For the love of all things sticky, sweet and sinfully irresistible, Malaysia’s smoky, caramel-edged gula Melaka ranks high on our list of desserts worth skipping gym time for. Before the Europeans introduced cane sugar to our part of the world, we relied heavily on palm sugar.

Depending on the quality of the palm, and how it is pressed, different varieties of gula Melaka may exude different flavour profiles. Sourness, smoke, caramel, butterscotch, coffee, or even a combination of those flavours. A complex sweetener with a myriad of nuanced flavours, we just love it in everything.

Here are 15 places in Singapore where you can find gula Melaka desserts worthy enough to make you want to skip gym day.

Photo Credit: All Things Delicious 

ALL THINGS DELICIOUS – GULA MELAKA SCONES

Infused and topped with a drizzle of stickily sweet gula melaka, their gula melaka scones is miles better than your average dry, plain scone. The scones themselves are buttery, crumbly yet moist and the palm sugar glaze is a nice touch.

34 Arab Street
Singapore 199733
Tel: +65 6291 4252
Tue to Fri: 8am – 7pm
Sat & Sun: 9am – 7pm
(Closed on Mondays)
Nearest Station: Bugis

ALL THE BATTER – AVOCADO GULA MELAKA CAKE

An out-of-the-box combination of flavours yet one that still works surprisingly well, the Avocado Gula Melaka Slice from All The Batter is one dessert that you should try, especially if you love avocados. Here, moist avocado batter cake is layered and topped with sweet Gula Melaka cream, creating a decadent dessert that’s a treat for the senses!

17 Jasmine Road
Adelphi Park
Singapore 576585
Tel: +65 8510 6313
Sat & Sun: 11am – 9.30pm
Nearest Station: Marymount

BUTTER STUDIO – SALTED GULA MELAKA CUPCAKE

Butter Studio is one of the most popular Halal-certified bakeries in Singapore. Their Salted Gula Melaka Cupcake has consistently been their best-seller and for a good reason. Hand-made from scratch daily, what you can expect is Gula Melaka encased in a pandan cake shell, before being topped off with Gula Melaka infused frosting and crunchy pearls.

147 Jalan Besar
Singapore 208865
Tel: +65 6294 7115
Mon to Thu: 12pm – 10pm
Fri: 12pm – 12 Midnight
Sat: 10.30am – 12pm
Sun: 10.30am – 10pm
(Closed on Tuesdays)
Nearest Station: Lavender

Photo Credit: aiiesyah

CASUARINA CURRY – ONDEH ONDEH PRATA

Who says that one cannot have prata for dessert? Innovating their dishes to the fullest, Casuarina Curry has come up with Ondeh Ondeh Prata —a prata dish perfect for a sweet round-off after a sinful meal. A scoop of coconut ice cream, cubes of pandan jelly and shredded coconuts sit inside a folded crispy tissue prata alongside a helping of Gula Melaka Sauce.

187 Macpherson Road
Singapore 348545
Tel: +65 6285 9001
Daily: 10am – 12 midnight
Nearest Station: Potong Pasir

Photo Credit: Chengs at No 27

CHENG’S AT NO. 27 – GULA MELAKA ORGANIC OIL CHIFFON CAKE

Nestled in a cosy corner of the Tiong Bahru estate, Cheng’s @ 27 is a humble shophouse restaurant that whips up comforting, home-style Hainanese dishes. One of their specialities would be the Gula Melaka Organic Oil Chiffon Cake —soft, moist, and incredibly fluffy, you’d be glad to know that this cake is also healthy!

27 Yong Siak Street
Singapore 168654
Tel: +65 6223 7883
Mon, Wed to Sun: 10am – 3pm, 5.30pm – 9pm
(Closed on Tuesdays)
Nearest Station: Tiong Bahru

CHURROS FACTORY – ONDEH CHURROS

A stall that needs no further introduction, Churros Factory is a haven for those who simply cannot have enough of this classic Spanish fried-dough pastry. Infused with pandan, their ondeh churros are topped with shredded coconut shavings and paired with a Gula Melaka dip.

112 East Coast Road
#B1-26, 112 Katong Mall
Singapore 428802*
Tel: +65 8500 0700
Daily: 10am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Paya Lebar

(*Churros Factory has multiple locations islandwide)

Photo Credit: Creme Maison 

CREME MAISON — ONDEH ONDEH CAKE

Creme Maison specialises in creating gorgeous cakes for every occasion and their cakes are masterpieces in itself. Their ambrosial Ondeh Ondeh Cake features pure pandan and coconut infused cake layers filled with homemade gula Melaka caramel, gula Melaka swiss meringue buttercream and desiccated coconut.

30 Tai Seng St, #08-03C
Singapore 534013
Tel: +65 8181 3689
Mon, Wed to Fri: 8am – 6pm
Sat: 8.30am – 5.30pm
Sun: 11am – 1pm
Nearest Station: Tai Seng

Photo Credit: edithpatisserie

EDITH PATISSERIE – PANDAN COCONUT GULA MELAKA CAKE

Edith Patisserie is your one-stop place for gorgeous, unique cakes that taste as good as they look. Their Pandan Coconut Gula Melaka Cake is a delectable classic, where fragrant and moist pandan chiffon sponge is held together by salted coconut buttercream and topped with desiccated coconut toppings.

772 North Bridge Road
Singapore 198740
Tue to Sat: 10am – 5pm
Sun: 10am – 2pm
(Closed on Mondays)

Photo Credit: ettosg

ETTO — ONDEH LAVA CAKE WITH COCONUT & GULA MELAKA 

You’ve heard of gula Melaka and you’ve heard of lava cake, but have you ever heard of a gula Melaka lava cake?  Etto serves that right up here and we find it incredibly satisfying to slice open the cake and watch all that decadent gula Melaka ooze out of it.

6 Handy Road
#01-01, The Luxe
Singapore 229234
Tel: +65 9185 8116
Tue & Wed: 11.30am – 10.30pm
Thu: 11.30am – 11.30pm
Fri: 11.30am – 1am
Sat: 10am – 11pm
Sun: 10am – 9pm
(Closed on Mondays)
Nearest Station: Dhoby Ghaut

Photo Credit: izk1311

FLUFF BAKERY – ONDEH ONDEH CAKE

Retaining the traditional flavours of the snack yet levelling-up in terms of transforming it into a chilled dessert, their Ondeh Ondeh Cake certainly hits all the right spots. Moist and soft layers of pandan cake and Gula Melaka fillings sit between blankets of light cream, bringing out the pronounced flavours of a traditional ondeh ondeh.

4 Jalan Pisang
Singapore 199071
Tel: +65 9660 3541
Tue to Sat: 12pm – 7.30pm
Sun: 11am – 5pm
(Closed on Mondays)
Nearest Station: Bugis

HATTER STREET — GULA MELAKA AND PANDAN WAFFLE 

Tucked away in an HDB estate just a few units away from popular Thai eatery Nakhon Kitchen is Hatter Street. Here, they offer a wide range of desserts with a twist, but the one that caught our eye was their sinfully good waffle with pandan ice cream and gula Melaka sauce. This irresistible dessert is perfect for those who crave for a simpler, no-frills gula Melaka dessert!

#01-333, Block 212 Hougang Street 21
Singapore 530212
Tel: +65 6988 4591
Daily: 1pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Kovan

MOOSH — ONDEH ONDEH SOFT SERVE 

We are addicted to Moosh’s Ondeh Ondeh soft serve, which features a gula Melaka soft serve base, lined with pandan sauce and topped with desiccated coconut, coconut flakes and even more pandan sauce. Despite having so many sweet elements, the dessert remained incredibly silky and creamy without being too sweet.

44 Haji Lane
Singapore 189237
Mon to Thu: 12am – 8pm
Fri to Sun: 12am – 9pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

SINPOPO — GULA MELAKA CAKE 

Sinpopo’s Gula Melaka Cake is a simple yet addictive layer cake that is lined with a generous amount of gula Melaka. If you are worried that the cake might be overwhelmingly sweet, you can rest assured knowing that, while it is sinful, it isn’t as sweet as most cakes out there.

