The US$460 cake testing Malaysia’s sweet tooth and wallet: ‘even sultan would think twice’

2026.03.18 04:50 The “Kek Lapis Sultan” cake is being sold for US$460 for a 5kg tray at a bakery in Sarawak, Malaysia. Photo: Instagram/abgkju A bakery in Malaysia’s Sarawak state has set tongues wagging with its premium cake offerings sold at eye-watering prices, as Muslims countrywide this week stock up on sweets and delectable treats to celebrate Eid ul-Fitr, marking the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan. Cakes, chocolates and sweet biscuits are must-haves in the homes of the nation’s 20 million Muslims to host family and friends during the festival. Among the favoured snacks are the colourful kek lapis or layered cake, a signature sweet treat from Sarawak on Malaysian Borneo that typically commands prices of around 300 ringgit (US$77) a loaf due to the lengthy and meticulous baking process. Abg K’ju Cake House in the state capital Kuching, however, is selling its kek lapis at up to six times the standard price, in a nod to the nation’s thriving sweet tooth even as it struggles to rein in diabetes and obesity. Kek Lapis Sultan – which costs 1,800 ringgit for a 5kg (11lbs) tray and is made with premium ingredients like Wijsman butter, imported dried fruits and selected nuts – justifies its hefty price tag, according to the bakery’s owner. Adhar Brahim said in addition to the expensive mixture, his store’s in-house expertise is also involved in creating what he described as a “work of art”. “The combination of these ingredients provides a richer taste and gives the Kek Lapis Sultan its unique identity,” he said, as quoted by New Straits Times. Customers at the Abg K’ju Cake House in Sarawak, Malaysia. Photo: Instagram/abgkju Malaysians, however, were not quite sold. A video promoting the cake, which included parts of the baking process, drew thousands of comments across Malaysia’s raucous social media, with many balking at the exorbitant price. “The cake’s salary is higher than an engineer,” an online user said. Others argued that it would make more sense to

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