Pandan Coconut Chiffon Cupcakes
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Ingredients
Pandan Chiffon
- 8 pandan leaves 6-8 in long
- 2 Tbsp water
- 3 large eggs separated
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 3/4 cup sugar divided
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup milk I used soy
Coconut Frosting
- 1 egg white
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup toasted shredded coconut optional
Instructions
- Prepare Pandan: Wash and blend the pandan leaves with 2 Tbsp water using a food processor or blender. Strain and discard the solids.
- Pandan Chiffon Cake: Using an electric whisk, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until it is foamy and increasing in volume. Then slowly add in 1/4 cup sugar and continue whisking for a few minutes until stiff, glossy peaks form.
- In another bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt).
- Preheat oven to 325ºF.
- In a third bowl, whisk the wet ingredients (egg yolks, 1/2 c sugar, oil, vanilla) until pale yellow. Mix in the pandan juice.
- Alternatively add in 1/3 of the flour mixture and 1/3 of milk to the wet ingredients, and continue adding the batches and whisking until well incorporated.
- Using a spatula, gently fold in the egg whites. This is what makes the cake light, so if in doubt, under mix. It's okay to have streaks of white and green.
- Spoon cake batter into a cupcake pan, ungreased. Bake for 20 minutes. Then increase oven temperature to 350ºF and continue baking for about another 5 min, or until cupcakes turn golden brown and toothpick comes out clean. Cool cupcakes on a cooling rack. Use a small spatula to help remove the cupcakes from the pan. The cakes will be green inside even if the outside is golden.
- Coconut Frosting: While the cake bakes, make the frosting. Combine the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar on the top half of a double boiler on low heat.
- Using an electric whisk, beat the egg mixture until it begins to thicken. Then add in vanilla extract and continue whisking on med-high till stiff peaks form. Remove from heat and stir in coconut. Let it cool to about room temperature before use.
- Once the cakes and frosting has cooled to room temperature, frost each cupcake and enjoy!
Notes
- Pandan can be found in many Asian grocery stores, and you can also use frozen pandan, thaw before use