Pandan Chiffon Cake
Local name: 班兰戚风蛋糕
In short: A tall, airy chiffon cake colored and scented with fresh pandan juice and enriched with coconut milk, baked in an ungreased tube pan. It takes about 1 h 25 min in total and makes 12 servings.
- Prep
- 35 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Resting
- 1 h 30 min
- Total
- 1 h 25 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 185 kcal
Pandan chiffon cake is a Singapore bakery favorite and a common birthday cake. It has the lightness of a sponge but is moister, because the batter is enriched with oil and coconut milk instead of butter. Fresh pandan juice gives a pale green color and a scent like vanilla and warm grass. The cake rises by clinging to the walls of an ungreased tube pan, then cools upside down so it keeps its height.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Leave the 23 cm (9 in) tube pan ungreased.
- Blend the pandan leaves with the water until fine. Strain through a sieve, pressing hard, and measure out 60 ml (1/4 cup) of juice.
- Whisk the egg yolks with the 60 g sugar until pale. Whisk in the oil, coconut milk and pandan juice. Sift over the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk until smooth.
- Whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar on medium speed until foamy. Add the 80 g sugar a spoonful at a time, then whip on high until stiff, glossy peaks form.
- Fold one third of the meringue into the yolk batter to loosen it. Fold in the rest in two batches, gently, until no white streaks remain.
- Pour the batter into the pan from a height. Draw a skewer once through the batter to release large air bubbles.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top springs back when pressed and a skewer comes out clean.
- Turn the pan upside down at once, resting it on its feet or over a bottle neck, and cool completely for about 1 1/2 hours.
- Run a thin knife around the pan and the center tube, lift out the cake and slice with a serrated knife.
Tips
- Use fresh or frozen pandan leaves for the best aroma. If you use pandan extract, add about 1/2 teaspoon in place of the juice and make up the liquid with 60 ml (1/4 cup) extra coconut milk.
- Do not grease the pan. The batter needs to grip the sides to climb, and a greased pan makes the cake slip and sink.
Questions and answers
Why did my chiffon cake collapse?
Usual causes are under-whipped or over-folded egg whites, opening the oven door early, or cooling the cake upright. Fold gently and always cool it upside down.
How do I store pandan chiffon cake?
Wrap it airtight and keep it at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for 4 days. Freeze slices for up to 2 months.
Can I bake it in a loaf or round pan?
A straight-sided, ungreased round pan with a smooth bottom works, but the center takes longer to bake and the cake is harder to cool upside down. A tube pan gives the most even result.
How long does it take to make Pandan Chiffon Cake?
About 1 h 25 min in total: 35 min of preparation and 50 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Pandan Chiffon Cake?
About 185 kcal per serving, with 5 g of protein, 22 g of carbohydrates and 9 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 185 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 22 g |
| Fat | 9 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 13 g |
| Sodium | 120 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
