In Singapore, few desserts are more beloved than pandan chiffon cake. Soft, fluffy, and bright green, the cake gets its flavor from pandan, a tropical plant sometimes called “Asian vanilla.” For decades, this cake has been a common sight in Southeast Asian homes and bakeries. Now it’s catching on globally, driven by both nostalgia and curiosity. In the U.S. and Europe, pandan is showing up in ice creams, lattes, and pastries, appealing to young consumers looking for new flavors rooted in tradition. As Kelly Jacques, co-owner and chef at Ayu Bakehouse in New Orleans, puts it: “I think its allure is in its approachable vanilla flavor and electric green color, like vanilla extract on steroids.”
At the center of this trend is Bengawan Solo, a bakery chain that has been selling pandan cake in Singapore since 1979. The company bakes its cakes fresh daily using its own pandan extract, and it sells more than one million cakes each year. While other businesses have chased viral trends, Bengawan Solo has stayed focused on consistency and quality. The bakery hasn’t altered its ingredients to suit global tastes or repackaged the product to seem trendier. Instead, it has kept the same recipe for decades, letting international interest come naturally. In a global food landscape full of constant reinvention, Bengawan Solo stands out by staying the same.
The dessert’s rising popularity shows how cultural authenticity can be a strength in a competitive market. As food trends become more global, brands face a choice: dilute the product to fit outside tastes or double down on what makes it unique. Pandan cake’s success suggests that staying true to cultural roots can be a real advantage, especially as consumers seek out food with meaning, not just novelty. With its striking color and subtle flavor, pandan could follow matcha’s path from regional staple to global phenomenon. Sometimes, the best strategy is to honor tradition and let the product speak for itself.
Questions:
- Why is Bengawan Solo bakery committed to making pandan cake according to their original recipe? How does this benefit the brand?
- Do you think makers of pandan cake could earn more if they altered their recipes to suit regional tastes? Why or why not?
Sources: Amy Gunia, “Singapore’s Pandan Cake Craze is Going Global. Meet the Family That Sparked a Spongey Revolution,” CNN, May 2, 2025; Katie Lockhart, ““Cake Flavor in Plant Form”: Move Over, Matcha — Pandan is the Flavor to Try,” Salon, February 3, 2025.