458 Joo Chiat Rd
Singapore 427671
Tel: +65 6345 5034
Tue to Thu, Sun: 12pm – 10pm
Fri & Sat: 12pm – 12am
(Closed on Mondays)
Nearest Station: Dakota 

SUNDAY FOLKS — SEA SALT GULA MELAKA ICE CREAM 

Café hoppers and foodies alike love to flock to the spacious Sunday Folks’ to indulge in their delectable offerings of freshly baked Belgian waffles and mouthwatering ice cream. Aside from their waffles, we are in love with their Sea Salt Gula Melaka Ice Cream, which comes in the form of a cup or a handmade cone.

44 Jalan Merah Saga
Chip Bee Gardens #01-52
Singapore 278116
Tel: +65 6479 9166
Tue to Fri: 1pm – 10pm
Sat to Sun: 12pm – 10pm
(Closed on Mondays)
Nearest Station: Holland Village

Photo Credit: Two Bakers 

TWO BAKERS – PANDAN PANCAKES

Looking for a full-fledged meal centred around the fragrant pandan and Gula Melaka? Try out the Pandan Pancakes from Two Bakers, which features fresh fruits and freshly grated coconuts atop fluffy pandan pancakes. Drizzle the Gula Melaka sauce at the side to bind the various elements of the dessert together!

88 Horne Road
Singapore 209083
Tel: +65 6293 0329
Mon to Thu: 8am – 6pm
Fri, Sat & Sun: 9am – 6pm
Nearest Station: Bendemeer

Situated along Haji Lane, Moosh Softserve is the latest addition to the hipster street. Primarily serving soft serve (for takeaways only), this Muslim-owned soft serve shop currently has six flavours including classic flavours such as Strawberry and Blueberry.

Besides the classics, Moosh Softserve also offers unique dessert-inspired flavours such as Apple Crumble, S’mores, and the popular Ondeh Ondeh.

If you are looking for some refreshing sweet treats to cool off in the sweltering heat, Moosh Softserve is where you should head for.

The Ondeh Ondeh soft serve (Regular: S$4.50 / Large: S$6.90) features a gula melaka soft serve base, lined with pandan sauce and topped with desiccated coconut, coconut flakes and even more pandan sauce. Despite all the different elements added, the soft serve was extremely silky and creamy without being too sweet.

The Nutella Brownies Cheesecake Soft Serve (Regular: S$4.50 / Large: S$6.90) comes with a generous swirl of Nutella soft serve, topped with rich chocolate sauce and chocolate malt, and sprinkled with brownie crumbs. This was simply chocolate heaven in a cup, what more could we ask for?

Moosh Softserve offers pretty interesting and unique flavours that are neither overly dense nor overwhelmingly sweet. Conveniently located at Haji Lane, this is definitely a place to check out during afternoon shopping trips for a quick sweet fix.

Moosh Softserve
44 Haji Lane
Singapore 189237
Mon to Thurs: 12am – 8pm
Fri to Sun: 12am – 9pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

Gula Melaka, or otherwise known as palm sugar, is a popular type of sweetener in Southeast Asia. Made from the sap of flower buds from coconut trees, the liquid is boiled until it thickens and then left to cool for it to solidify.

Since many people love its deep caramel flavour, Gula Melaka is a popular dessert option as it gives off a lovely sweet taste that enhances the dessert. That is also why more cafes in Singapore are now offering Gula Melaka desserts as part of their dessert menu.

From scones to waffles and even churros, here are 8 Gula Melaka Desserts In Singapore You Must Try.

ALL THE BATTER – AVOCADO GULA MELAKA SLICE

If you happen to love avocados, you will definitely enjoy the Avocado Gula Melaka Slice (S$5.90) from All The Batter—what you get is sweet Gula Melaka cream on top of moist avocado batter cake.

17 Jasmine Road
Adelphi Park
Singapore 576585
Tel: +65 8510 6313
Sat & Sun: 11am – 9.30pm
Nearest Station: Marymount

Photo Credit: All Things Delicious

ALL THINGS DELICIOUS – GULA MELAKA SCONES

We all know the usual Gula Melaka desserts in Singapore but did you know that there is Gula Melaka scone? That’s right, you can get that at All Things Delicious and they are going at S$3.50 each.

34 Arab Street
Singapore 199733
Tel: +65 6291 4252
Mon: Closed
Tue to Fri: 8am – 7pm
Sat & Sun: 9am – 7pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

BUTTER STUDIO – SALTED GULA MELAKA CUPCAKE

Specialising in a variety of Halal-certified cupcakes and whole cakes, Butter Studio’s main outlet is located along Jalan Besar where you can find Salted Gula Melaka Cupcakes (S$3.50). While many substandard cupcakes out there are dry, you should be pleased to know that cupcakes at Butter Studio are moist and comes full-flavoured.

