Chiffon Pandan Cake

This is the lightest, fluffiest cake you’ll ever make or eat and it’s hard not to sit and consume the whole thing in one go! Whenever Mum and Dad head to the Chinese supermarket, they’ll always buy one. Pandan extract or juice is widely available in many Chinese supermarkets but you can make your own very easily.

• Preparation times: 20 minutes
• Cooking times: 40 minutes
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 5 eggs
• 7½ tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
• 100 ml (scant ½ cup) coconut milk
• 2½ tbsp ready-made pandan juice (or make your own)
• 110 g (generous ¾ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 1 heaped tbsp cornflour
• 1 tsp baking powder (baking soda)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp cream of tartar

Method

• Preheat the oven to 165°C (330°F).

• Separate the egg whites and yolks into two separate large, clean bowls. Beat the egg yolks with a balloon whisk and mix in 2½ tablespoons of sugar. Add the coconut milk and pandan juice and combine well. Sift in the plain flour, cornflour and baking powder in 3 equal batches, mixing well after each addition. Add the olive oil, mix well, then set aside.

• Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on a medium setting until tiny bubbles form. Add the cream of tartar and mix well. Add the remaining 5 tablespoons of sugar in 3 batches and beat well between each addition.

• Continue to beat on a medium speed until stiff peaks form.

• Fold one-third of the beaten egg whites into the egg yolk mixture, then lightly fold in the rest of the egg whites with a spatula or large metal spoon, until just combined. Do not overmix.

• Gently spoon the mixture into an un-greased bundt tin and bake in the preheated oven for 35–40 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 170°C (340°F) and continue to bake for 5–7 minutes. Check the cake is cooked all the way through by inserting a cocktail stick – if it comes out clean and the cake top bounces back after a light press, the cake is ready. If not, leave in for a further 5-7 minutes.

• Remove from the oven, carefully invert the cake onto a wire rack and leave in the tin to cool completely. This should prevent shrinkage. Once cooled, remove from the tin and serve.

To make your own pandan juice:

• Wash 65 g (2¼oz) pandan leaves thoroughly, dry with kitchen paper and chop into small pieces. Add to a blender with 8 tablespoons of water and blitz.

• Pour through a sieve lined with muslin into a bowl. Squeeze out the liquid and discard the solids.