Marbled Pandan and Black Glutinous Rice and Chiffon Cake

If you grew up in Southeast Asia, you probably know how nostalgic the combination of pandan and black glutinous rice is. These flavors show up in so many traditional desserts across Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Pandan is basically our version of vanilla — floral, sweet, and instantly comforting. Meanwhile, black glutinous rice (pulut hitam) brings this earthy aroma and subtle nuttiness that you simply can’t get from regular sticky rice. Put them together in a chiffon cake? Pure magic.

This marbled pandan and black glutinous rice chiffon cake is incredibly light, fluffy, and beautifully fragrant — but also visually stunning thanks to the natural dark purple hue from the pulut hitam flour. It’s a little extra work because you’re preparing two different batters, but the result is absolutely worth the effort.

Why You’ll Like This Recipe

1. Classic Southeast Asian flavors – Pandan and pulut hitam are a beloved combo that instantly feels nostalgic and cozy.
2. Ultra-soft and fluffy texture – The two batters create gorgeous marbling with that signature chiffon-style airy crumb.
3. Natural colors and flavors – No artificial coloring needed; the purple tones come purely from black glutinous rice flour.
4. Stays soft for days – This chiffon stays moist and tender without drying out.
5. Great for special occasions – The marbled effect makes it look impressive even without frosting.

Ingredients and Substitutions

1. Egg yolks & egg whites – Please weigh them for accuracy since egg sizes vary greatly. A slight difference is fine.
   • Substitution: No substitute for chiffon-style texture.
2. Oil – Helps keep the cake soft.
   • Substitution: Any neutral oil like canola, vegetable, grapeseed.
3. Canned coconut milk – Adds richness and Southeast Asian aroma.
   • Substitution: Whole milk works, but flavor won’t be the same.
4. Cake flour – Gives the chiffon its tender texture.
   • Substitution: AP flour minus 1 Tbsp per 100 g.
5. Black glutinous rice flour – Adds flavor and color.
   • Substitution: You can make your own (instructions below!).
6. Sugar – Stabilizes the meringue and sweetens the cake.
7. Salt & vinegar – Strengthen the egg white structure.
8. Pandan essence – Gives that iconic flavor.
   • Substitution: Real pandan juice if you have access.

How to Make Your Own Black Glutinous Rice Flour

If you can’t find premade black glutinous rice flour, you can absolutely make your own — and honestly it often tastes better because it’s freshly ground.

1. Use raw black glutinous rice (pulut hitam) — not regular black rice.
2. Rinse and dry (optional): If the rice looks dusty, rinse quickly and dry completely before blending.
3. Blend: Add the rice to a high-speed blender and grind until it becomes a very fine powder.
4. Sift: This is important. Sift the flour and return any gritty bits to the blender.
5. Repeat until ultra-fine: The finer it is, the better your chiffon will rise and the more delicate the texture. The flour must be powdery and not sandy. Coarse flour will weigh down your cake.

Tips for Success

1. Use an ungreased chiffon pan – The batter needs to cling to the sides to rise tall.
2. Weigh your ingredients – Especially egg whites and yolks. This ensures consistent results.
3. Don’t rush the meringue – Medium speed makes a finer, more stable meringue.
4. Fold gently but confidently – Overfolding deflates the batter; underfolding leaves streaks.
5. Make sure black glutinous rice flour is ultra-fine – Gritty flour will cause a dense cake.
6. Avoid opening the oven too early – Wait until the last 10 minutes if you need to check.
7. Invert immediately after baking – Prevents the cake from collapsing.

Troubleshooting

1. Cake shrank badly after cooling
   Usually underbaked or insufficient meringue stability. Bake longer next time.
2. Cake fell out of the pan while cooling
   Most likely you underbake the cake and/or the pan may have non-stick coating. Use only ungreased aluminum chiffon pans.
3. Dense layer at the bottom
   Meringue was not folded evenly or the flour was too coarse.
4. Big air pockets inside
   Batter wasn’t properly released of bubbles. Drop the pan before baking and use a skewer to run through the batter to pop any large air bubbles trapped inside the batter.
5. Cake cracked on top
   Totally normal for chiffon—this becomes the bottom.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I use fresh pandan juice instead of pandan essence?
Yes! Use 1–2 tablespoons of concentrated pandan juice, but reduce coconut milk slightly to keep the consistency.
2. Can I bake this in a regular round pan?
No. Chiffon cakes need a tube pan for proper rise.
3. How do I know if my meringue is ready?
The peak should stand but bend slightly at the tip. It should look glossy and smooth.
4. Can I reduce the sugar?
Not recommended. Sugar stabilizes the meringue. Reducing it may cause the cake to collapse. This recipe is not overly sweet

This pandan pulut hitam chiffon cake is everything I love about Southeast Asian flavors — fragrant, nostalgic, soft, and incredibly comforting. The two-tone marbling also makes it a showstopper without needing any decoration at all. If you’ve never baked with black glutinous rice flour before, you’re in for such a treat. And once you make it from scratch, it’s hard to go back!