KUCHING: The Mid-Autumn Festival has long been celebrated with lanterns, moon-gazing, and of course, mooncakes – a delicacy traditionally filled with lotus paste or red bean.
This year at the Kuching Inter-Cultural & Mid-Autumn Festival near Kuching Waterfront, one booth stood out for giving the classic treat a distinctly Sarawakian twist.
Maria Kek Lapis, a homegrown brand renowned for its colourful layered cakes, introduced halal mooncakes infused with kek lapis (layered cake) – blending two beloved traditions into one unique creation.
The innovative approach has sparked curiosity among festivalgoers and attracted customers well beyond Sarawak’s borders.
According to owner, Farina Musni, 45, the idea was spawned during the Movement Control Order (MCO).
“We wanted to try something different. So, we replaced the traditional mooncake fillings with Sarawak’s kek lapis,” she said.
Among the most popular flavours are tiramisu, pandan gula apong (nipah palm sugar), and red velvet.
“Even the Chinese community loves our pandan gula apong, and we’ve had Australian customers too,” she added.
First introduced in 2020, the halal mooncakes have grown steadily in popularity each year.
“Each mooncake season, the response gets stronger. It has really taken off,” Farina explained.
Although there are no firm plans yet for export, she does not rule out the possibility.
“If the opportunity arises, we would definitely be ready to export,” she said.
For now, Maria Kek Lapis hopes to continue winning over more customers with its Sarawak-inspired creations.
“We promote flavours like tiramisu, pandan gula apong, and red velvet because they are truly delicious and comforting,” Farina shared.
