Pandan Chiffon Cake
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 20 minutes plus 25 minutes decorating time
Cooking time: 45 minutes
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 80g/2.8oz. caster or superfine sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 100g/3.5oz caster or superfine sugar
- 70ml/2.5oz. oil
- 50ml/1.7floz fresh pandan juice made for 5 leaves (see note) OR 1 teaspoon pandan paste*
- 50ml/1.7floz coconut milk
- 150g/5.3oz. cake flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch salt
To decorate:
- 400ml/14.1floz. cream
- 2 tablespoons caster or superfine sugar
- a few drops coconut essence
- Small balls of pink, black and white gum paste
You will also need a 20cm/8inch chiffon cake tin (do not use a non stick tin)
Step 1 - First make the pandan juice if you are using fresh leaves. Use gloves (pandan leaves can make some people's skin itchy). Take the leaves and cut them into small pieces (about 1/2 a centimetre each). Place in a food processor or blend with 1/3 cup of water. Process until the leaves become a fine mulch you have bright green water. Strain in a sieve, discard the fibres and reserve for use on the same day.
Step 2 - Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Have a chiffon tin ready but do not grease or line it. Separate the eggs making sure that there is no yolk in the whites. Beat the whites in a large bowl with the cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Then slowly add in the 80g/2.8ozs. of caster sugar until you get stiff peaks.
Step 3 - Then in another bowl whisk the yolks and 100g/3.5ozs of caster sugar until pale. Whisk in the oil and combine, then add the pandan juice (or paste if using) and coconut milk. Sieve in the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Then add the yolk mixture into the whites and fold making sure that there are no streaks of colour and that the mixture is uniform in colour.
Step 4 - Pour the batter into the tin and gently tap it against the countertop to remove any large air bubbles. Bake for 45 minutes. Cool in the tin completely (I don't tip it upside down but others do but I find the cake is too delicate to do this).
Step 5 - Using a butter knife or a long, thin knife gently separate the cake from the tin making sure to get all of the sides. I usually let it sit overnight or for a few hours because when it is first cooked as it is very delicate.
Step 6 - To decorate cut out two circles of black gum paste and then use a small rolling pin to make the eyes larger and more oval shaped. Cut out one nose and two circles for the ears. Then cut out two small pink circles of gum paste for the blush. Allow to dry for about 30 minutes to stiffen. Fondant takes longer than gum paste and you can use it but just make these the day before so that they have enough time to harden as you want the ears to stick up in the cream.
Step 7 - Whip the cream with the 2 tablespoons of caster sugar and coconut essence until soft and spreadable. Gently spread the cream over the chiffon cake. It may pick up some crumbs but I do a light layer of cream and then a thicker layer. Then stick the eyes, ears and nose on the cake and voila! You have a panda cake!