As inflation continues to rise, finding affordable yet delightful ways to celebrate special occasions becomes increasingly necessary. This Mother’s Day, consider baking a cake that won’t break the bank but will still convey love and appreciation. Here are some budget-friendly recipes that are perfect for the occasion.
1. Pandan Chiffon Cake
Ingredients
- 5 egg yolks
- 5 egg whites
- 100g sugar (divided: 50g for yolks, 50g for whites)
- 120ml coconut milk
- 60ml vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp pandan juice/extract
- 140g cake flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
- ¼ tsp salt
Ingredient Sources
- Fresh pandan leaves: Wet markets (Tekka, Tiong Bahru), NTUC FairPrice
- Cake flour: Phoon Huat, Redmart (house brand is budget-friendly)
- Coconut milk: Wet markets for fresh, NTUC for canned (Kara brand)
- Cream of tartar: Phoon Huat, Bake King (budget), Cold Storage
Cookware Needed
- 23cm chiffon cake tube pan (aluminium, ungreased)
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Mixing bowls (separate for yolks and whites)
- Rubber spatula
- Sieve for flour
- Wire cooling rack
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 170°C
- Separate eggs carefully (ensure no yolk contaminates the whites)
- Prepare pandan juice if using fresh leaves (blend 10-12 leaves with water, strain)
- Make the batter:
- In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks and 50g sugar until pale
- Gradually add coconut milk, oil, and pandan extract, mix well
- Sift cake flour, baking powder, and salt into the mixture
- Fold until just combined (don’t overmix)
- Prepare meringue:
- In a clean, dry bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy
- Gradually add the remaining 50g of sugar while beating
- Continue beating until stiff peaks form (when lifted, peaks stand straight)
- Combine mixtures:
- Add 1/3 of the meringue to the batter, and fold gently
- Add the remaining meringue in two batches, folding carefully to maintain air bubbles
- Ensure no white streaks remain, but don’t overmix
- Baking:
- Pour batter into an ungreased tube pan
- Tap the pan gently to remove large air bubbles
- Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden and springy to the touch
- Cooling:
- Immediately invert the pan onto a cooling rack
- Let cool completely (about 1-2 hours)
- Run a thin knife around the edges to release the cake
2. Ondeh Ondeh Cupcakes
Ingredients
- Cupcakes:
- 200g all-purpose flour
- 150g caster sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 120ml coconut milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp pandan extract
- 100g unsalted butter, softened
- 50g gula melaka (palm sugar), chopped finely
- Coconut Frosting:
- 200g cream cheese, room temperature
- 75g unsalted butter, softened
- 200g powdered sugar
- 60ml coconut cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 50g desiccated coconut (for garnish)
- 20g gula melaka shavings (for garnish)
Ingredient Sources
- Gula melaka: Wet markets, Redmart, speciality stores like Bangawan Solo
- Pandan extract: Phoon Huat (Koepoe Koepoe brand is affordable)
- Coconut cream: Sheng Siong, Giant (Kara or Ayam brand)
- Cream cheese: NTUC FairPrice (store brand is economical), Sheng Siong
Cookware Needed
- Standard 12-cup muffin tin
- Cupcake liners
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Rubber spatula
- Piping bag with star tip (optional)
- An ice cream scoop or a large spoon for portioning
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 175°C
- Line muffin tin with cupcake liners
- Allow butter, eggs, and cream cheese to reach room temperature
- Make the cupcake batter:
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes)
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each
- Mix in pandan extract
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt
- Alternatively, add dry ingredients and coconut milk to the butter mixture
- Fold in chopped gula melaka
- Baking:
- Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full
- Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean
- Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely
- Make the coconut frosting:
- Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth
- Gradually add powdered sugar on low speed
- Add coconut cream and vanilla extract, beat until fluffy
- Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to firm up slightly
- Assembly:
- Pipe or spread frosting onto cooled cupcakes
- Sprinkle with desiccated coconut
- Finish with gula melaka shavings on top
3. Mango Sticky Rice Tart
Ingredients
- Tart Base:
- 250g glutinous rice flour
- 50g rice flour
- 100g caster sugar
- 250ml coconut milk
- 50g unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ tsp salt
- Filling:
- 2-3 ripe mangoes (preferably honey mangoes or Thai mangoes)
- 200ml coconut milk
- 50g sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water
- Pinch of salt
Ingredient Sources
- Glutinous rice flour: Phoon Huat, Sheng Siong
- Mangoes: Wet markets (Geylang Serai, Tekka) in season (Apr-Jun for best prices)
- Rice flour: NTUC FairPrice, Sheng Siong, wet markets
Cookware Needed
- 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom
- Small saucepan
- Mixing bowls
- Rubber spatula
- Sharp knife for mango slicing
- Pastry brush
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 180°C
- Grease tart pan with butter or cooking spray
- Prepare mangoes by peeling and slicing thinly
- Make the tart base:
- In a large bowl, combine glutinous rice flour, rice flour, sugar, and salt
- Heat coconut milk in a small saucepan until warm (not boiling)
- Gradually add warm coconut milk to the flour mixture, stirring constantly
