Dish
Num Chak Kachan
Steamed Cambodian layer cake of rice and cassava flour with coconut milk, built up in coloured layers.
Num chak kachan is a steamed Cambodian layer cake of rice and cassava flour with coconut milk, built up in colored layers.[1] It is also called Khmer layer cake.[1]
Cultural context
Cambodians generally make num chak kachan for Buddhist celebrations.[2] It is traditionally served on Buddhist holidays, when it is sold widely.[1] It is eaten at festivals as well.[3] The cake is also an everyday sweet. Roadside stalls sell it, and so do street vendors near schools and pagodas, especially during festivals.[4] In Phnom Penh, chak kachan is one of the cakes sold by Inn Chantheara's Khmer cake business (2025).[5]
The cake has a soft, smooth texture and the scent of coconut.[1] It is lightly sweet and a little chewy.[4]
Ingredients and preparation
The batter is made from rice flour, tapioca flour, coconut cream, palm sugar and coloring, and the cake is finished with grated coconut.[1] Each layer is poured into a flat-bottomed dish and steamed before the next is added, which gives the cake its rainbow look.[3]
One recipe uses 75 grams (about 2.6 ounces) of rice flour and 50 grams (about 1.8 ounces) of tapioca flour, with 125 milliliters (about 4 fluid ounces) each of water and coconut cream.[6] It sweetens the batter with 100 grams (about 3.5 ounces) of palm sugar and adds a pinch of salt.[6] The flour is sieved, then mixed with the water, coconut cream, palm sugar and salt. Half the batter goes into a second bowl and is tinted, generally green or red.[6] The plain batter is steamed for about five minutes, until it is slightly firm. A layer of colored batter is poured over it and steamed for about five minutes more, and the steps are repeated.[6] The whole cake is then steamed for about 40 minutes, until it is set and firm. It is cooled, topped with grated coconut and cut into pieces.[6]
A recipe from CambodgeMag colors the layers with plant juices. Fresh moringa leaves are blended with water and strained, a carrot is blended and strained the same way, and boiled taro is ground with water.[2] The flour, sugar and salt are mixed in a large bowl with the coconut milk and water until the sugar dissolves, and the batter is divided into three parts. Each part is mixed with one of the colors.[2] The cake is steamed on a lightly oiled plate. Each colored layer is poured over the steamed part and heated for five minutes, and the steps are repeated several times.[2] The finished cake is cooled, topped with grated coconut and cut into pieces.[2]
Regional and household variations
The cake is made in many designs and colors. A traditional cake usually has four to five layers, which may be left plain or tinted red or green.[1][6] Some cakes are made in green and white layers, with pandan juice for the green, which gives a floral pandan scent.[4]
Recipes vary in their amounts. The CambodgeMag version uses one and a half cups each of cassava flour and rice flour, two cups of coconut milk, half a cup of brown sugar or sugar to taste, and one teaspoon of salt.[2] The cut pieces may be diamonds or rectangles.[4]
Preparations and recipes
- CambodgeMag
- Coconut milk batter of cassava and rice flour divided into three colours and steamed layer by layer.(partial instructions)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Best Price Travel, Cambodia desserts
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 CambodgeMag, Recette du Cambodge : Le Num Chak Kachan, dessert coloré (September 11, 2023)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Wendy Wu Tours Blog, Our Top 7 Great Asian Bakes
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Vietnamese Luxury Travel, Cambodian Desserts: 10 Traditional Khmer Sweets You Must Try (July 3, 2025)
- ↑ Phnom Penh Post, Traditional cakes capture capital hearts (February 14, 2025)
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 Smore, Num Chak Kachan - Smore Newsletters