serves
10
prep
15 minutes
cook
35 minutes
difficulty
Easy
serves
10
people
preparation
15
minutes
cooking
35
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
Ingredients
- 250 ml (1 cup) coconut milk
- 150 g (⅔ cup) caster sugar
- ½ tsp pandan aroma pasta (found at Asian grocers)
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 5 large eggs
- 160 g tapioca flour (see note)
- 10 g rice flour
- 2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Instructions
- Grease a round 20 cm (not non-stick) cake tin with vegetable oil. Place in the oven to preheat at 200°C (180°C fan-forced).
- Combine the coconut milk, sugar, pandan and salt in a small heatproof bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute. Add the vegetable oil and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Crack the eggs into a large bowl. Press the tip of a whisk into the yolks to burst them, then sift in the tapioca and rice flours, cream of tartar and bicarbonate of soda. Whisk until just smooth, then add the coconut milk mixture and whisk again to combine. Pass the batter through a sieve to press out any lumps, making sure to scrape the bottom of the sieve to includeall the mixture. Whisk once again then pour into the heated cake tin. Drop the cake tin onto a work surface from a 5 cm height, several times, to be rid of bubbles.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until the surface of the cake springs back easily when gently pressed. Immediately invert the cake tin onto a wire cooling rack. When completely cooled, run a paring knife around the edge of the tin to release the cake, then, using your fingers, gently and gradually tease the bottom of the cake away from the tin. This will feel wrong but persist – the texture of this particular cake tolerates the manhandling! Sometimes the cake will unmould itself. In this instance, immediately flip it so it's right side up again – otherwise you'll squish all those beautiful tunnels.
Notes
• This cake stores beautifully at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days, but I doubt it'll last that long!
• I find Asian brands work best.
Images and recipes from 'What I Cook When Nobody's Watching by Poh Ling Yeow, published by Plum (RRP $44.99). Photography by Henry Trumble.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