Those with a sweet tooth will enjoy the generous Gula Melaka fillings inside the cupcake.

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147 Jalan Besar
Singapore 208865
Tel: +65 6294 7115
Mon to Thu: 12pm – 10pm
Fri: 12pm – 12 Midnight
Sat: 10.30am – 12pm
Sun: 10.30am – 10pm
Tue: Closed
Nearest Station: Lavender

CHURROS FACTORY – ONDEH CHURROS

Churros Factory needs no further introduction—having four outlets in Singapore and pop up booths at events in Singapore offering delicious and satisfying churros. Choose among Original, Pandan, Charcoal and Chocolate flavours for your churros and get the Gula Melaka dip.

A cup of three churros will set you back at S$7 (churros – S45.50, dip – S$1.50).

112 East Coast Road
#B1-26, 112 Katong Mall
Singapore 428802
Tel: +65 8500 0700
Daily: 10am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Paya Lebar

HATTER STREET – GULA MELAKA AND PANDAN WAFFLE

Located in a HDB estate—just a few units away from popular Thai eatery Nakhon Kitchen—Hatter Street offers desserts with a twist.

They have a few waffle options but being Gula Melaka addicts, we would recommend their waffle with pandan ice cream and Gula Melaka sauce (S$9.50).

#01-333, Block 212 Hougang Street 21
Singapore 530212
Tel: +65 6988 4591
Daily: 1pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Kovan

MOOSH – ONDEH ONDEH SOFT SERVE

Situated along Haji Lane, Moosh Softserve is where you should head to if you are looking for some refreshing sweet treats to cool off in the sweltering heat.

The Ondeh Ondeh soft serve (Regular: S$4.50 / Large: S$6.90) features a gula melaka soft serve base, lined with pandan sauce and topped with desiccated coconut, coconut flakes and even more pandan sauce. Despite all the different elements added, the soft serve was extremely silky and creamy without being too sweet.

44 Haji Lane
Singapore 189237
Mon to Thu: 12am – 8pm
Fri to Sun: 12am – 9pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

SINPOPO – GULA MELAKA CAKE

Fans of Awfully Chocolate may find the presentation of this cake familiar as the style of layering is similar to the ever-popular Super Stacked Cake from Awfully Chocolate.

If you are worried that Sinpopo Brand’s Gula Melaka cake might be overwhelmingly sweet, you will be happy to know that this cake spots just the right amount of Gula Melaka and is fragrant as it can be.

458 Joo Chiat Rd
Singapore 427671
Tel: +65 6345 5034
Mon: Closed
Tue to Thu, Sun: 12pm – 10pm
Fri & Sat: 12pm – 12am
Nearest Station: Dakota

SUNDAY FOLKS – SEA SALT GULA MELAKA ICE CREAM

Café hoppers and foodies alike flocked to the spacious café to sample Sunday Folks’ delectable offerings of freshly baked Belgian waffles and mouthwatering ice cream. Waffles will only be baked after your order is taken and the same applies to the preparation of the freshly churned ice cream.

Get their Sea Salt Gula Melaka Ice Cream in a cup (S$7.20) or handmade cone (S$7.20).

44 Jalan Merah Saga
Chip Bee Gardens #01-52
Singapore 278116
Tel: +65 6479 9166
Mon: Closed
Tue to Fri: 1pm – 10pm
Sat to Sun: 12pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Holland Village

Sinpopo Brand along Joo Chiat Road is one very outstanding retro cafe that we absolutely love visiting for they always have new ideas to surprise us on every visit.

Apart from its local-style menu, you will be filled with nostalgia with songs from the 60s and its old-school interior; Sinpopo Brand is truly a local gem that reflects Singapore’s past.

Gather some friends and have a lovely time chit-chatting over Sinpopo Brand’s new Weekday (Tue to Fri) Afternoon Tea Set at S$30+ for 2 pax, from 2.30pm to 5.30pm.

For our readers, quote “Ladyironchef” along with this post to receive a complimentary bottle of Sugee Biscuits (U.P. S$12+) OR Salted Egg Yolk Cookies (U.P. S$12+).

