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Pandan-monium
Singapore
Ask anyone in Singapore what their favorite cake is and most of them will tell you they love pandan cake. The spongy pastry coupled with the unique, woodsy flavor of pandan makes a pairing unlike any other dessert. The vibrant green color and sweet aroma are the unmistakable marks of the South East Asian darling, pandan. With such a distinct taste, it can be a little difficult to tell the difference between the pandan cake served by one place from another. Not to worry, this list should make finding your perfect slice of pandan cake a piece of, well, cake.
Pure Pandan, as their name suggests, uses pure and natural pandan juice without any artificial flavoring or food coloring in their recipe. It’s the lightest Pandan Cake you can get, since it also contains less sugar and oil. If you’re trying to cut out the dairy, they also make Soya Pandan Cakes made with soy milk for an even guilt-freer version.
- +65 6588 5788
264 South Bridge Rd, Singapore 058813
Head over to Bengawan Solo for a slice of home-baked Pandan Cake and a side of controversy. The business was founded in 1979 by Tjendri Anastasia who sold her cakes from her own kitchen until the Ministry of Environment caught wind of her and almost shut her down for being an unlicensed food manufacturer. Instead of closing her kitchen, Anastasia then made it official and opened up her first cake shop.
- +65 6443 8053
Marine Terrace, #01-69 Block 58, Singapore 440058
This might be cheating since it isn’t solely pandan, but Cheng’s Gula Melaka Chiffon Cake is equal parts pandan as it is gula melaka (Malaysian palm sugar)—and that’s good enough! The store makes them with only organic virgin coconut oil and fresh coconut milk instead of the usual preservative-laden ingredients. They’ve also left in chunks of the pandan that coat the craters of the spongy middle to give it a standout texture.
- +65 6223 7883
27 Yong Siak St, Singapore 168654
This tiny shop by the Tanjong Pagar MRT station sells a selection of similarly tiny mini chiffon cakes including Singapore’s favorite Pandan Cake. The bite-sized pieces lack the signature aroma of your typical pandan pastry, but they throw in bits of coconut for texture to round out the on-the-go snacking experience.
120 Maxwell Rd, Singapore 069119
The Pandan Cake at Joe & Dough comes with a bit more bells and whistles than your usual sponge cake slice. They extract the pandan essence the traditional way by blending leaves and pressing their juice through a sieve. A thick, sweet layer of Gula Melaka is then added, finished off with coconuts and almonds sprinkled in for a modern twist to the classic.
- +65 6337 0938
9 Raffles Boulevard, #01-86/87 Millenia Walk, Singapore 039596
A lot of newer bakeries like to innovate with new flavor concoctions, but there are still the stalwarts that focus on what a pandan cake truly should be. Vintage legend Love Confectionery still believes in making Pandan Cakes the traditional way, sweet and extremely flavorful. Singaporeans seem to love Love Confectionery’s recipe, as the store sells out of Pandan Cake within a few hours of opening.
- +65 6278 2385
No #01-60, 150122, 122 Bukit Merah Lane 1, Singapore 150122
It starts with one whiff on an afternoon stroll. Before you know it, you’re buying boxes of PrimaDeli’s aromatic Pandan Cakes! For only SGD6.90 for a whole cake, no one’s complaining. What makes PrimaDeli’s cake standout is the extra pandan juice added at the end of the baking process to really make the smell and flavor pop.
- +65 6513 0041
#01-06 Canberra Street, Blk 105, Singapore 750105
2Usually sweeter is better when it comes to desserts, but you might personally like muted flavor for a light and airy palate cleanser. If that sounds like you, then Galicier Pastry’s Pandan Cake is for you. They use less sweeteners in their recipe, but the hint of pandan is still there for a guilt-free slice.
- +65 6324 1686
Blk 55 Tiong Bahru Rd, #01-39, Singapore 160055
1933 is dedicated to the year that the Capitol Theatre was completed; thus, their 1930s- themed menu. A tea time set, in particular, features their Pandan Cake with a side of coffee or tea. Their Pandan Cake comes with a healthy glazing of cream to give more life to your usual afternoon tea.
- +65 6384 3660
11 Stamford Rd, #01-83, Capitol Piazza, Singapore 178884
Tea has its origins in the Asian continent, but the English love it just as much. That’s why the brothers behind Balmoral Bakery decided to combine the two fan favorites. The bakery then brings English influence to its Pandan Cake, resulting in a 50-year-old reputation of crusty, golden, delicious cakes.
- +65 6779 2064
105 Clementi Street 12, #01-06, Singapore 120105
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