Pandan Layer Cake

Coconut Pandan Cake

Oh dear, why pandan? 

Because it's green only found in greenest grass and it tastes like hazelnuts, sort of. It really is delicious.

Years back I made a pandan cake from a box. Today there was a request for the cake. I didn't remember that it was a box. I assumed I had made it before. I might have. Anyway, this time I've captured the recipe. 

The recipe makes a lot of cake

I like to bake cakes in jellyroll pans, mostly because it's quicker and it doesn't require me to split the layers. I can get 4 to 8 layers depending on whatever shape I want the resulting cake to be.This recipe is large enough you could split it between two jelly roll pans and get skinnier layers. Just watch the time in the oven!

This is a Chiffon cake not baked in a Chiffon pan. It has fat for flavor-unlike a regular sponge- and it has separately beaten egg whites which are folded in at the end of mixing for lightness. I use conventional white flour. Some people use cake flour but it's too fussy and I don't use it quickly enough to make it an economical choice. White flour works just fine. 

Isn't that a crazy tall cake? If you want to make it jelly roll style, either half the recipe or make two!



PANDAN LAYER CAKE

6 large eggs, separated

1.5 cups granulated sugar 
2.25 cups white flour

1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon pandan extract

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup coconut milk, canned

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar (optional)

You need three bowls. In one put the egg whites, the 2nd bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt, stir thoroughly. In the 3rd bowl combine 1 cup of sugar with  the egg yolks. Beat until light in color. Add the extract, oil and coconut milk. Beat with hand held mixer about 1 minute.

Clean your beaters. Beat the whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar. Beat until soft peaks form. Add the 1/2 cup of remaining sugar 2 tablespoons at a time. Beat until you have very stiff peaks. 

No white streaks

Add the flour to the yolk mixture. Combine well. Fold in 1/3 the egg whites. Once no streaks are seen add 1/3 again, being gentle. Add the remaining 1/3 and fold until you have a uniform color. Don't over do it. 

Into a 17x13 inch jelly roll pan, which has been sprayed with vegetable spray and lined with parchment, pour the batter. Pop it into a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. 

Run knife around the edges when it comes out of the oven and allow it to cool. If you are making a Jelly Roll style cake, remove the cake from the pan and roll into a clean dishtowel so it can cool in a curved shape. If you don't shape the cake before it cools, it may crack when you go to fill it. 

BOILED FROSTING

This is the frosting you've been looking for. 

.5 cup flour

14 ounces of milk (coconut milk, cow milk, soy milk)

1.5 cup granulated sugar

1.5 cup butter (other solid fat, margarine, shortening)

1 teaspoon vanilla

.25 teaspoon salt

1 cup of sweetened coconut 

In a sauce pan combine the flour and the milk. Whisk well. Cook until thick, stirring well. Cool thoroughly. 

In a mixer beat the sugar and butter until the sugar isn't grainy. Add the flour mixture, vanilla and salt. Whip until fluffy. This recipe can be vegan if you use non-animal milk and fat, like coconut milk and palm oil, or vegan margarine and shortening.

Spread frosting between layers, on sides and top. Press coconut into the surface of the cake. 

There you have it.