Moho and miku, Peranakan Chinese twin cakes: history, production, and conservation through schools

Moho and miku are like twin cakes because the raw materials and manufacturing process are the same, only the shape and filling are different. The taste is distinctive and familiar to the tastes of the older generation. This cake is rarely found and has difficulty competing with modern cakes. In this study, the history and production process of the twin cakes are described, including the idea of ​​​​its conservation. This study uses a descriptive qualitative approach by utilizing historical methods. Data were collected through interviews, observations, focus group discussions, and strengthened by literature studies. The results showed that the history of moho and miku cakes as part of Peranakan Chinese cuisine in Central Java is closely related to the tradition of ancestral worship. The ingredients and production processes display the acculturation of Chinese culture with Javanese locality, resulting in a distinctive traditional cake taste. Educational channels, in this case schools, can be a means for preserving moho and miku cakes to be closer to the younger generation. In a more practical context for instilling the values ​​​​of diversity and cultural conservation, this idea can be applied in history learning in vocational high schools in the Culinary Arts department. Further studies that can be done are the development of effective teaching materials and learning designs.