Chewy Mini Bika Ambon Pandan
This post may contain affiliate links.Learn how to make this chewy soft Mini Bika Ambon Pandan with this easy, super quick recipe that gives you a beautiful honeycomb texture!
Bika Ambon Pandan is one of those timeless Indonesian cakes that never go out of style. With its chewy texture and honeycomb-like interior, this pandan-infused treat is often enjoyed during big celebrations like Idul Fitri, Chinese New Year, or Christmas. Just like Lapis Surabaya, Lapis Legit, Dutch Butter Cake, or Ontbijtkoek, it’s a festive favorite passed down through generations—and still loved today for its unique texture, aroma, and charm.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Recipe Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
Coconut Milk – You can use fresh coconut milk or canned coconut milk. They both will give the same flavor.
Pandan Extract – Use fresh pandan extract or store-bought pandan essence.
Tapioca Flour – Tapioca flour is the main ingredient to make the cake bouncy.
Instant Yeast – Make sure you have new instant yeast so the fermentation can go well.
How to Make Mini Bika Ambon Pandan
STEP 1. In a bowl, mix instant yeast, sugar, and water (Image 1). Stir well and let it sit for 15 minutes until bubbly (Image 2). In a separate bowl, combine coconut milk, water, and pandan extract (Image 3). Stir until well mixed and set aside (Image 4).
STEP 2. In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, sugar, and condensed milk (Images 5, 6). Whisk until the sugar dissolves. Sift in the cake flour and tapioca flour (Image 7), then whisk again until the batter is smooth (Image 8).
STEP 3. After 15 minutes, the yeast mixture should be bubbly and active (Image 9). Pour it into the pandan mixture and whisk to combine (Image 10). Then pour this pandan-yeast mixture into the egg-flour batter (Image 11) and whisk until fully incorporated. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and let the batter ferment for at least one hour (Image 12).
STEP 4. After an hour, the batter should look bubbly and airy (Image 13). Gently whisk to let the bubbles subside (Image 14), then pour in the melted butter and whisk until combined (Image 15). Preheat your pancake pan and brush each mold with butter. Make sure the pan is hot enough before pouring in the batter (Image 16).
STEP 5. Cover the pan with a lid and let the batter cook (Images 17, 18). Once you see holes forming on the surface, remove the lid and flip each cake (Images 19, 20). They’re ready when the surface is dry and cooked through. Slice to reveal the honeycomb texture—enjoy!
Pro Tips
- Preheat the pan properly – Use a pancake or kue cubit pan and make sure it’s hot before you pour in the batter. Grease lightly with butter or oil. The batter should sizzle as it hits the pan—this helps develop the signature honeycomb texture from the bottom up.
- Always test your yeast – Let the yeast mixture ferment for about 15 minutes. It should become foamy and bubbly. If it stays flat, your yeast is likely expired or inactive—better to restart than risk wasting the whole batch.
- Stir to burst the bubbles – After the batter has fermented, gently stir it to break the surface bubbles. This helps reset the batter structure so you get an even honeycomb texture during cooking.
- Stir before every pour – Before you pour the batter into each mold or hole, give it a quick stir to release trapped air bubbles. This helps ensure even cooking and consistent texture in every piece.
- Control your heat – Cook over medium to medium-low heat. Too hot, and the bottom may burn before the inside is cooked; too low, and you might lose the honeycomb effect.
- Cover while cooking – If using a pan with a lid, keep it covered to trap the steam. This helps the mini cakes rise and cook through without drying out.
How to Serve
Mini Bika Ambon Pandan is a festive treat that’s especially popular during special occasions like Idul Fitri, Chinese New Year, and Christmas—but honestly, there’s no wrong time to enjoy it! Serve it warm or at room temperature.
A glass of wedang jahe, lemongrass pandan tea, or ginger lemon drink brings out the aromatic notes of the cake beautifully. For something more modern, try it with rose milk tea or a soothing blue latte—the pandan and floral flavors make a perfect match.
FAQs about Mini Bika Ambon Pandan
The honeycomb texture comes from a combination of tapioca flour and the fermentation process. Yeast creates air bubbles in the batter, and when baked, those bubbles expand to form the signature honeycomb structure.
Several things can cause this:
The yeast might not be active or was not proofed long enough.
The batter was overmixed after proofing.
The oven wasn’t hot enough at the start—Bika Ambon needs a blast of heat to “shock” the batter and create the holes.
Unfortunately, no. Tapioca flour is key to achieving that chewy, bouncy texture and the honeycomb pattern.
Insert a skewer in the center. It should come out clean, and the top should feel dry and springy. For mini versions, they usually bake faster—keep an eye on them after the first 15–20 minutes.
Storage
Let the cakes cool completely. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat by lightly steaming or microwaving for a few seconds.
More Cakes with Yeast
Mini Bika Ambon Pandan
Equipment
- 1 omelette maker
Ingredients
- 65 gr coconut milk
- 235 gr water
- 50 gr pandan extract
- 70 gr cake flour
- 150 gr tapioca flour
- 1 tsp instant yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 50 gr water
- 3 eggs
- 130 gr sugar
- 40 gr condensed milk
- 60 gr melted butter
Instructions
- Mix instant yeast, sugar, and water into a bowl. Stir well and leave it for 15 minutes until you can see some bubbles coming out.
- In another bowl, pour coconut milk, water, and pandan extract. Mix well and set aside.
- Put the eggs, sugar, and condensed milk in a bigger mixing bowl. Whisk well.
- Sieve cake flour, tapioca flour into the egg mixture. Whisk well until smooth.
- Pour the pandan mixture into the egg mixture. Mix well.
- By this time, the yeast mixture should be bubbly already. Pour the yeast into the pandan mixture. Stir well.
- Pour the yeast into the egg mixture. Stir well until incorporated. Cover with cling wrap and leave it for one hour.
- After one hour, the batter should be bubbly. Whisk until the bubble subsides. Pour in the melted butter. Stir well.
- Preheat the pancake pan. Brush some butter in each hole.
- Pour the batter into each hole. Cover with the lid and let the holes form.
- You can flip it if you want both sides to be a bit brownish.
- They are ready to serve if the surface is no longer wet. Slice the cake to see the honeycomb texture. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Preheat the pan properly – Use a pancake or kue cubit pan and make sure it’s hot before you pour in the batter. Grease lightly with butter or oil. The batter should sizzle as it hits the pan—this helps develop the signature honeycomb texture from the bottom up.
- Always test your yeast – Let the yeast mixture ferment for about 15 minutes. It should become foamy and bubbly. If it stays flat, your yeast is likely expired or inactive—better to restart than risk wasting the whole batch.
- Stir to burst the bubbles – After the batter has fermented, gently stir it to break the surface bubbles. This helps reset the batter structure so you get an even honeycomb texture during cooking.
- Stir before every pour – Before you pour the batter into each mold or hole, give it a quick stir to release trapped air bubbles. This helps ensure even cooking and consistent texture in every piece.
- Control your heat – Cook over medium to medium-low heat. Too hot, and the bottom may burn before the inside is cooked; too low, and you might lose the honeycomb effect.
- Cover while cooking – If using a pan with a lid, keep it covered to trap the steam. This helps the mini cakes rise and cook through without drying out.
I usually don’t want to make honeycomb cake because I was afraid I could not get the honeycomb texture successfully. But this recipe is so easy and with just an omelette pan, I can create the texture out!