Servings: 4 people
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)
- 30 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)
- 10 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)
- 60 g caster sugar
- ½ tsp lime/lemon juice or white vinegar (or ¼ tsp cream of tartar)
Instructions
- Prep & Pandan Mixture- Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C) about 20 minutes before baking.- Blend the green part of pandan leaves with coconut milk, then strain to get pandan-infused coconut milk. Add more coconut milk if needed to reach the required amount.
- Make the Egg Yolk Batter- In a large bowl, mix the pandan-infused coconut milk with coconut oil.- Sift in cake flour, cornstarch, and baking powder (if using). Stir until smooth.- Add egg yolks and pandan extract (if using). Mix until well combined and silky.
- Whip the Meringue- In a clean, grease-free bowl, add egg whites, salt, cream of tartar (or vinegar/lemon juice), and 1/3 of the sugar.- Beat on low speed to build bubbles, then slowly increase speed. Add the rest of the sugar in two parts.- Beat until you get firm peaks—smooth, glossy, and standing tall with a slight curl at the tip. Avoid overbeating, or the meringue will turn dry and clumpy.
- Fold the Meringue- Gently fold 1/3 of the meringue into the yolk batter with a whisk or spatula until just combined.- Fold in the next third, then the last third. Be gentle—keep the batter light and airy.
- Bake- Pour the batter into an ungreased chiffon pan from about 4 inches (10 cm) high to pop big air bubbles.- Tap the pan gently 2–3 times on the counter.- Bake on the second-lowest rack at 320°F (160°C) for about 40 minutes.- If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover with foil and keep baking.
- Cool & Serve- Invert the cake pan immediately after baking and let it cool completely upside down.- Once fully cooled, run a knife around the edges and carefully remove the cake.- Enjoy as-is or serve with whipped cream and fresh fruit.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!