Bánh Bò Nướng (Vietnamese Pandan Honeycomb Cake)

Ingredients

• 8 large eggs (room temperature)
• 1 cup coconut milk (full fat recommended)
• 1.5 tbsp butter (melted)
• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups tapioca starch
• 1.5 cups sugar (granulated white sugar)
• 1 tbsp baking powder (ensure it is fresh for the best rise)
• 3 tbsp fresh pandan juice (made from blended and strained pandan leaves)
• 0.5 tsp pandan extract (for color and extra aroma)
• Cooking spray (for greasing the pan)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place your cake pan inside the oven while it preheats; the pan must be hot before adding the batter to achieve the honeycomb structure.

2. 2

   In a large mixing bowl, gently whisk the 8 eggs with the sugar until the sugar is mostly dissolved. Avoid over-whisking or creating too many air bubbles, as this can ruin the honeycomb texture.

3. 3

   Add the coconut milk, melted butter, vanilla extract, fresh pandan juice, and pandan extract to the egg mixture. Stir gently to combine.

4. 4

   Sift the tapioca starch and baking powder into the wet ingredients. Whisk slowly until the batter is smooth and no large lumps remain.

5. 5

   Strain the batter through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl or large measuring cup to ensure a perfectly smooth consistency and remove any remaining egg solids or starch clumps.

6. 6

   Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven and spray it thoroughly with cooking spray.

7. 7

   Pour the batter through a sieve once more directly into the hot, greased pan. You should hear a slight sizzle as the batter hits the hot pan.

8. 8

   Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown.

9. 9

   Turn off the oven and leave the cake inside with the door slightly ajar for 5-10 minutes to prevent a sudden temperature drop, which can cause the cake to collapse.

10. 10

    Remove from the oven and let the cake cool completely in the pan before flipping it out and slicing.

Notes

The key to the 'honeycomb' (rể tre) is not over-beating the eggs and ensuring the pan is very hot when the batter is poured in. If the cake collapses, it may be due to a sudden temperature change or removing it from the oven too quickly.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• Vietnamese
• gluten-free
• baked
• pandan
• coconut
• honeycomb cake