The smaller, lighter syrup is made using Method 2 (pandan leaves) and the darker, vegetal green one using Method 1 ( pandan juice/ extract.) Homemade pandan essence (or extract) has a naturally green color and can also be used as food colouring – without any nasty chemicals. Its main use, however, is as a sweet flavouring for desserts. What are pandan leaves?

The two main flavours in this chiffon cake are pandan and coconut. These flavours work perfectly together, as the subtle milky coconut makes pandan taste sweeter and more floral.When storing cupcakes with coconut vanilla frosting, allow the frosting to firm up a bit by leaving the cupcakes uncovered at room temperature for about an hour. Use vanilla extract: the vanilla flavour and alcohol in the extract should help neutralise the eggy flavour Pandan leaves are typically available fresh, frozen, or dried. Pandan fruit can often be found fresh or preserved too. You may also be able to find pandan powder or extract, which can come in handy for cooking. Store them at room temperature for up to three days. Avoid refrigerating them, as this can dry out the cake. Do not open the oven door – No matter how tempted you might be, DO NOT open the oven door once the cake is in. The hot air and steam make sure it rises well. Letting cold air into the oven can make the pandan cake deflate.

Use real pandan - For the most fragrant pandan cake, using real pandan leaves is a must. Although they can only be found in Asian supermarkets, it’s so worth getting them. Artificial pandan doesn’t even come close to the flavour of real pandan. Sift the flour – This is the best way to avoid getting lumps in the batter. Sift the flour and baking powder to get a smooth batter. In Southeast Asia, pandan extract is used in a variety of desserts and drinks to give it its signature taste. The extract is often used in place of vanilla extract, especially for cream-based desserts. What Does Pandan Taste Like? Does Pandan Taste Good?

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After allowing the extract to settle overnight, you’ll be left two layers of liquid – pandan water on top and concentrated pandan extract on the bottom. You can discard the pandan water to get to the extract, or use the pandan water to lightly flavour another dish. See the image below for reference. Place a square piece of cheesecloth (or paper towel) over a bowl and spoon in your pandan leaf mixture. Wrap up and twist to hold it together with one hand. Using your free hand, grab the bundled pandan and squeeze out the juice. You may need to do this a few times to get out as much as possible.

Strawberry: replace the milk with strawberry juice, or add a few tablespoon of freeze-dried strawberry powder Chinese and Japanese shops are less likely to have fresh leaves, although they might have artificial pandan extract. Commercially made, it can taste chemical and contain preservatives. Seeing how easy it is to make, I recommend preparing the real deal instead. Pandan leaves have similar aromas to vanilla, rose, coconut, and sometimes even almonds. In addition, the flavor compounds in pandan are similar to that of fragrant basmati rice, and in certain communities pandan is cooked along with plain rice to emulate the flavors of the more expensive basmati. Pandan blends seamlessly with the flavors of glutinous rice, coconut milk, and coconut palm sugar — this traditional combination of ingredients is often found even in modern takes on traditional desserts across the region.

Before starting this pandan cake recipe, you need to prepare the pandan juice or extract. I recommend following my detailed recipe on How to make pandan extract from scratch. If using store-bought extract, skip this step.