beautiful honeycomb texture. Enjoy your chewy, chocolatey Malaysian Honeycomb Cake!

Video

Notes

No chocolate condensed milk? No problem. Just use regular condensed milk for the full 120 grams—the cake will still taste amazing.

Whisk those eggs well! Make sure to whisk the eggs until they’re foamy. This helps the cake rise nicely in the oven and gives it a lighter texture.

Don’t panic about the batter. It’s supposed to be runny! Unlike thick sponge cake batter, this one is more liquid—totally normal for honeycomb cakes.

Watch the caramel closely. Don’t walk away while the sugar melts—burnt sugar can turn the cake bitter. Stay nearby and stir occasionally. It usually takes about 5–8 minutes to reach that perfect golden caramel stage.

Nutrition