My Best Pandan Chiffon Cake

I cannot say this is the best Pandan Chiffon Cake but I can say that it is my best. What is best depends on you, right? What is best to me may not be the best to you, hence the qualifier, my best.

This cake is my mum's favorite cake and I credit my auntie for teaching me how to get it right. It was the first "serious" cake I baked and I nailed it from the very first attempt. Not that I am showing off, OK? It's just that my auntie taught me so well.

Now, didn't Nigella Lawson say something about pandan? Well, over here in Malaysia, we have always loved pandan and  some of us have it growing in our garden, like me hee..hee...

Previously, I used pandan essence and pandan paste because it was more convenient. But after a while, the chemical smell started to bother me (I was OK with it initially) and for the first time, I used what I have in abundance in my garden.

I blended 10 blades of pandan leaves with 1/4 cup of water and then squeezed the juice over a strainer. It was ultimately worth that little bit of effort.

The smell of pandan (and coconut) coming from the oven as the cake was baking was so wonderful. 

Because natural pandan will not give you the color intensity, I added a few drops of green coloring just for presentation. I once bought pandan paste which doubled up as coloring but the color was too deep and made my cake look very scary.

I have also done something for the first time, that is removing the cake from the pan using what is known as the hare-hand method. It definitely gives the cake a better finish, i.e no more shaggy look around the edges. I referred to the video below as a guide.

As what I have always done in the past, I mixed the batter using my bare hand which I feel is the best method. If you are interested, you can also watch the video below.

Our hands are the best tools and I am sure you have seen some western chefs tossing salad using their bare hands just like how my grandaunties and grandma tossed their kerabu.

This Pandan Chiffon Cake is one  cake that you can keep on eating and eating as it is so light and airy. Besides natural pandan juice, I use extra virgin coconut oil to give this cake that fantastic coconut aroma.

Pandan Chiffon Cake

Recipe source : Phong Hong (I ciplak my auntie's recipe)

Ingredients :

Batter A :

- 5 egg yolks (I use L sized eggs)

- 60g caster sugar

- 120ml coconut milk (I use Santan Harmuni)

- 90ml extra virgin coconut oil

- 2 tbsp pandan juice*

- a few drops of green coloring (optional)

- 120g self raising flour, sifted

- 1 tsp double action baking powder (for that extra lift, optional)

Batter B :

- 5 eggs whites

- 60g caster sugar

*To make pandan juice, blend about 10 blades of pandan leaves (snipped into smaller pieces) with 1/4 cup water. Squeeze the juice over a fine sieve. Leave the juice to stand in the fridge for about an hour and pour away the top layer to leave behind the thick layer that is at the bottom.

Method :

1.Make batter A. Add flour and baking powder and whisk to combine. Set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar until well combined.

3. Add coconut milk, coconut oil and pandan juice and continue to whisk. You may add the green coloring after this and whisk again to see if you have got the shade that you want.

4. At this point, I do not add flour yet. You may do so if you want to.

5. Make batter B. Using a hand mixer, beat egg whites and sugar until stiff peaks. Set aside.

6. Back to batter A. Sift flour in 3 additions into the egg yolk mixture. Use a whisk to fold the batter.

7. Take 1/3 of the stiff egg whites and fold it into the egg yolk batter to lighten it.

8. Then pour the egg yolk batter into the remaining egg white batter and fold to combine either using a spatula or your bare hand.

9. Pour batter into a chiffon tube pan and bake at 160C for 45 minutes.
10. Remove from the oven and immediately invert the pan on a rack to cool completely before unmolding the cake.