In Singapore’s pandan cake showdown, it’s tradition vs modernity
Two bakeries, one iconic dessert. As a sprightly challenger reinvents the pandan cake, can it topple the years-long reign of Bengawan Solo?
Drawn by the colourful tins of cookies and trays of bite-size kueh, overseas cake lovers flock to its shops and flagship store in the adjoining Jewel retail complex with one mission in mind: to snag the signature pandan chiffon cake – a soft, fragrant masterpiece in a striking shade of green.
For Sam Ng, a 37-year-old banker from Hong Kong, every work trip to Singapore includes a mandatory stop.
“I would get requests from friends to buy pandan cake – only pandan cake – no other things,” he said. Ng himself is a fan, drawn to the cake’s “spongy and soft” texture and “refreshing” taste. “We seldom have shops selling food made of pandan leaves, and the pandan cake’s taste is unique, unlike other cakes which are usually sweet and creamy.”
But a challenger has now emerged to claim a slice of the niche Bengawan Solo has carved out for itself in Singapore’s multibillion-dollar food souvenir business. Old Seng Choong, a bakery steeped in history dating back to Singapore’s independence in 1965, is reimagining the pandan cake with bold, modern twists. Flavours like Jeju yuzu, coconut blue pea and dark chocolate are turning heads – and taste buds.
“In recent years, there’s another worthy place to get your pandan cake fix, and that is Old Seng Choong,” said Shubhada Bhide, a food writer behind the blog Love, Eat, Roam.