- Add melted butter and mix until a soft dough forms
- Press dough evenly into tart pan and up the sides
- Prick base with fork multiple times
- Bake for 15-18 minutes until edges are lightly golden
- Prepare the coconut sauce:
- In a saucepan, combine coconut milk, sugar, and salt
- Heat over medium heat until sugar dissolves
- Add cornstarch slurry, stirring constantly
- Cook until mixture thickens to a custard-like consistency
- Remove from heat and cool slightly
- Assembly:
- Pour half the coconut sauce over the baked tart base
- Arrange mango slices in a decorative pattern
- Drizzle remaining coconut sauce over mangoes
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving
4. Vanilla Strawberry Cream Cake
Ingredients
- Vanilla Sponge:
- 225g unsalted butter, softened
- 225g caster sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 225g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp milk
- Strawberry Filling & Decoration:
- 500g fresh strawberries
- 3 tbsp strawberry jam
- 400ml heavy whipping cream
- 50g powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Ingredient Sources
- Fresh strawberries: Cold Storage, NTUC Finest (look for Korean/Japanese varieties when on sale)
- Budget alternative: Frozen strawberries from Giant or ShengSiong
- Heavy cream: Cold Storage, Redmart (Emborg brand is good value)
- Self-raising flour: Phoon Huat (economical bulk purchase)
Cookware Needed
- Two 8-inch round cake pans
- Parchment paper
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Rubber spatula
- Serrated knife for leveling cakes
- Cake turntable (optional but helpful)
- Offset spatula
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 180°C
- Grease and line cake pans with parchment paper
- Bring butter, eggs to room temperature
- Wash and hull strawberries, slice half and reserve some whole for decoration
- Make the sponge cakes:
- Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy (3-5 minutes)
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition
- Sift flour and baking powder together
- Fold dry ingredients into the batter
- Add vanilla extract and milk, mix until just combined
- Divide batter evenly between prepared pans
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean
- Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely
- Prepare filling and frosting:
- In a chilled bowl, whip cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form
- Heat the strawberry jam slightly to make it spreadable
- Assembly:
- Level the cake tops with a serrated knife if needed
- Place the first cake layer on the serving plate
- Spread with half the jam, then a layer of whipped cream
- Arrange sliced strawberries on the cream
- Top with the second cake layer
- Cover the entire cake with remaining whipped cream
- Decorate with whole and halved strawberries on top
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving
5. Kaya Swiss Roll
Ingredients
- Cake:
- 5 eggs, separated
- 100g caster sugar (divided)
- 80g cake flour
- 20g corn flour
- 30g unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp pandan extract
- Filling:
- 300g kaya (coconut jam)
- 200 ml whipping cream (optional)
- 25g powdered sugar (if using cream)
Ingredient Sources
- Kaya: Ya Kun or Toast Box retail jars, wet markets, and homemade
- Budget option: Glory brand from NTUC
- Pandan extract: Phoon Huat, wet markets
- Cake flour: Phoon Huat (bulk buying saves money)
Cookware Needed
- Swiss roll pan (9×13 inches)
- Parchment paper
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Rubber spatula
- Clean kitchen towel
- Sieve for flour
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 180°C
- Line Swiss roll pan with parchment paper (extending over edges)
- Sift cake flour and corn flour together
- Melt butter and let cool slightly
- Make the cake batter:
- In a bowl, beat egg yolks with 50g sugar until pale and thick
- Add pandan extract and melted butter, mix well
- Fold in sifted flours gently
- In a separate clean bowl, beat egg whites until foamy
- Gradually add remaining 50g sugar while beating
- Continue beating until stiff peaks form
- Fold 1/3 of meringue into yolk mixture to lighten
- Gently fold in remaining meringue in two batches
- Baking:
- Pour batter into prepared pan, spread evenly
- Tap pan gently to remove large air bubbles
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until springy to touch
- Remove from oven immediately
- Rolling:
- While still hot, turn cake onto a clean kitchen towel dusted with powdered sugar
- Peel off parchment paper carefully
- Trim edges if necessary
- Roll cake up with the towel starting from the short end
- Let cool completely on wire rack (about 1 hour)
- Assembly:
- Unroll cooled cake carefully
- If using cream: whip cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form
- Spread kaya evenly over cake (and whipped cream if using)
- Roll up cake again (without the towel)
- Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour
- Slice with a serrated knife before serving
Storage Tips for All Recipes
- Pandan Chiffon Cake:
- Room temperature in airtight container: 2-3 days
- Refrigerated in airtight container: up to 1 week
- Ondeh Ondeh Cupcakes:
- Refrigerated in airtight container: 3-4 days
- Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before serving
- Mango Sticky Rice Tart:
- Must be refrigerated: 2-3 days maximum
- Best consumed within 24 hours of making
- Vanilla Strawberry Cream Cake:
- Refrigerated in cake box: 2-3 days
- Fresh strawberries will begin to soften after day 1
- Kaya Swiss Roll:
- Refrigerated in airtight container: 3-4 days
- Can be frozen for up to 1 month (wrap in cling film then foil)
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