Everything can be made into a cake these days. Like chicken rice, nasi lemak or chilli crabs. Or, according to Goodwood Park Hotel, pandan waffle with D24 durian for its annual Durian Fiesta, which is now in its 38th year and runs from Mar 8 to Aug 1.

Its D24 Pandan Waffle Cake ($85, feeds about eight pax) is inspired by the humble waffles found at heartland bakeries, except this one is much more atas.

Each seven-inch cake has three pillowy pandan waffles layered with D24 durian pulp, finished with caramelised coconut sauce, gula melaka coconut crumble and coconut flakes.

It’s available at the hotel’s takeaway Deli only from 12pm to 7pm daily, as we presume the pastry chefs there need time to make the waffles.

We had fun cutting the waffles like a birthday cake - it’s easy to divvy up, and yields gorgeous slices of green pandan waffles and yellow durian pulp. It tastes just as good as it looks.

While the waffles on our delivered cake aren’t hot or crispy for obvious reasons, they are still pretty fluffy and eggy, with perfumy pandan fragrance.

D24 Pandan Waffle Cake

We have often watched in silent dismay as the heartland bakery auntie carelessly smear a thin film of peanut butter on our waffle. At $85, Goodwood Park’s waffle cake doesn’t stinge on its filling - obscenely thick gobs of creamy D24 durian pulp that ooze into the bouncy waffle’s holey grid.

There are also coconut flakes mixed in somewhere, which gives each bite a gentle crunch. Very, very shiok and brilliantly executed stuff, though unsurprising, since pandan waffles and durians are both very well-loved. Pity the cake is a seasonal item; it could join the pandan chiffon cake as a local food darling, we say.

The hotel has also launched a dine in-only D24 Kueh Dadar ($22 for two, $78 for eight), which is served at the Coffee Lounge and L’Espresso cafe. It has pandan-flavoured crepe hugging D24 durian flesh stuffed with freshly-grated coconut that has been cooked down with gula jawa (Indonesian palm sugar).

It comes with caramel sauce and two types of coconut flakes as toppings, a gula melaka-tossed crumble and fresh coconut flakes. Like the pandan waffle cake, this kueh is only available from 12pm to 7pm daily.

From March 8 to 31, there’s a D24 Durian Combo ($52 a set) available for the Durian Fiesta. It comprises six types of durian pastries (three new, three returning favourites) in single portions - D24 Trio Chocolate Cake, Mini D24 Salted Caramel Delight, D24 & Sweet Potato in Chestnut Tartlet, D24 Mousse Cake, D24 Puff and a D24 Crêpe.

D24 crepe

Out of all the desserts, the crepe stands out despite its rather unsexy appearance (it reminds us of an egg mayo burrito wrap). The silky crepe skin hugs a mound of purely D24 durian pulp, so it’s almost like eating the king of fruits itself.

We prefer this simple treat over the rest of the fussier pastries, like the Mont Blanc-style, purple sweet potato purée tartlet with a durian pulp filling. From April till July, Goodwood Park is also bringing back popular creations from its previous Durian Fiestas. There will be four comeback durian treats introduced each month.

Goodwood Park Hotel's Durian Fiesta 2021 runs from Mar 8 till Aug 1, 2021 (last preorder on Jul 27 at 5pm). Minimum spending of $53.50 applies for online orders. Order at least five days in advance via www.thedeligoodwoodparkhotel.oddle.me for delivery or self-collection, or visit The Deli at Goodwood Park Hotel, 22 Scotts Rd, S228221. Open daily 11am-7pm.

Photos: Yip Jieying