Pandan Kaya Layer Cake

Following my first successful attempt in making this cake, I only posted a photo of the finished product in my blog without further elaborating upon the process of the making the cake.  Last weekend my god sister from KL came over to visit us and she specifically requested for the recipe for this cake.

Instead of baking her the cake,  we decided to jointly bake the cake together. A great way for her to practice and good company for me when there are too many ingredients to prepare and cleaning works hereafter.

We used the same recipe as per my previous from Kitchen tigress with adaptations in pan size, ingredients quantity and process.

Pandan Kaya Layer Cake

(Recipe for one 22x22cm Cake)

Cake

30g Castor Sugar

135g Egg Yolks

150g Corn Oil

135g Full Fat Milk

24 drops Pandan Paste

150g Cake Flour

3/4 Tsp Baking Powder

1/4 Tsp Salt

315g Egg Whites

1/2 Tsp Cream of Tartar

40g Castor Sugar

(To Make Cake)

• Line bottom and sides of a 22x22cm square baking mould with parchment paper.

• Preheat oven to 160C degrees.

• In a mixing bowl filled with 30g castor sugar and egg yolks, whisk (using hand whisk) the mixture until dissolved.

• Add corn oil. Whisk till evenly combined. Add milk and continue whisking in circular motion till just thoroughly mixed. 

• Add pandan paste ( I used Larome' brand), between 20-24 drops until the mixture's color look like emerald colored mangoes. Mix thoroughly.

• Sift cake flour and baking powder into mixture. Add salt and gently whisk till just thoroughly mixed.

• In a separate clean and oil free bowl, whisk egg whites with a electric mixer till frothy. Add cream of tartar and continue whisking till thick foam forms. 

• Gradually add 40g castor sugar whilst still whisking and continue whisking till firm peak stage.

• Transfer the beaten egg whites to the egg yolks batter in 3 batches. Mix with hand whisk till almost even after each addition. Scrape down and fold with spatula till just evenly mixed, while occasionally banging bowl against work top 2-3 times.

• Slowly pour batter from a height of 30cm into a 22x22x8cm baking pan. Jiggle pan to level the batter. Tap pan against worktop 2-3 times to release the air air bubbles.

• Bake in bottom 2nd or 3rd level of oven till middle of cake doesn't squish when pressed gently, 45-50mins.

• Remove pan from oven. Drop pan from 30cm high onto the table top, once.

• Invert pan onto wire rack. Leave for 5 mins before unmoulding the cake and parchment paper. Allow cake to cool before slicing.

Kaya

900g Water

3/4 Tsp Agar Agar Powder

120g Sugar

75g Unsalted Butter

8-12 Drops Pandan Paste

1/4 Tsp Salt

360g Coconut Milk ( 1 Box 200g concentrated coconut milk + 160g Water)

105g White Hun Kwee Flour

10-15 Drops Pandan Paste

3 Drops Egg Yellow Food Colour

(To Make Kaya)

Wash and dry the earlier 22x22x8cm cake pan. Line pan with 2 layers of aluminum foil with 4 sides overhang.

Slice cake horizontally with serrated knife into 3 layers.

Place water in a pot and sprinkle agar-agar powder into it. Add sugar, unsalted butter, pandan paste and salt. Set aside for 30 mins or longer.

In a separate bowl, stir in hun kwee flour into the coconut milk mixture until thoroughly mixed. Refrigerate until ready to use. 

Heat and stir agar agar mixture till dissolves. Remove from heat. Add coconut milk mixture and continue stirring till combined. Add pandan paste and yellow food color. Stir thoroughly.

Transfer the pot back to stove and heat up the mixture on medium low heat. Cook and stir until the mixture is thick enough to coat the sides of the pot thinly. Turn off heat.  Continue stirring the mixture to dissipate the heat.  

(To Assemble The Cake)

Arrange the first layer (the cut side facing up) of the slice cake into the 22x22x8cm pan. Pour 1/3 of the kaya into the pan and over the 1st layer. Tilt pan from side to side for even distribution of the layer. Allow the kaya layer to thicken for a minute or more. While waiting to apply the 2nd layer of kaya, soak the pot in hot water and continue stirring the mixture.

Once the kaya layer thickens, place the 2nd layer of the sliced cake over the slightly set kaya layer. Pour another 1/3 of the kaya over the cake layer.  Tilt the pan from side to side for even distribution of the layer. Allow the kaya layer to thicken for 3 secs to 1 minute. Repeat the entire process as per the first layer until the 3 layers of cake and kaya been used. 

Leave assembled cake pan on wire cake to cool down.  Cover and refrigerate till kaya is firm.

To serve, unmould cake and trim 1 cm from all edges. Transfer to serving plate. Cut and serve.