He Zhong Carrot Cake – Blocks of Amazing White Carrot Cake!

When someone asks me about carrot cake, it’s important for me to clarify with them which kind they’re talking about. Is it the rich, creamy and sweet Western carrot cake, or is it our local hawker delight, which can be black (with dark soy sauce) or white (without soy sauce)? After my trip to He Zhong Carrot Cake, I now have a fourth classification of carrot cake. This carrot cake stall isn’t similar to any typical fried carrot cake stall in a hawker centre.

This family-run carrot cake stall has been in Bukit Timah Market & Food Centre since 1973. He Zhong Carrot Cake is currently run by Mr Teo Boon Kuang, who is 57 years old. His daughter, Alberta Teo, 29, plans to take over the stall to carry on the family business.

Why are they different, you might ask. First of all, this stall only does white carrot cake. Secondly, the carrot cake comes in big and chunky pieces, unlike the usual flat pancake style!

On why the stall only sells white carrot cake, the owners revealed that the founder of the stall, Mr Teo’s father, just wanted to sell white carrot cake. Sometimes, the reasons can be as simple and straightforward as such!

These springy chunks of goodness are very flavourful, with a strong garlicky aroma and fragrance of fish sauce. The generous amount of chai poh studded throughout the cake gives a sweetness that complements the savouriness perfectly.

The relatively large pieces of kueh are glued together by an ample amount of egg. The combination of a well charred and crispy exterior, and a springy and eggy interior, makes this carrot cake so addictive!

Another thing that I like about the carrot cake here is that the stall makes their own kueh, according to their own special recipe, daily. You can see it from the piles of stainless steel trays that sit beside the wok, where each piece of kueh is cut into blocks, before being transferred over to the wok. The pieces of kueh have a good bite to them and are not overly soft.

I tried both the fried carrot cakes — with and without chilli — and definitely preferred the former. The homemade chilli sauce, which is smeared all over the top of the well-charred carrot cake prior to serving, lends a delightful fragrance and delicate spice to the carrot cake.

The carrot cake is very affordable, with the smallest portion starting at just $2.50.

Many have reported that they have to queue for a long time for the carrot cake. Thankfully, when I arrived around 5.30pm on a weekday, there was no queue at all. 

The simple and old school signboard at He Zhong Carrot Cake exudes a sense of nostalgia, and it is a testament to the time-tested recipe that has sated many happy bellies for countless of years, and hopefully, for many more years to come!

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

For more food videos, check out our official YouTube channel! You may want to check out our article on Poh Cheu, a stall that sells traditional kuehs!