Good Ol' Swiss Roll

Rich and Good Cake Shop continues to preserve traditional cakemaking in a world where speed and convenience rank above all.

- Michelle Yee

It’s a quarter past noon on a weekday, and we spot a snaking queue outside Rich and Good Cake Shop located along Kandahar Street. The shop has been a fixture in the Kampong Glam area for the past 20 years and sells handmade swiss rolls at pocket-friendly prices. 

At first glance, the cakes seem ordinary–nothing fancy like a 20-layer mille crepe cake. But after trying a slice of the shop’s signature kaya roll, we understand why customers are willing to wait in line for hours for their bakes. The sponge is moist yet light and fluffy, while the cream is smooth, fragrant and not too sweet.

“All our swiss rolls are made fresh from scratch daily, which sets us apart from most other confectioneries who mass produce them with machines. We also only use top quality ingredients in our bakes—for instance, we use European butter although it costs a lot more as compared to local butter because it results in better flavours and textures,” shares Jeanne Liu, second-generation owner of Rich and Good Cake Shop. 

The kaya swiss roll we tasted has been produced for more than 20 years now at the shop Jeanne’s mother, Lily Liu, 75, founded in 1997.  

“Back when I was still teaching, I use to bake cakes for family and friends during my free time. I learnt how to bake through attending cake-making classes, and I would often practise my baking skills at home by making lots of cakes which I gave away.  The people who received my cakes loved it, and told me I should consider opening a cake shop.