Pandan Cake - Easiest Pandan Flavored Pound Cake

This pandan cake is probably the easiest and the simplest of all other types of pandan cakes. It does not require fresh pandan leaves, and you can whip it up anytime you want within a short period of time.

Baked in a loaf pan, this pound cake does not require any frosting and is perfect to be eaten on its own with a cup of tea or coffee.

What is Pandan?

Pandan (also known as screwpine leaves) is a green plant that is commonly found in the Southeast Asian region. It consists of long, blade-like leaves and is often used for its aroma. It is never eaten on its own and at most, the leaves will be blended with water or other liquid and the pulp is then drained out to make pandan extract. This extract is often used to enhance the taste and for its natural green food color. In most recipes, however, pandan leaves are simply knotted and added into dishes while cooking and often removed and discarded after cooking.

Since pandan leaves are not readily available in most countries, the leaves can be substituted with pandan essence and pandan extract in concentrate form that can be found in baking supply stores or in Asian food stores. This pandan cake recipe is made using pandan essense and pandan extract, so if you cannot find fresh pandan leaves and wish to make a pandan cake, this recipe will be perfect for you.

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How to Make

Ingredients

• Butter
• Granulated sugar
• Self raising flour + salt + baking powder
• Eggs
• Milk
• Pandan essence
• Pandan extract (concentrated paste)

Mixing the cake batter

1. Measure the sugar and butter into a medium sized bowl.
2. Cream both until light and fluffy. This should take approximately 2 minutes on medium to high speed. Scrape the sides of the bowl at about one minute interval.
3. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Each time, beat until all the traces of the egg are no longer visible.
4. Scrape the sides of the bowl after all the eggs have been added and beat again to ensure the ingredients are well creamed.

1. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Fold these dry ingredients into the creamed mixture in 3 batches.
2. Alternate each batch of flour with milk, starting and end with flour.
3. Finally, add the pandan essence and pandan extract. Mix until well combined.
4. Pour the pandan cake batter into a well greased and floured loaf cake tin. Level the top.

Bake the cake at 170 degrees Celsius for 40 minutes. Test the cake for doneness by inserting a skewer in the center of the cake. If there is wet batter sticking to the skewer, let the cake bake for another 5 minutes.

Once baked, remove the cake from the oven. Let it stand in the tin for 2 minutes before turning the cake over onto a wire rack. Let the cake cool completely before serving.

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Notes

Can you make this cake with fresh pandan leaves?

• Yes, you can. Make your own pandan extract by cutting 5 long pandan leaves into small sections (about 4 to 5cm long) and blend them with the milk.
• Strain the milk and add the pandan flavored milk alternately with the sifted dry ingredients as mentioned in the recipe. If you want a more prominent green color to your cake, add some green food coloring to your cake batter.

Can you bake this cake as a birthday cake?

• This recipe makes a pandan loaf cake measuring 8 inches by 4 inches. You can also bake this cake in a round tin and turn it into a delicious pandan birthday cake. Simply double the recipe provided in the recipe card below and bake it in 2 separate 7 inches round cake tins.
• Once baked, sandwich the layers with buttercream and decorate it as you wish for a birthday cake.

Tips to ensure a moist cake texture

• This recipe makes a wonderfully moist pandan loaf cake. It is however, possible for your cake to turn out dry if you overbake it. To ensure your cake remains moist, keep to the baking time. Check for doneness at least 5 minutes before the baking time is up. To test for doneness poke a long skewer in the center of the cake. If there is no wet batter sticking to it, the cake is done and can be removed from the oven.
• When cooling the cake, keep it covered with a kitchen towel. That will prevent it from becoming dry too.
• And when the cake has cooled down to a warm temperature, wrap it in cling wrap and refrigerate it. Wrapping and refridgerating it while it is still warm will ensure the moisture in the cake remains inside and that keeps the cake moist.

Can you make this cake with coconut milk?

• Yes, you certainly can. If you want to use coconut milk instead of regular milk, simply substitute the milk in the exact same quantity and add it to the cake batter in a same way as well.

How long does this cake last?

• This moist pandan loaf cake lasts well, at least for 4 to 5 days, provided it does not come into contact into any moisture. If you wish to keep it longer (for up to 1 week), keep it covered in the refrigerator.

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Like this recipe? Here are my other posts you might want to check out

• Cream Cheese Candy - Easy Homemade Mints
• Banana Pound Cake
• Old Fashioned Lemon Pound Cake
• Super Moist Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake (the Best Ever!)
• Pandan Cheesecake - Perfectly Baked and the Creamiest Ever!
• Pandan Milk Tea - Easy Homemade Bubble Tea Recipe
• Blueberry Cake Loaf with Lemon Glaze Icing
• Pandan Milk - Flavorful and Easy
• Old School Butter Pound Cake
• Pandan Syrup - How to Make
• Pandan Cookies with Coconut and Gula Melaka - An Easy Recipe

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Recipe (Printable)

Here is the full printable version of my pandan cake recipe.

And that's my super easy and super moist pandan cake recipe for you!

Enjoy!