How to Make Pandan Chiffon Cake
This post may contain affiliate links.Fluffy, airy pandan chiffon cake is commonly found in Southeast Asia countries. Here is the recipe to make the most delicious one!
Pandan chiffon cake has its exotic attraction. The lush green color and the fragrance from pandan extract make this cake very popular.
The color ranges from light green to darker green, depending on the pandan extract used. It could be store-bought pandan flavor which is different than the original home made pandan extract.
The airy light texture in chiffon cake is very addicting. It is fluffy and yet it bounces back when you press it.
Another added benefit is in pandan extract. It has a lot of antioxidants in it.
What is Pandan?
Pandan is a very popular plant in Asian countries. In Indonesia, I think I can see almost every household has this plant in their yard.
It is a plant with long, green leaves mostly found in tropical countries. They are easy to grow. The leaves are very useful in baking and cooking, well … mostly baking.
Even if you don’t have the fresh leaves, you can get the dried form. The dried form also has the same aroma as the fresh ones.
A lot of Indonesian traditional dessert use pandan leaves or pandan extract. Pandan has grassy vanilla taste with a hint of coconut.
Another added benefit is in pandan extract. It has a lot of antioxidants in it.
The Use of Pandan Leaves
In Asia, pandan leaves are so common and you can find the leaves anywhere from the market to your neighbor’s yard.
If you boil some tea with pandan leaves, it gives out very nice smell of vanilla and coconut. The dried form leaves the same effect.
Pandan leaves can be made into extract by blending the leaves with water and let the extract sink to the bottom overnight or a few days. Take the thick pandan extract and keep it in a bottle for future use.
Pandan extract makes a good ingredient in baking. The color of the end product will be very beautiful.
I have tried using pandan extract in many recipes, such as bread, traditional dessert, and drinks.
Pandan Chiffon Cake Recipe
Egg yolk batter
- 6 egg yolk
- 30 gr sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 110 gr coconut milk
- 75 gr coconut oil
- 135 gr cake flour
- 15 gr corn starch
- 25 ml pandan extract
Meringue
- 6 egg white
- 90 gr sugar
- ½ tbsp lemon juice
How To Make Pandan Chiffon Cake
Egg yolk batter
- Mix egg yolk together with sugar and salt.
- Put in the coconut milk, coconut oil, and pandan extract.
- Use a whisk to beat them altogether.
- Whisk until the sugar dissolves.
- Sieve flour and cornstarch into the batter.
- Whisk well. Set aside.
Meringue
- Beat egg white and sugar together with high speed.
- Put in the sugar in 3 parts while mixing.
- Pour in the lemon juice.
- Beat until stiff peak.
Mixing together
- Put in the meringue in 4 parts to the egg yolk batter.
- Use a whisk and spatula in the end.
- The batter should be thick.
- Pour the batter into a chiffon pan. Do not grease the pan.
- Knock the pan a few times before putting it in the preheated oven.
- After 15 minutes of baking you can take it out to slit the top with a knife.
- Slit the top in 6 parts
- Continue baking until 55 minutes is over from the beginning.
- The top should be brown in color.
- Turn the pan upside down using a bottle or if you have a chiffon pan with a tall middle part, you can use that to turn the pan.
- Let it cool completely before taking out of the pan.
- This way the cake will not flop inside the pan.
- Taking out the cake from the pan requires practice. You can use a thin knife to separate the cake from the pan.
- Along with practice, you can also use your hands to pull apart the cake from the pan.
- Slice the cake and enjoy!
Tips and Trick
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q: Why did my chiffon cake not rise properly?
A: Overmixing the meringue and the egg yolk batter can deflate the whole batter. Make sure the egg whites are beaten to stiff peak but not overbeaten. Greasing the pan is also not recommended.
Q: Can I use store-bought pandan extract instead of fresh pandan leaves?
A: Yes, you can use store-bought pandan extract, but be cautious with the quantity. Bottled extracts can be quite concentrated, so you might need less than if using fresh pandan juice. However, for the most authentic flavor, fresh pandan leaves are recommended.
Q: How do I know when the cake is fully baked?
A: You can use the classic toothpick test: insert a toothpick or skewer into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean or with a few crumbs (but no wet batter), it’s done. Additionally, the cake should spring back when lightly touched, and the top should be a light golden brown.
Q: Why is my chiffon cake dense instead of fluffy?
A: A dense chiffon cake is often a result of overmixing the batter, which deflates the egg whites, or from underwhipped egg whites that haven’t reached stiff peaks. It’s crucial to fold the egg whites gently into the batter to maintain their structure.
Conclusion
Pandan chiffon cake is a unique cake from Southeast Asia that combines the fragrance of pandan leaves and the soft texture of chiffon cake, making it a very delightful combination.
Follow the steps mentioned above to bake this fluffy cake at home. Happy baking!
If you like the aroma of pandan leaves, you might also want to try other recipes with pandan extract such as Pandan serabi, Pandan milk bread, or Kue Lumpang.
If you decide to make this fluffy chiffon cake, please tag me on my Instagram! I would love to repost and give a nice comment!
Other chiffon cake recipes you might like:
Pandan Chiffon Cake
Equipment
- 1 chiffon baking pan 8 inch chiffon pan
Ingredients
Egg yolk batter
- 6 egg yolk
- 30 gr sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 110 gr coconut milk
- 75 gr coconut oil
- 135 gr cake flour
- 15 gr corn starch
- 25 ml pandan extract
Meringue
- 6 egg white
- 90 gr sugar
- ½ tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Mix egg yolk together with sugar and salt.
- Put in the coconut milk, coconut oil, and pandan extract.
- Use a whisk to beat them altogether.
- Whisk until the sugar dissolves.
- Sieve flour and cornstarch into the batter.
- Whisk well. Set aside.
- In another bowl, beat egg white and sugar together starting with low speed.
- Put in the sugar in 3 parts while mixing.
- Pour in the lemon juice.
- Beat until stiff peak.
- Put in the meringue in 4 parts to the egg yolk batter.
- Use a whisk and spatula in the end.
- The batter should be thick.
- Pour the batter into a chiffon pan. Do not grease the pan.
- Knock the pan a few times before putting it in the preheated oven.
- After 15 minutes of baking you can take it out to slit the top with a knife.
- Slit the top in 6 parts
- Continue baking until 55 minutes is over from the beginning.
- The top should be brown in color.
- Turn the pan upside down using a bottle or if you have a chiffon pan with a tall middle part, you can use that to turn the pan. This way the cake will not flop inside the pan.
- Let it cool completely before taking out of the pan.
- Taking out the cake from the pan requires practice. You can use a thin knife to separate the cake from the pan.
- You can also use your hands to pull apart the cake from the pan. Slice the cake and enjoy!
