Skip to main content
๐Ÿฝ๏ธ
Indonesian Cuisine

Bika Ambon

From North Sumatra

Medan's honeycomb-textured cake, perfumed with kaffir lime and pandan, sweet and creamy from coconut milk.

Key ingredients

  • โ€ขTepung tapioka
  • โ€ขTelur
  • โ€ขSantan
  • โ€ขGula
  • โ€ขTape singkong
  • โ€ขDaun jeruk
  • โ€ขDaun pandan
  • โ€ขKunyit
  • โ€ขRagi

Origin

Despite the name "Ambon," this cake is a Medan icon. One popular story traces the name to Jalan Ambon street in Medan where it first found a following. Today it's the city's definitive souvenir.

Flavor Profile

The signature texture is vertical honeycomb pockets from a tape (fermented cassava) starter. Sweet and creamy, with strong notes of kaffir lime leaf and pandan.

How It's Served

Sliced cold or at room temperature. Sold in many flavors today: original, pandan, cheese, durian, chocolate.

Want to play the geography of where this dish comes from?

Play todayโ€™s puzzle