Passionfruit Coconut Cake
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 45 minutes plus cooling time
Cooking time: 1 hour
- 3 cups cake flour
- 2 cups caster or superfine sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1.5 cups desiccated coconut
- 375g butter, softened, cubed
- 5 eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Pulp of 3 passion fruit
- Passionfruit flavouring
For passion fruit curd
- 4 egg yolks
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 100g butter, melted
- 3/4 cup passionfruit pulp
For passion fruit and lemon buttercream
- 200g butter, softened
- 6 cups icing sugar
- 80-100ml lemon juice
- Passionfruit flavouring
Step 1 - Preheat oven to 150C/300F and line 2x 20cm/8inch round tins on the base and sides. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and coconut in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Turn on low speed and add the pieces of butter one at a time. In a jug measure the coconut milk, add the lemon juice and then beat in the eggs with a whisk. Add the passionfruit pulp and flavouring to the jug too.
Step 2 - Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture on low speed until just combined (do not overbeat). Divide among two tins and bake for 1 hour or until the centre springs back when touched. Cool completely.
Step 3 - Make the passion fruit curd allowing it time to cool and thicken. The quickest way is in the microwave and it's a bit of a leap of faith. Add all ingredients into a large bowl and whisk together. Heat in 1 minute intervals whisking between each minute. Mine took 4 minutes to come together and honestly it may look like it will never come together and then it does. If you're in a hurry place in metal jelly tins or pie plates and place in the fridge or freezer.
Step 4 - Then make the passion fruit buttercream. Beat the butter until smooth. Add the icing sugar, lemon juice and passion fruit flavouring and beat until fluffy.
Step 5 - Slice each cake in half horizontally. Place one on a serving plate and spread some buttercream on top. Then top with some passion fruit curd. Repeat with other layers and then spread buttercream around the cake. Press flaked coconut against butter cream. Store in fridge.