Chiffon cake is a beloved treat in Asian cuisine, celebrated for its irresistibly soft and airy texture.
Pandan chiffon cake (or “Bánh Bông Lan Lá Dứa” in Vietnamese), infused with the natural fragrance of pandan leaves, is a classic in Southeast Asia, especially in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia (and yes, we Vietnamese love it too!).
In this recipe, I’ll show you two tasty versions: one that’s ultra-light, airy, and perfect for fans of classic Asian flavors, and another that’s richer and denser, catering to a Western palates.
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Chiffon Cake: Asia’s Fluffy Obsession
If you ever travel to Asia, particularly East or Southeast Asia, you’ll notice a distinct difference in the cakes here. Asian desserts often lean towards lighter flavors—less sugar, less fat, and a texture that’s incredibly soft and airy.
This is why Asian sponge cakes, like chiffon cake, Taiwanese castella cake, Japanese cotton cheesecake, Japanese soufflé pancakes, and Ogura cake, are renowned for their delicate lightness and cloud-like textures.
Even in the U.S., a trip to an Asian bakery unveils a shared passion for light, fluffy desserts. Whether it’s Chinese sponge cake, pandan sponge cake, or Bánh Bông Lan (Vietnamese sponge cake), you’ll find the same signature airy texture and delicate sweetness.
However, mastering these Asian-style sponge cakes takes a bit of skill. Unlike butter or pound cakes, they rely on the chiffon method, which involves whipping egg whites to a meringue and gently folding it into the batter. This technique is crucial for achieving that signature airy texture.
Chiffon cake, baked in a chiffon or angel food pan, is a prime example. The pan’s design plays a big role in helping the cake rise and hold its shape. While you can try using other pans, I highly recommend investing in a proper chiffon pan—it makes the process more reliable and your cake more likely to succeed!
How I Developed This Pandan Chiffon Cake Recipe
Pandan is often referred to as the “vanilla of Southeast Asia.” Vietnamese people also use pandan abundantly in many classic desserts like Chè (Vietnamese dessert soup), Bánh Kẹp Lá Dứa (pandan waffles), Bánh Bò Nướng (pandan honeycomb cake), and Bánh Da Lợn (steamed layer cake).
Pandan chiffon cake, however, is more popular in neighboring countries like Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia than in Vietnam (though it’s widely enjoyed within the Vietnamese diaspora). This cake is soft, ultra-fluffy, not too sweet, and brimming with aromatic pandan flavors.
For my recipe, I experimented with two versions:
- The Asian-style, which uses less flour and more liquid for a lighter, fluffier, cloud-like texture
- The Western-style, which is slightly richer and denser yet still soft and airy
I adore the first version, while my German boyfriend prefers the heartier one. As a Vietnamese, I’m perfectly happy eating the cake on its own, but my boyfriend loves pairing it with a dollop of whipped cream or a smear of butter for breakfast.
Ingredients
I highly recommend using a kitchen scale since chiffon cake can be quite finicky to make.
- Low-Gluten Wheat Flour: Low-gluten flour (such as cake flour or bao flour) is ideal for chiffon cake. If unavailable, you can substitute with all-purpose or self-raising flour, but be sure to omit the baking powder in my recipe if using self-raising flour.
- Cornstarch: This helps lower the gluten content further, giving your chiffon cake that extra fluffiness. Be sure to include it, especially if you’re using all-purpose or self-raising flour.
- Granulated Sugar or Caster Sugar: Used to create a stable meringue.
- Cream of Tartar: Stabilizes the tiny bubbles in the egg whites when making meringue. It can be substituted with lemon juice, lime juice, or white vinegar.
- Eggs: Use fresh, large eggs. Carefully separate the yolks and whites.
- Salt: A pinch of salt balances the overall flavor of the cake.
- Baking Powder: This is a bit of a cheat ingredient. Traditional chiffon cake relies entirely on the meringue for rising, but for the Western-style version (which uses more flour), a small amount of baking powder helps ensure a good rise. Skip this if using self-raising flour.
- Coconut Milk: Full-fat coconut is a perfect companion to pandan.
