The word “nướng” means “grilled” or “roasted,” even though this sweet and chewy Pandan honeycomb cake is always steamed or baked. I like baking it because it develops a brown crust on the outside that really causes the bright-green, pandan-flavored inside to pop. But my grandma makes really cute steamed mini versions that are dyed all sorts of pastel colors.
The baking powder in the recipe creates air bubbles in the batter, and gives the cake a dramatic honeycomb texture that’s probably contributed to its current popularity. This cake can be a little tricky to make though the steps are very simple. Just make sure you follow the steps and don’t over-whip the eggs.
From Dac Biet © 2024 by Nini Nguyen. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
recipe 
yields
Serves 6-8
One 14-ounce can coconut milk
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons pandan extract or paste
6 large eggs
2½ cups tapioca starch
⅓ cup rice flour
1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder
2 tablespoons coconut oil
Ingredients
steps
- Preheat the oven to 350, and put a cake pan or bundt pan into the oven to make sure it gets really hot.
- In a small pot set over medium heat, combine the coconut milk, sugar, and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sugar and salt dissolve.
- Add in the pandan paste and the eggs. Break up the yolks without whisking them. Whipping too much air into the egg will cause the cake to collapse later.
- Sift the tapioca starch, rice flour, and baking powder right into the egg mixture and whisk carefully, being sure not to add any air into the cake. The batter will be lumpy.
- Set a strainer over a bowl, and pour the batter through the strainer. Use a spoon to work any clumps through the strainer.
- Add the coconut oil to the batter, and mix to combine. Pour the batter into the hot cake pan, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Once the cake is cooked, leave the cake inside of the oven and let it cool off slowly by opening the door. This prevents it from deflating too much. Let it cool and enjoy.
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Recipe adapted from
From Dac Biet © 2024 by Nini Nguyen. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. -
Contributing City
New Orleans
