Bánh bò nướng, Vietnamese honeycomb cake, is a baked cake made with coconut milk, eggs, starch and pandan. In Vietnam it’s a street food: you’ll see it on the food bikes that sell snacks along the street, at almost any time of day. It’s my favourite cake on rainy days. Time: 45 minutes in the oven. The coconut syrup has to cool before it goes into the eggs, so make it first. Ingredients 200 ml coconut milk 200 g sugar A pinch of salt ½ teaspoon pandan extract 6 eggs 2½ teaspoons (11 g) baking powder 2½ cups starch Vanilla (optional) How to make bánh bò nướng 1. Make the coconut syrup Put the 200 g sugar and 200 ml coconut milk in a pan over low heat and let the sugar melt. After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and leave it to cool. 2. Heat the pan Grease only the bottom of the cake pan, not the sides. Put the empty pan in the oven and preheat the oven to 175 degrees. The batter goes into a hot pan, so the pan heats up with the oven. 3. Stir the eggs This is the step to take most care over. Crack the 6 eggs into a bowl and stir them with a fork or whisk for about 5–10 minutes. Don’t beat them and don’t over-stir: you only want the whites and yolks evenly mixed. Keep the whisk touching the bottom of the bowl the whole time. That stops foam from forming. 4. Make the batter Stir the cooled coconut syrup into the eggs. Sift the starch and baking powder into the bowl and mix until smooth, then add the pandan extract and the vanilla, if you’re using it. 5. Bake Take the hot pan out of the oven and pour the batter into it through a strainer. Bake at 175 degrees for 45 minutes, until the top turns golden. Don’t open the oven during the first 30 minutes. 6. Cool and turn out Let the cake cool, then turn it upside down onto a rack. The cake is ready to serve. If you aren’t eating it straight away, wrap it in plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge for 1–2 days. Warm it in the microwave for about 15 seconds before serving. Share:
