VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Muntok has been registered as one of the Heritage cities in Indonesia. Besides being known as a historical city, Muntok is also known as the City of Thousand cakes. There are Pelite, Bluder, Gomag, Lemper, and Jongkong cakes. Today  we are going to introduce you one of the typical cakes of Muntok, namely Pelite cake.

Pelite is white color cake which is wrapped in pandan leaves. Some people call it a pelite daun cake, because if the banana leaf or pandan leaf is opened, then the bottom part of the cake will look like a wick of lamp. Other people call it sampan cake, because it looks like a boat. This Pelite cake is made from rice flour, coconut milk and white sugar as well as its container formed like takir from pandan or banana leaves. To make the pelite cake, all the ingredients are processed become a dough. Then it is steamed in a container made of pandan or banana leaves.  When it is eaten, the texture of this cake is so soft. It tastes sweet and savory. People of Muntok usually  enjoy Pelite cake in the morning and afternoon with a cup of tea or coffee.   Pelite is sold with relatively cheap, only Rp. 1,500 - Rp. 2,500 per piece.

Pelite Cake was the favorite cake of the first president of Indonesia Sukarno  when he  together with Mohammad Hatta, Haji Agus Salim, and Mohammad Roem were exiled to Bangka Island precisely in Muntok, West Bangka, in 1949. At the time, the upheaval of Indonesia's struggle after the independence was still happening amid the  exile. This sweet-tasted cake was the snack for Bung Karno every morning or when drinking tea or coffee in the afternoon.  President Soekarno also brought the cake when he  invited the local people of Muntok to trip to Tanjung Kalian beach, Muntok.