Pandan Chiffon Cake (Updated)

This is a slightly updated recipe for one of my most requested cakes, the pandan chiffon cake. It’s aromatic and soft with a subtly sweet cream.

It’s one of the few cakes that my parents enjoy, making one that I will always keep in rotation.

Check here for my original pandan chiffon cake recipe.

Notes:

• Pans – line the pans with parchment, but do not grease the pan. Chiffon cakes rise by “climbing” the walls of the pans.
• Cream of tartar in the meringue is optional. Cream of tartar helps stabilizes the egg whites, but I do not find it necessary in the chiffon cakes. This can be added if you like, but the cake will still come together without it.
• Pandan – use fresh or frozen pandan leaves for the authentic flavors. I have friends and family with persnickety palates and they will call me out for using flavoring only. Check your local Asian markets. If they don’t have fresh pandan leaves, check the freezer section. Frozen pandan leaves are available for fairly cheap. I typically take out a few leaves and keep the rest frozen. If you can’t find either, omit the leaves and use regular whole milk and increase the amount of pandan paste in the batter to ½ teaspoon.

Pandan Chiffon Cake

6 large eggs
¾ (150 g) cup sugar, divide
1 ¼ + 1 tablespoon (~300 ml) whole milk
8 pandan leaves (fresh or frozen)
1/3 cup (78 ml) vegetable or canola oil
¼ teaspoon pandan paste
2 cups (226 g) cake flour
1 tablespoon (15 g) baking powder
½ teaspoon (3 g) salt
½ tsp (2 g) cream of tartar – Optional

Pandan Whipped Cream:
4 cups (946ml) heavy whipping cream
½ – 1 cup confectioners’ sugar (adjust to taste)
½ teaspoon pandan paste

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Line three 9-inch round cake pans with parchment. Do not grease. Set aside.
2. Puree or blend 8 pandan leaves with 1/2 cup of water (plus a tablespoon). Strain juice through fine sieve. Add more milk if needed. Make sure you have at least 1 ¼ cup. Note that the milk will be frothy. Let it sit for a few minutes before adding milk, if needed.
3. Separate the eggs, putting egg whites directly into a mixer bowl. For the meringue, use the whisk attachment or a hand whisk beat egg whites until frothy. Add ¼ cup of sugar and cream of tartar (if using) and whisk until it is glossy and at stiff peak stage. This could take several minutes. If you are using a stand mixer you can start to mix the batter while the meringue is going.
4. For the batter, whisk together the egg yolks, ½ cup sugar, pandan milk and oil. Sift cake flour, salt and baking powder into mixture and whisk until smooth.
5. Fold in a little bit of the meringue until well combined, then gently fold in the rest of the meringue. Try not to overwork.
6. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 20-22 minutes. When you remove pans from oven, run a knife or spatula around the edge of the pan. Allow the cake to cool in pan for 5 minutes before turning onto a cooling rack. Let cool completely before frosting.
7. To make the pandan whipped cream, whip the heavy whipping cream with confectioners’ sugar and pandan paste until you get stiff peak.
8. Assemble the cake. Enjoy!