Winter has officially hit Sydney’s shores, and I’m loving it. I have always been besotted with winters on the coast. Beautiful sunrises and sunsets, empty beaches, good snorkelling, snakes are in hiding and a lack of the Horrific Aussie Summer Discomfort™. Plus, it’s dolphin and whale season! I saw some dolphins today, playing in the surf. It was mesmerising.
this morning’s sunrise // last year’s winter wonderland, cronulla (dharawal land)
However, today I bring you something completely un-wintry. Pandan cake. If you’ve ever tried pandan, you’ll be with me on the notion that the flavour is hard to describe. It’s been dubbed the “vanilla of the East”, but I don’t think that quite nails it. It tastes almost like custard, but not? The leaves are so flavourful, they’re used to serve a plethora of both sweet and savoury dishes throughout South-East Asia.
Like here, in Thailand, where my family lives! Blake took these photos on our trip there last Christmas. It was the most amazing trip, because A) it’s Thailand, but also, I hadn’t seen my family in 2 1/2 years, due to, ya know what.
My whole family, minus one sister and plus one boyfriend!
Anyways, it’s just delicious. You mightn’t find fresh pandan leaves where you live (unless of course you live in a tropical paradise), and I certainly didn’t, but I did find pandan leaf extract, which captures that taste perfectly anyways, and creates that lovely green colour.
Green monster! Serve with this Thai feast like I did (Look at that vegan fish!! Credit to Lamyong for that!), or as is for afternoon tea.
ingredients.
for the coconut filling -
1 400g can coconut cream, refrigerated overnight (sorry if you were wanting to make it today)
1 tbsp sugar, if desired
for the cake -
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tbsp corn flour
3 tbsp custard powder (ensure vegan)
1/4 tsp bicarb soda
1 tbsp baking powder
pinch salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup neutral oil, ie vegetable
2 tbsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp pandan leaf extract
1 tsp green food colouring (trust me, the cafes all do this)
1 cup coconut milk (don’t go light on this one, we want full fat, as it should be!!)
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp white vinegar (apple cider ok too)
how to.
Heat oven on “fan” setting to 170c.
Have two bowls ready. In bowl 1, mix dry ingredients, including sugar. In bowl 2, mix all wet ingredients.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix gently, until just combined. Don’t worry about clumps here and there.
Line a square baking tin with baking paper and spray with some oil. Tip half of the batter in, and bake for 20 mins, or until a fork comes out clean. Once cooled, carefully remove cake onto a plate, and do the same with the next half of the batter.
While the cake is baking, use a blender to whip the coconut cream and sugar until it resembles whipped cream. Do not refrigerate or it will harden again!
Once the other half is cooled, line one cake with a thick layer of coconut cream, and put the second cake on top! Serve as is!
oh, that cake is as gorgeous as the photos of thailand!
I haven't had pandan extract in my cupboard in years - I will have to remedy that the next time I'm in a city with an asian grocer ! I appreciate the aromatic nudge...
Arielle I have the best news ever for you...I kept my promise and found cans of pandan juice for you! Will email you with details 😉.