Equipment Prep: Place an empty aluminum cake pan inside your air fryer basket. If the fan is causing it to move around, place a ramekin inside to weigh it down. Preheat the air fryer to 300°F for 10 minutes. The pan must be screamingly hot before the batter hits it.
Unidirectional Mixing: In a large mixing bowl, combine the tapioca starch, all-purpose flour, sugar, salt, coconut cream, vanilla extract, pandan extract, and the adjusted eggs. Using a rice paddle or a silicone spatula, mix the ingredients smoothly in ONE direction only. Do not reverse direction or whip aggressively; keeping it unidirectional prevents trapping excess oxygen that ruins the parallel honeycomb structure.
The Double-Strain Process: Pour the mixed batter through a fine-mesh sieve strainer into a clean bowl to catch any unblended starch lumps. Add the 9g of double-acting baking powder to the strained batter and stir gently to incorporate. Pour the batter through the sieve strainer a second time to guarantee absolute uniformity.
Finish the Batter: Pour the 10g of melted butter into the batter and stir well until the mixture is glossy and smooth.
The Sizzle Pour: Carefully remove the hot aluminum pan from the air fryer and brush or spray a thin, even layer of oil along the bottom and sides. Pour the green batter through a colander held directly over the hot pan. Passing the batter through the colander holes splits the stream, naturally guiding the vertical honeycomb strands as it hits the sizzling surface.
The Air Fryer Bake: Tightly cover the top of the pan with a sheet of aluminum foil to lock in moisture. Place the covered pan into the air fryer and bake at 300°F for 35 minutes. Once the timer goes off, carefully remove the foil sheet and bake uncovered for an additional 3 to 4 minutes at 335°F to achieve a gorgeous, golden-brown caramelized top crust.