Description
This irresistible Vietnamese Honeycomb Cake, known as Bánh Bò Nướng, is a beautifully textured, sweet, and fragrant dessert that showcases the unique flavors of pandan and coconut milk. With its signature honeycomb-like holes and chewy yet soft consistency, this cake is a delightful treat perfect for any occasion. The recipe involves blending fresh pandan leaves with coconut milk, incorporating tapioca starch for that characteristic texture, and baking the batter in a heated bundt pan to achieve its iconic appearance.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 14 ounces full-fat Coconut Milk
- 10 pieces fresh Pandan Leaves (or 1 tsp pandan extract)
- 5 large Eggs
- 1.33 cups Granulated Sugar
- 0.5 teaspoon Pandan Extract (double if used instead of leaves)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup Tapioca Starch
- 16 grams Single Acting Baking Powder (about one packet)
- 1 pinch Salt
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and place a bundt pan inside to warm it up for about 10 minutes. Warming the pan helps in creating the characteristic texture of the cake.
- Blend Coconut Milk and Pandan Leaves: In a blender, combine 14 ounces of full-fat coconut milk with 10 fresh pandan leaves. Blend until smooth to infuse the milk with pandan flavor, then strain through a sieve into a bowl to remove any leaf fibers.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, gently whisk together the strained coconut pandan mixture, 5 large eggs, and 1 1/3 cups of granulated sugar. Stir gently to avoid creating too many air bubbles which can affect the texture.
- Add Flavorings: Mix in 0.5 teaspoon pandan extract (if used) and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into the wet mixture, stirring gently to blend the flavors evenly.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup tapioca starch, 16 grams single acting baking powder, and a pinch of salt. This dry mix contributes to the cake’s signature honeycomb texture and balanced flavor.
- Fold Dry into Wet: Carefully fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until fully incorporated, maintaining a gentle approach to keep the batter airy and tender.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the preheated bundt pan and bake in the oven for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, indicating it is fully cooked with the right texture.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 60 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to finish cooling. Serving the cake once fully cooled helps to firm up the honeycomb structure and enhances its chewy softness.
Notes
- For pandan flavor, using fresh pandan leaves is preferable, but pandan extract can be substituted — if using extract, double the amount to 1 teaspoon.
- Ensure the bundt pan is warmed before adding batter to encourage the development of the distinctive honeycomb holes in the cake.
- Sifting or straining the pandan-coconut milk mixture removes fibrous leaf bits for a smooth batter and final texture.
- Avoid whisking too vigorously to keep the batter free of excess bubbles which can interfere with the cake’s texture.
- Using tapioca starch is crucial for achieving the cake’s traditional chewy and airy honeycomb texture.
- The cake is best served once fully cooled; it can be enjoyed plain or with a drizzle of coconut cream or fresh fruit.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Keywords: Vietnamese Honeycomb Cake, Bánh Bò Nướng, pandan cake, coconut cake, chewy dessert, tapioca starch cake, Asian dessert