SINPOPO BRAND’S AFTERNOON TEA SET FOR 2 PAX

For S$30+, you and your afternoon tea companion get to enjoy a slice of Sugee Loaf Cake, a slice of Durian Pengat or Gula Melaka Cake, 1 Roasted Marshmallow with Salted Kachang & Gula Melaka Ice Cream, a serving of Gula Melaka Jelly, 4 pieces of Sugee Biscuits or Salted Egg Yolk Cookies, and choice of any 2 drinks (any coffee or tea).

That’s only S$15+ per person for a whole lot of treats if you think about it!

ROASTED MARSHMALLOW WITH SALTED KACHANG & GULA MELAKA ICE CREAM

You may know how gula melaka ice cream tastes like, but have you tried Gula Melaka Ice Cream encased in a roasted marshmallow and topped off with salted peanuts? With the sweetness from the fluffy marshmallow and saltiness from the peanuts, it felt like a wild party of flavours in our mouths.

This newly curated chilled dessert is definitely one to look out for!

DURIAN PENGAT

If you are a regular reader, you would know that the Durian Pengat at Sinpopo Brand is our weakness (or we have a soft spot for it). Now these guys have come up with a Durian Pengat Cake using that sinful homemade pengat, and it’s just so luscious. When we dug into its rich creamy pengat and pandan cake layers, we fell in love all over again.

Usually only available online, you can now try it with the limited tea set promotion!

GULA MELAKA CAKE

Do not despair if durian is not your calling because you can choose to have Sinpopo’s signature Gula Melaka Cake instead! You can see the distinct layers of gula melaka fudge in between thick slices of moist cake topped off with gula melaka glaze. Sinfully rich, this is one for the sweet tooth.

SUGEE LOAF CAKE AND GULA MELAKA JELLY

Reintroduced in a loaf cake version this Chinese New Year, the delightfully light, moist and fragrant Sugee Loaf Cake, made of Sugee, almond and browned butter, is best eaten with the generous portion of vanilla bean cream.

Just when we thought that the Gula Melaka Jelly might be overshadowed by everything else, it was surprisingly light and refreshing addition to the tea set. We liked having the jelly in between bites to alternate with the strong flavours.

TWO AROMATIC DRINKS OF YOUR CHOICE

Choose any coffee or tea from Sinpopo Brand’s menu with every order of the weekday Afternoon Tea Set.

Of course, we would pick the signature Sinpopo Teh Tarik Special and Kopi Peng because not only are these perennial favourites on the drinks menu, they are ever comforting. Nothing beats a good cup of Singapore-style teh and kopi, yes?

Other coffee selections on their drinks menu are Kopi Macchiato, Cappucino, Long Black and Flat White; while tea choices include Earl Grey, Turkish Apple, Roman Chamomile and so on.

SUGEE BISCUITS OR SALTED EGG YOLK COOKIES

Cookies at Sinpopo Brand are not to be overlooked. Trust us on this; we’ve had several bottles ourselves. These amazing bite-sized crumbly cookies are so addictive!

The Sugee biscuits bring along such a nostalgic taste with strong buttery notes, while the salted egg yolk cookies with curry leaves are a heavier option bearing the distinct saltiness that all of us love.

Do come down to enjoy Sinpopo Brand’s new Weekday (Tue to Fri) Afternoon Tea Set at S$30+ for 2 pax (U.P. S$46.50+) from 17 Jan 2017 to 28 Feb 2017, 2.30pm to 5.30pm, and remember to quote’ ladyironchef’ along with this post to receive a complimentary bottle of Sugee Biscuits (U.P. S$12+) or Salted Egg Yolk Cookies (U.P. S$12+).

Sinpopo Brand’s operational hours during Chinese New Year 2017:
27 Jan: 12pm – 5pm (only for CNY Hamper collection)
28 to 30 Jan: closed
31 Jan: 12pm – 10pm

Sinpopo Brand
458 Joo Chiat Rd
Singapore 427671
Tel: +65 6345 5034
Tue to Thu, Sun: 12pm – 10pm
Fri & Sat: 12pm – 12am
(Closed on Mondays)
Nearest Station: Dakota

This post is brought to you by Sinpopo Brand.