Pandan Cotton Cake

If feels like it's been ages since I baked. But I seem to be gaining momentum lately and my baking mojo is back. But I am not keen to try new recipes, preferring to revisit old ones.

This is the first time that I am using natural pandan in my cake batter. In the past, I used ready made pandan extract or pandan paste. 

This time I took the trouble to make my own pandan extract by using my Alpha Juicer.

Archive photo.

I used more than 20 blades of pandan leaves from my garden and got myself some concentrated pandan juice. It was a bit of a hassle to set up the juicer (it is also very heavy) and washing it later but it was worth the trouble.

This cake is a perennial favorite because the texture is unbelievably moist and light. It literally melts in your mouth and you will find yourself eating many many slices.

My cake shrank quite a bit because I did not invert the cake. Straight from the oven, I just let it cool on the rack. It still has that nice spongy cottony texture, so it was not a major issue. For better presentation (taller cake), it is advisable to invert the cake.

This cake has to be steam baked and this is how I did it (photos from an old post) :

Pour hot water in a tray and place a rack over it.

Put the cake pan over the rack and bake the cake.

Pandan Cotton Cake

Recipe source : Adapted from here

Egg Yolk Batter :

- 1 whole egg

- 5 egg yolks

- 65ml extra virgin coconut oil

- 80ml coconut milk

- 20ml pandan juice + some green coloring to enhance color

- 65g flour (sifted)

Egg White Batter 

- 5 egg whites

- 75g caster sugar

Method :

Egg Yolk Batter

1. In a mixing bowl, beat whole egg, egg yolks, coconut oil, coconut milk and pandan juice until well combined.

2. Sift flour a little at a time and fold to mix evenly.

3. If you find the batter lumpy, sift the batter. Set aside.

Egg White Batter

1. Using a hand mixer, beat egg whites with sugar until stiff peaks.

To complete the cake batter :

1. Take 1/3 of the egg white batter and stir into the egg yolk mixture until well mixed. 

2. Pour the egg yolk batter into the remaining egg white batter and fold the batter together (I used my bare hand) until evenly combined.

3. Pour batter into a line 9" square pan and tap the pan gently to remove air bubble.

4. Steam bake in the oven at 140C for 55 minutes until the top of the cake is browned and dry to the touch.