Makes one 20-cm square cake

Ingredients

• Self-raising flour 160 g
• Salt a pinch
• Egg yolks 6, medium, at room temperature
• Corn oil 90 ml
• Pandan paste 1 tsp
• Pandan juice 1 Tbsp (see Note)
• Coconut milk 2 Tbsp
• Fresh milk 2 Tbsp
• Castor sugar 80 g + 80 g
• Egg whites 6, medium, at room temperature
• Cream of tartar 1 tsp
• Icing sugar (optional) for dusting

Method:

• Preheat oven to 170°C. Line and grease a 20-cm square cake pan.
• Sift flour and salt together 3 times.
  
• Using an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream egg yolks, corn oil, pandan paste, pandan juice, coconut milk, milk, flour and 80 g sugar at medium speed for 2 minutes.
  
• Using a grease-free mixing bowl and with a whisk attachment, whip egg whites with cream of tartar for 1 minute. Gradually add in remaining sugar and beat for another 2 minutes or until stiff peaks form.
• Using a metal spatula, fold one-third of egg white meringue into egg yolk mixture. Mix well. Fold in rest of egg white meringue gently but quickly.
• Pour batter into prepared cake pan. Bake for 40–45 minutes or until top of cake is brown and a skewer inserted into the centre of cake comes out clean.
• Remove cake from oven and unmould from pan. Leave cake inverted on a wire rack to cool.
• Cake can be served warm, dusted with icing sugar.

Note:

To obtain pandan juice, blend 3–4 pandan leaves with 1 Tbsp water and strain the juice.

When folding the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture, use a few quick strokes so as not to deflate the egg whites too much. The egg whites give the cake its light texture.

Oven temperatures will vary depending on the size, type and brand of the oven, so the baking times given here need to be adjusted according to how your oven works. To test if a cake is done, insert a skewer into the centre of the cake. If the skewer comes out clean, the cake should be done.

Contributor details

Source: Published by Marshall Cavendish, AllanBakes: Really Good Cakes retails for ($32 before GST) and is available at all major bookstores.