Through my Facebook fan page, lots of followers let me know they like to have a recipe for a tasty pandan sponge cake. The fact that this chiffon cake collapses once out of the oven, seems to be the biggest problem.
I have made my sponge cake several times now with this recipe and each time it is beautifully raised and did not collapse. Happy to share it with you now.
The secret:
– Mix the egg white and egg yolk carefully
– Cool the cake in the tin upside down
– Always mix egg whites in a grease-free metal dish and whisk them with super clean whisks
This recipe is for a basic pandan sponge cake. You can, for example,add marshmallow meringue or a nice layer of whipped cream on top. But only with some raspberry jam, it is delicious too.
Let’s get started.
Watch the video about how to make this fluffy cake below or read on for the recipe in text and pictures.
This cake is ready in 1,5 hours and I can cut 15 slices out of it.
Ingredients
- 4x egg whites
- 4x egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon pandan extract
- 120 grams of white caster sugar
- 120 grams of flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- icing sugar
- parchment paper
- round baking tinØ 23 centimeters
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees.
Mix the 4 egg yolks on the highest setting until it foams well and is lighter in color. Mix pandanextract in (about 1 teaspoon).
In this picture, the meringue is done and forms stiff peaks
Mix egg whites (with clean whisks) on half setting until it forms weak peaks. Spoon the sugar into the mix spoon by spoon. Mix every spoon of sugar until completely disappeared on the highest speed setting. You are now making a meringue. Mix until the egg whites form peaks that stay upright when taking the whisks out.
Spoon (or fold) the egg yolk slowly through the egg white with a spatula (do not use a mixer anymore).
Mix flour, salt, and baking powder. Spoon the flour mix through the batter by sieving a small amount each time.
Baking mold
A pandan cake is often made in a smooth (chiffon) shape. There are no grooves in it. When you use a chiffon rub the bottom with some butter (not too much) or cover with baking paper. Do not butter the middle part or sides.
But I like a turbanmold because it looks so beautiful. I have a turban shape with non-stick coating (teflon). I have tried to bake in two different ways with this form:
- without parchment paper
- with parchment paper
Without baking paper works well. I grease the mold with a little butter, especially the grooves at the bottom. Otherwise, it will be difficult to take the cake out of the mold. Again I do not grease the middle part. This is important!
With baking paper, it is sure you can take the cake out easily. The folds in the paper, however, show in the end result (the cake does not turn brown, but stays green at the folds). Folding neatly is therefore important.
Cover the turban with baking paper by cutting a hole in the middle, then crumble it, unfold and place it in neatly. Have you ever sewn a pleated skirt? I try to make neat folds in the paper like I used to make skirts ;-).
30 minutes at 160 degrees
I spoon the batter into the mold and go through the batter with the spatula criss-cross to get the big bubbles out. Now I place it in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes at 160 degrees Celsius.
As with ordinary cakes, I test with a skewer if it is done or not. If nothing sticks to it, take it out immediately.
Upside down
Once out of the oven, the cake has to cool upside down; an essential part of a successful sponge cake. If you do don’t, the chance that it will collapse during cooling is big.
I place my turban on a reversed small bowl. Coincidentally, the middle piece of the cake mold fits perfectly in the foot of my bowl.
I let the cake cool for half an hour.
Take it out
I cut the cake with a butter knife from the middle part of the mold. I lift the cake out easily because I use parchment paper. Then I carefully take the paper off.
If you do not use parchment paper, use a knife to go down each groove, from top to bottom. Then turn around and gently shake and your cake will pop out.
A sponge cake is always cut loose of the tin somewhere, which is why these types of cakes are often decorated, with icing sugar for example or with even more extensive toppings.
Oh yeah. This cake is so airy, bouncy and tastes like a cloud. Not only because of the egg whites but also because no butter is used.
We eat it very simple today with some icing sugar, but for a party, this can be the base of a bigger cake. Add marshmallow meringue on top and push it under the grill to give it a great color.
I’ve made two turban cakes and topped with marshmallow fluff for my daughter’s birthday.
Also delicious with whipped cream and fresh fruit (banana, raspberries, cherries). Sounds like a great birthday cake or a festive dessert.
