Kue Cubit — small Indonesian pinch-cakes from the school-gate stall
Kue cubit are small, golden-edged Indonesian cakes — somewhere between a pancake and a financier — cooked in a hot iron pan with shallow rounded depressions. They are sold half-cooked, the centres still gloopy, with a flurry of rainbow sprinkles or chocolate vermicelli on top. The name means "pinch cake" — for the gentle pinch the seller uses to lift each one out of its mould.
i. Origin & history
Kue cubit are quintessential Indonesian school-gate food, sold from carts and small stalls near schoolyards across Java and beyond. The recipe and pan are likely a Dutch colonial inheritance — descended from the poffertjes tradition — though the Indonesian version is sweeter, eggier, and far more colourful.
Modern versions in Indonesian dessert culture have multiplied with toppings: matcha, red velvet, Oreo crumb, lotus biscuit spread, even cheese. The classic is still vanilla batter with a heavy hand of meses (chocolate sprinkles) and a deliberately undercooked centre.
ii. Ingredients
Makes 20 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust
- 2 large eggs
- 100 g caster sugar
- 150 g plain flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 120 ml whole milk
- 60 g unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 4 tbsp chocolate sprinkles (meses)
- 4 tbsp rainbow sprinkles
- 2 tbsp butter for the pan
iii. Method
- Whisk eggs and sugar until pale and tripled in volume — about 4 minutes by hand or 2 with electric beaters.
- Sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Fold gently. Pour in milk, melted butter and vanilla; fold to a smooth, just-pourable batter. Rest 15 minutes.
- Heat a kue-cubit pan or a poffertjes pan over a medium-low flame. Brush each well with butter.
- Fill each well two-thirds full. After 90 seconds, when the edges have set into golden lace and the tops are still wet, scatter generously with sprinkles.
- Cover with a small lid for 30 seconds — the steam sets the top while leaving the centre soft. Lift out with a small fork or chopstick. Eat immediately, with the centre still slightly gloopy if you have the courage.
iv. Tips & common mistakes
- The pan matters. A flat skillet will not give you kue cubit; you need shallow rounded wells.
- Stop short. The point is the half-set centre. Cooked through, they are just slightly disappointing little cakes.
- Cover, do not flip. Kue cubit are cooked from below only; a lid traps gentle steam to set the top.
v. Variations
Kue cubit hijau uses pandan juice in the batter. Red velvet kue cubit is a popular Indonesian-millennial twist. Topping innovations are endless — taro, matcha, Nutella, melted chocolate, even savoury cheese-and-corn versions in modern Jakarta stalls.
vi. Common questions
What is kue cubit?
Kue Cubit is small indonesian pinch-cakes from the school-gate stall, from indonesian & malaysian cuisine. They are sold half-cooked, the centres still gloopy, with a flurry of rainbow sprinkles or chocolate vermicelli on top
Where is kue cubit from?
Kue Cubit is from the indonesian & malaysian dessert tradition; the recipe and history are detailed above.
How long does kue cubit keep?
See the storage note in the Quick facts panel: Best fresh; 1 day.