- Vegetable Oil: For pandan chiffon cake, I recommend using coconut oil.
- Pandan Leaves: Fresh or frozen pandan leaves (found at Asian markets) are highly recommended for authentic flavor. Artificial pandan extract alone tends to result in an unnatural neon green color.
- Pandan Extract: I still use a little pandan paste for a vibrant color. If using only the extract, add 1–2 drops of yellow food coloring or a pinch of turmeric powder to tone down the neon green hue.
Helpful Tips
- When combining the egg yolk mixture, a spatula works better than a whisk.
- Mastering the meringue and folding technique is crucial to the success of your chiffon cake.
- Ensure your bowl and whisk are completely dry and free of water or grease.
- Begin beating the egg whites at low speed to stabilize the bubbles, then gradually increase the speed.
- Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks—just firm enough to hold their shape. Avoid overbeating or underbeating.
- Fold the meringue gently into the egg yolk mixture to preserve the airiness and avoid deflating the batter.
Soft & Fluffy Pandan Chiffon Cake (with Real Pandan)
Equipment
- 1 chiffon cake pan (7-8 inches / 18-20 cm in diameter) (for the Western version, a round cake pan works well too)
- 1 kitchen scale
Ingredients
Egg Yolk Mixture (Western Version, soft & hearty):
- 4 egg yolks (room temperature)
- 35 g caster sugar
- 40 g coconut oil (or corn oil/cooking oil)
- 110 g coconut milk (full-fat)
- 80 g low-gluten flour (or all-purpose flour/self-raising flour) (skip baking powder if using self-raising flour)
- 30 g cornstarch
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 6 pandan leaves (green part only)
- ¼ tsp pandan extract (optional, or use pandan leaves only)
- ¼ tsp salt
Egg Yolk Mixture (Asian Version, ultra-soft & fluffy):
- 4 egg yolks (room temperature)
- 30 g caster sugar
- 35 g coconut oil (or corn oil/cooking oil)
- 50 g coconut milk (full-fat)
- 55 g low-gluten flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 5 g cornstarch
- 4 pandan leaves (green part only)
- ¼ tsp pandan extract (optional, or use pandan leaves only)
- ¼ tsp salt
Egg White mixture
- 4 egg whites (room temperature)
- 55 g caster sugar
- ½ tsp lime/lemon juice or white vinegar (or ¼ tsp cream of tartar)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C) about 20 minutes before baking.
- Blend the green parts of pandan leaves with coconut milk, then strain through a sieve to obtain pandan-infused coconut milk. Add more coconut milk if needed to reach the required amount.
- Mix the pandan-infused coconut milk with coconut oil. Sift in the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder (if using), then stir until well combined. Add the egg yolks and pandan extract (if using), mixing until the batter is smooth.
- Whisk the egg white:– In a clean, dry bowl, free of any grease, combine the egg whites with 1/3 of the sugar, salt, and cream of tartar (or vinegar/lemon juice).– Start beating the egg whites on low speed, gradually adding the remaining sugar in two parts.– Increase the mixer speed as the egg whites stabilize and continue beating until stiff peaks form. The egg whites should hold their shape and stand upright, even if the bowl is inverted. Avoid overbeating.
- Incorporate the Meringue into the Yolk Mixture:– Start by folding 1/3 of the meringue into the egg yolk mixture with a whisk until just combined.– Gently fold in half of the remaining meringue.– Finish by folding in the rest of the meringue, ensuring the mixture stays light and airy.
- Pour the batter into a chiffon cake pan from about 4 inches (10 cm) above to release large air bubbles. Tap the pan gently 2–3 times to remove any remaining air pockets.
- Bake:– Place the pan on the second-lowest oven rack and bake at 320°F (160°C) for 40 minutes.– If the top browns too quickly, cover it with aluminum foil and continue baking.
- Unmold:– Once done, invert the pan and let the cake cool completely upside down to preserve its airy texture.– Carefully remove the cooled cake from the pan.
- Enjoy your chiffon cake plain or serve with whipped cream and fresh fruit!
