Recipe: Pandan Kaya Cake

I really enjoy eating Bengawan Solo’s Pandan Kaya Cake since I was a kid. Before I found my love for durian mousse cake, my family would always buy their Pandan Kaya Cake on my birthday.

 

In case it is your first time reading my blog, the oven in my house has retired for many years and we didn’t buy a new one since then. So I decided to try to make some cakes using steaming. After my first attempt on steamed cake (check out my sweet corn cake here), I decided to do a more challenging one, and that is the Pandan Layer Cake.

 

I always associate the word “kaya” with the jam that we spread on bread every morning. So when my friends told me what I was making was actually Pandan Kaya Cake, I gave them a confused look. Whatever it is, for this recipe, I use fresh pandan leaves to be blended with water. I like the idea of using fresh pandan juice as I felt pandan paste gives an artificial aftertaste.

 

Here is the recipe (adapted from Magic Steamed Cake by Alex Goh):

 

 

A

320g sponge mix flour

4 eggs

 

B

40g coconut milk

1tsp pandan leaves juice

few drops of green colouring

 

C

50g melted butter

 

Method

1. Whip A until light and fluffy. Add in B, mix until well blended.

2. Add in C, mix until well blended.

3. Pour it into greased and lined mould.

4. Steam for 35-40 minutes.

 

Tips

To prevent the filling from becoming thicken before finished pouring, you need to stir the filling constantly.

 

 

A

1 egg yolk

120g sugar (if you want it sweeter, go for 150g)

400g water

400g coconut milk

1 tbsp instant jelly powder

1 tsp agar agar powder

 

B

1/2 tbsp pandan juice

some green colouring

150g coconut milk

60g mung bean flour

 

Method

1. Slice sponge cake into 4 thin layers.

2. Cook A until boil. Add in premixed B, continue to cook until thicken.

3. Place one layer of the cake onto a cake mould.

4. Pour some filling into it and spread evenly.

5. Top with second layer of cake and repeat Step 3 and 4. Set aside and cool.

6. Keep it refrigerated for at least 2 hours. Unmould and serve it cool.

It was quite a messy process for me but I am sure experienced bakers will handle it better. I initially wanted to put some buttercream on top to decorate the cake but the buttercream recipe failed on me. If you like, you can cover the cake with dessicated coconut too.

Enjoy!