I have a huge sweet tooth, and my TikTok algorithm knows. For the past two weeks, I’ve been seeing recommendations for all sorts of desserts — pumpkin spice cookies, chai cinnamon rolls, and Oreo snowy mooncakes. However, the videos that appear the most on my feed are from @martabakforlyfe talking about her martabak addiction. I couldn’t help but be curious about this dessert, and I ended up scrolling through the dozens of videos on her account.
The “martabak girl” only posts content centered around the popular Indonesian dish. Practically all of her videos go viral as viewers speculate about the dessert’s unique flavors, her apparent obsession with the dish, and the humorous antics she displays as she tries to hide her eating from her father.
What is martabak?
Martabak manis, sometimes called “sweet martabak,” is a dessert staple throughout Indonesia. It’s made from a thick, pancake-like dough that is cooked on a griddle, and it’s traditionally loaded with fillings like chocolate sprinkles, crushed peanuts, sweet cheese, and condensed milk.
The street food can be traced back to the Middle East and India, and the term “mutabbaq,” meaning “folded” in Arabic, suggests the dish may have started in Yemen, where Indian traders living there brought the concept back to their home countries. “Murtabak,” a type of layered pancake from Kerala, India, resulted from this trade exchange, and it was then introduced to Southeast Asia by Arab and Tamil Muslim traders. In Indonesia, it evolved into a savory version filled with spiced meat and eggs and the sweet version mentioned earlier.
In Indonesia, martabak comes in diverse regional versions that showcase local tastes and culinary creativity. Savory martabak usually features a dough filled with seasoned ground meat, eggs, and spices, but regional variations highlight unique local flavors and accompaniments. For instance, in Palembang, South Sumatra, the martabak there is famous for a thin, crunchy layer filled with a rich curry or spiced meat and served with a sweet-sour soy chili sauce. Another savory, regional specialty is martabak kubang from Padang, West Sumatra, which is served with a light curry dipping sauce. As for sweet martabak, martabak manis (also called terang bulan) varies widely, with additions like chocolate, sweet cheese, nuts, fruit jams, or even modern toppings such as matcha, Oreo, and various chocolates.
TikTok creator @rasanesia.van made one using chocolate sprinkles, sweet cheese, condensed milk, and butter.
Who’s the Martabak Girl?
Indonesian creator Avrill Abigail, a.k.a. @martabakforlyfe, eats the dessert every day and posts content related to her martabak-fueled lifestyle. For instance, her dad does not approve of her obsession with the dessert, so she’s always trying to sneak martabak into her home or secretly eat it without him noticing. A couple highlights include filling a chip bag with martabak, ordering delivery to her home late at night, and trying sugarless martabak so that he might be more lenient with her obsession.
She posts every day, and her videos have become so closely linked with the dish that she’s the first search that pops up whenever you search “martabak” on TikTok. Since her virality, martabak has become much more popular on TikTok, with many creators referencing her in their mukbangs, recipe videos, and reviews. @thechinitafoodie shows how to make @martabakforlyfe’s go-to order while chocolate sprinkles and sweet cheese.
If you’re ever in Indonesia, see for yourself if martabak lives up to the hype the “martabak girl” gives it!