Traditional kuih makmur gets a makeover

Sweet treats: The Kek & Co cookie hamper in collaboration with Maybank. It features the modernised kuih makmur and the new nutella, peanut butter and red velvet cookies.

PETALING JAYA: The traditional Malay delicacy, kuih makmur, has been given a makeover by two cake stylists.

Satira Diana and Farah Melissa, the founders of Kek & Co, said they were approached by Maybank for its MaybankHeart campaign.

Under the campaign, the bank will donate a portion of profits from the sale of their kuih to 30 charities.

Kuih makmur, a common treat served during Hari Raya, is made from butter, ghee and flour and is white.

“For this Ramadan, we are trying to modernise kuih makmur and instead of its normal colour, we have turned it into pink with peanut filling.

“I was just experimenting on the colour palette and I think it suits the whole campaign,” said Farah in an interview.

Before Kek & Co was founded in 2015, Satira and Farah had their own baking business and used to be friendly rivals.

The duo are known for their creative unicorn cakes called Cik Unikorn, which come with fondant wings and whose picture has gone viral online. They also have more than 72,000 followers on Instagram.

“The response so far has been positive. We have received many orders for kuih makmur,” said Farah, adding that they had unveiled other special cookies for Raya.

“We are looking for ways to contribute back to the community, especially during this month. We are glad to collaborate with anyone in such matters,” she said.

For Ramadan, Satira said they had also come up with a special chocolate or vanilla square-sized cake called Fleur, which was inspired by a collaboration with a local fashion designer, Yadotsa.

“Their Raya collection is based on autumn and we design our cakes based on their baju raya print,” she said.