Delight in Pandan Honeycomb Cake, a fragrant, airy treat with a beautifully chewy honeycomb texture!
Author:Catherine Zhang
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:45 minutes
Total Time:1 hour
Yield:10 Pieces 1x
Category:Cake
Method:Easy
Cuisine:Vietnamese
Ingredients
Scale
6 large eggs
1 cup (200 g) caster sugar
1 2/3 cups (400 ml) full-fat coconut milk
3 tablespoons fresh pandan juice (from ~10 pandan leaves blended with 3 tablespoons water, strained) OR 1 teaspoon pandan extract
1 3/4 cups (220 g) tapioca starch
1 teaspoon (5 g) baking soda
1 teaspoon (5 ml) white vinegar
2 tablespoons (30 ml) neutral oil
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Generously grease a 23 cm (9-inch) round cake pan with oil or butter and line the base with parchment paper.
If making fresh pandan juice, blend the pandan leaves with 3 tablespoons of water until smooth. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve, pressing firmly to extract as much juice as possible. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar for 3–4 minutes until pale, slightly thickened, and ribbon-like when the whisk is lifted.
Add the coconut milk, pandan juice (or extract), neutral oil, and salt to the egg mixture and whisk to combine.
Sift in the tapioca starch and whisk until completely smooth with no lumps.
In a small cup, combine the baking soda and white vinegar — it will fizz immediately. Gently stir the mixture into the batter. Do not overmix at this stage.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40–45 minutes, until deep golden on top and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. The surface will crack slightly — this is normal.
Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. Slice to reveal the distinctive honeycomb tunnels.
Best served slightly warm. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Notes
The honeycomb texture forms as CO₂ from the baking soda and vinegar reaction creates channels within the tapioca starch structure during baking. Do not skip the vinegar — it is essential.
Use tapioca starch, not glutinous rice flour. Tapioca creates the signature chewy, bouncy bite and open tunnel structure. Glutinous rice flour produces a denser result without the honeycomb.
Fresh pandan gives the most vibrant green colour and fragrance. If using extract, start with 1 teaspoon and add up to ½ teaspoon more if the colour is too pale.
This cake is also known as bánh bò nướng — a beloved Vietnamese baked honeycomb cake. Lean into the origin story in the headnote for SEO and audience connection.
For a more intense coconut flavour, replace the neutral oil with melted coconut oil.