If you love the classic flavours of Ondeh ondeh, this is a lighter, fluffier spin to it through a cake we are all familiar with, the Chiffon!

This Ondeh Ondeh Pandan Chiffon Cake brings together fragrant pandan, coconut, and rich gula melaka (coconut / palm sugar). Instead of a denser butter cake, this version is soft, airy and cloud-like.

What makes this recipe special is the gula melaka swirl that runs through the chiffon, creating delicate caramel ribbons inside the cake without weighing it down. It’s a simple technique, but one that makes all the difference in making this cake possible!

What Makes This Chiffon Version Unique

Most Ondeh Ondeh Cakes are made using butter or chiffon bases with fillings or frostings layered in between. This version focuses on keeping things light and approachable, while still capturing the essence of the dessert, just like my Ondeh Ondeh Butter Cake recipe!

  1.  Lightened Gula Melaka Swirl
    Instead of adding a heavy gula melaka caramel directly into the batter (which usually sinks), the gula melaka is lightened with a small amount of chiffon batter before swirling.Doing so creates finer, more even ribbons with better suspension in the cake.
  2. Soft, Airy Pandan Chiffon
    The chiffon base gives you a delicate crumb, a naturally light texture and a cake that feels less rich but still full of flavour.Paired with coconut milk and pandan, it creates a balanced, fragrant base that complements the caramel notes of gula melaka.
  3. Inspired by Traditional, Heritage Flavours
    Just like traditional Ondeh Ondeh, this cake combines pandan for aroma, gula melaka for depth and coconut for richness!But instead of a molten centre, you get gentle caramel streaks throughout the cake, making every slice slightly different.

Baking Tips

  1. Keep the swirl light. Too much gula melaka will weigh down the chiffon can cause sinking.
  2. Do not over-swirl. A few genetle strokes are enough to create a marbled effect, any anymore will cause sinking.
  3. Use fresh pandan and coconut milk if possible for the best aroma.

Without further ado, the video and recipe!

Ondeh Ondeh Pandan Chiffon Cake Recipe
by Javier Tan March-23-2026

This Ondeh Ondeh Pandan Chiffon Cake captures the key flavours of the heritage and classic kuih, in a flavourful, fluffy version!

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

Ingredients (Gula Melaka Swirl)

  • Approx 1/3 Cup + 2 Tbsp or 90g of Gula Melaka
  • 1/4 Cup + 2 Tsp or 70ml of Coconut Milk
  • Approx 1/2 Tsp Cornstarch
  • Pinch of Salt

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. Before starting on the egg white mixture, make the gula melaka mixture by heating at medium-low heat until consistency is like honey. Leave at lowest heat setting so it won’t solidify.
  4. Once done, whip the egg whites till stiff peaks, adding in 20g sugar at two stages, foamy and soft peaks (total 40g).
  5. Then, whisk in 1/3 of the egg whites to the cake batter and fold in th remaining 2/3 in two halves.
  6. Scoop out approx 1/4 cup of pandan chiffon batter and mix it well with the warm gula melaka.
  7. Pour in the pandan chiffon batter first, then top off with the gula melaka batter, making gentle swirls. Do not over swirl ot the gula melaka might sink.
  8. Bake 170C for 52 – 55 until nicely golden brown. This is the timing for the 9 inch chiffon tube pan, do adjust accordingly to the size of the pan!
  9. Leave upside down immediately to cool, approx an hour before unmoulding gently. Be careful as some gula melaka would be at the bottom of the cake.
  10. Serve and enjoy!

Details

  • Prep time: 30 mins
  • Cook time: 1 hour
  • Total time: 1 hour 30 mins
  • Yield: 1 x Delectable Ondeh Ondeh 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