Pandan Custard Cake

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A soft creamy custard pandan cake that will melt in your mouth with crispy edges. This easy and simple pandan custard cake is made with minimal ingredients. A delicious dessert for all the pandan-lovers! I also share how to make this dairy-free.

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Ingredients & Substitutes
Expert Tips
Instructions
Storage
Pairing Suggestions
FAQ
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This pandan custard cake features a delicious custard-like interior with a slightly crispy exterior packed with sweet pandan flavor!

It's such an incredible dessert if you love fragrant pandan flavors. If you're not familiar with how pandan tastes like, it has a floral grass-like vanilla taste and scent.

Pandan is a green leaf commonly used in South-East Asia, like in Malaysia or Indonesia, to flavor desserts and dishes. You can easily turn the leaf into an extract by pulverizing it with water.

This cake was inspired by my Kuih Seri Muka, which a pandan cake with a rice layer. The pandan layer was so good that I decided the pandan layer needed to be a cake on its own. That's how this recipe was born!

The best part about this cake recipe is that it's made with simple pantry ingredients and the cooking process is easy!

Ingredients & Substitutes

Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.

Large Eggs: I don't recommend substituting with vegan eggs for this recipe.
White Granulated Sugar
Cold Water: to make the pandan extract.
Pandan Leaves: these are long green leaves sold at select South-East Asian grocery stores either fresh or in the frozen section. I don't recommend substituting with store-bought pandan extract, concentrate or powder because it'll be too overpowering and won't taste the same.
Unsalted Butter: or substitute with melted vegan butter for if you're dairy-free.
All-purpose flour: a general use white wheat flour. I don't recommend substituting with a gluten-free flour.
Milk: or substitute with plain oat milk, almond milk, macadamia nut milk, light or lite coconut milk (not whole fat) for a dairy-free version.
Icing Sugar (aka confectioner's sugar or powdered sugar): to serve with the cake.

Expert Tips

Use a fine sieve to remove any pulp from the pandan liquid so there are no leafy pieces in the extract.
An electric hand mixer or a stand mixer will be helpful in preparing the cake.
Avoid over mixing after the flour is added to the egg yolk batter or it can cause a denser cake.
Beat the egg whites until you have stiff peaks for a more fluffier cake.
Wait for the cake to cool down before slicing.

Instructions

Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make pandan custard cake:

Preheat the oven to 325F/160C. Grease a 8" x 8" square cake pan. Then in a blender or food processor, add chopped pandan leaves with ¼ cup or 60 ml cold water. Blend on high until smooth. Run the pandan liquid through a fine sieve to remove the pulp to discard. Reserve this pandan extract for later.

Preheat the oven to 325F/160C. Grease a 8" x 8" square cake pan. Then in a blender or food processor, add chopped pandan leaves with ¼ cup or 60 ml cold water. Blend on high until smooth. Run the pandan liquid through a fine sieve to remove the pulp to discard. Reserve this pandan extract for later.

In a large mixing bowl, add egg yolks and white granulated sugar. Beat everything together until it turns pale yellow.

In a large mixing bowl, add egg yolks and white granulated sugar. Beat everything together until it turns pale yellow.

Then add the melted butter and mix until combined.

Then add the melted butter and mix until combined.

Next add all-purpose flour and only mix until just combined. Do not over mix.

Next add all-purpose flour and only mix until just combined. Do not over mix.

Whisk together the milk and pandan extract. Microwave for 60 seconds or heat in a small saucepan until lukewarm.

Whisk together the milk and pandan extract. Microwave for 60 seconds or heat in a small saucepan until lukewarm.

Gradually add the warm pandan milk to the egg mixture (about ¼ cup or 60 ml at a time). Mix until combined.

Gradually add the warm pandan milk to the egg mixture (about ¼ cup or 60 ml at a time). Mix until combined.

Now beat the egg whites with a whisk or electric hand mixer until you have stiff peaks. To know if they're stiff, dip the whisk or beater into the egg whites and when you raise it, there should be a a stiff tail that doesn't wiggle too much.

Now beat the egg whites with a whisk or electric hand mixer until you have stiff peaks. To know if they're stiff, dip the whisk or beater into the egg whites and when you raise it, there should be a a stiff tail that doesn't wiggle too much.

With a spatula, gently fold ⅓ of the egg whites into the batter at a time until incorporated. The batter will be very runny and lumpy, which is normal.

With a spatula, gently fold ⅓ of the egg whites into the batter at a time until incorporated. The batter will be very runny and lumpy, which is normal.

Prepare to Bake

Pour the cake batter into the square cake pan.

Pour the cake batter into the square cake pan.

Bake the cake on the middle rack for 60-65 minutes. At the 30 minutes, cover loosely with aluminum foil. The cake will be cooked when an inserted toothpick comes out clean. If not, cover and bake for another 10 minutes. Once baked, remove from the oven and leave the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife along the edges of the cake and transfer to a wire rack to cool down. Slice and sprinkle icing sugar over top to enjoy!

Bake the cake on the middle rack for 60-65 minutes. At the 30 minutes, cover loosely with aluminum foil. The cake will be cooked when an inserted toothpick comes out clean. If not, cover and bake for another 10 minutes. Once baked, remove from the oven and leave the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife along the edges of the cake and transfer to a wire rack to cool down. Slice and sprinkle icing sugar over top to enjoy!

Storage

Leftover cake will last up to 6 days stored in airtight container in the fridge or up to 4 days at room temperature. Reheating is not required unless you prefer to enjoy this warm, where you can microwave each slice for 30-45 seconds.
Freezer-friendly? I don't recommend freezing this custard cake as the freezer will change the texture of it.

Pairing Suggestions

This cake serves well with:

coffee, tea or milk like Brown Sugar Pandan Jelly Milk
whipped cream
fresh fruits like berries
Pandan Pancakes, Crepes or French Toast
Rose Pandan Coconut Sago or Vegan Pandan Coconut Jelly
cakes, like Hawaiian Butter Mochi, pastries or cookies

FAQ

Can I make this in advance?

Pandan custard cake can be made up to 4 days in advance for best taste and stored into an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge.

Can I air fry this cake?

I don't recommend air frying this cake recipe.

Is this cake gluten-free?

Unfortunately, this cake is not gluten-free.

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