There are some recipes that don’t need reinventing, just understanding. And, this Classic Pandan Chiffon Cake is one of them.

Soft, light and delicately fragrant, this is the cake many of us in Singapore grew up with. It sits quietly in bakery shelves, often overlooked next to trendier desserts, but once you get it right… you realise why it has never gone out of style.

My version isn’t about making it fancier. It’s about making sure it works, every single time.

The Beauty of Pandan Chiffon

A good pandan chiffon should be:

  • Light, airy and gently springy
  • Evenly green (not overly artificial)
  • Fragrant, but not overpowering
  • Soft enough to tear with your hands

And most important, it should hold its height after cooling.

Why Share a Pandan Chiffon Recipe?

In this day and age, there are already many Pandan Chiffon recipes out there. However, I do find chiffon cakes to be deceptively tricky especially for newcomers or beginners

If you’ve ever had:

  • A cake that rises beautifully, then collapses within minutes
  • A dense, slightly rubbery crumb
  • A batter that just didn’t feel right

You’re not alone. Most recipes tell you what to do, but not:

  • What your meringue should actually look like
  • How your batter should look and feel at the different stages
  • Why your cake shrinks after baking

This recipe focuses on these details, so that you’re not just following steps but also learning how chiffon works. Furthermore, I am using ingredients you can easily find in supermarkets, with equipment you likely already have at home.

Ultimately, I design this Classic Pandan Chiffon Cake Recipe to be one that you can come back again and again, whether for home baking or gifting.

Common Mistakes & Troubleshooting

  • Over or underwhipped meringue
    Too soft, the cake collapses. Conversely, too stiff and it’s difficult to fold and dense. What you want to do is to aim for stiff peaks that still look smoth and slightly glossy.
  • Overfolding the batter
    This knicks out air and gives you a dense cake. Stop once the batter is uniform, don’t chase perfection/
  • Removing the cake too early
    Chiffon cakes need time to cool upside down to maintain structure. Invert immediately and let it cool completely before unmoulding.

I hope the above tips, accompanying my recipe video would be helpful for you to master the Classic Pandan Chiffon. Without further ado, the recipe!

Classic Pandan Chiffon Cake Recipe
by Javier Tan April-13-2026

Some classic recpes like this Pandan Chiffon Cake doesn’t need re-inveting. Instead, it’s about re-creating a go to recipe again and again!

Ingredients (Pandan Chiffon Cake)

  • 6 Eggs, separated into white and yolk (I am using eggs that weigh 60g)
  • (For main batter) 3 Tbsp or 40g of White Sugar
  • (For meringue) 3 Tbsp or 40g of White Sugar
  • 1/3 Cup or 80ml Coconut Milk, fresh if possible
  • Approx 3 Tbsp or 40ml Pandan juice (Blend 60ml water + 8 – 10 leaves)
    Note: Alternatively, blend 80ml coconut milk, 40ml water and 10 pandan leaves and strain
  • 2 Tbsp + 2 Tsp or 40ml of Vegetable Oil
  • (Optional) 1/2 Tsp or 2.5ml Pandan Extract
  • 1 Cup or 120g of Plain Flour
  • 3/4 Tsp or 3g of Baking Powder

Instructions

  1. Whisk 6 egg yolks with 40g sugar for a couple of minutes. Then, add in the coconut milk, pandan juice, vegetable and the optional pandan extract (Note: Also possible to just blend pandan leaves with coconut milk, water and strain).
  2. Next, whisk in the plain flour and baking powder.
  3. Once done, whip the egg whites till stiff peaks, adding in 20g sugar at two stages, foamy and soft peaks (total 40g).
  4. Then, whisk in 1/3 of the egg whites to the cake batter and fold in th remaining 2/3 in two halves.
  5. Pour in the pandan chiffon batter, do not line or grease your chiffon tube pan (I am using 9 inch).
  6. Bake 170C for 52 – 55 until nicely golden brown, do adjust accordingly to the size of the pan! Do not open the oven door before it’s done.
  7. Leave upside down immediately to cool, approx an hour before unmoulding gently.
  8. Serve and enjoy! It tends to taste better from the day after!

Details

  • Prep time: 30 mins
  • Cook time: 1 hour
  • Total time: 1 hour 30 mins
  • Yield: 1 x Fragrant Classic Pandan Chiffon Cake

Notes:

  1. If you would like to be updated for more recipes which I strive to create to perfection for sharing and for free, do check out my Instagram, Facebook Page, or YouTube 🙂 Thank you so much for all of your support! Feel free to tag me or link back here!
  2. Serve fresh at room temperature (on the day itself and up to 5 days) or in a fridge (up to a week). If refrigerated, do remove it 20 – 30 mins prior to serving. You can also consider microwaving it for a short blast for warmer gula melaka swirls.
  3. Please do not copy and paste the recipe without my permission, but feel free to link back here!

Enjoy!
– Bakeomaniac, Javier Tan