This Passion Fruit Cake is moist, fluffy and bursting with flavor! An easy cake made with fresh passion fruit and drizzled with fruit syrup, it’s the perfect summertime dessert.
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Can anything compare with the unique and exotic flavour of passion fruit? Sweet yet tart and bursting with tropical sunshine.
This easy Passion Fruit cake recipe is packed with fresh passionfruit pulp in both the batter and frosting.
Add passion fruit syrup drizzle and you have a delicious cake that’s fluffy, moist and shot through with zesty flavor.
What’s more, it is SUCH and easy cake – you don’t even need a mixer! This has got to be contender for my favorite summer cake – one bite you are sure to fall in love too.
Here’s what you will need
I used a deep 8 inch cake pan for this recipe then sliced the cake to create two layers using a cake leveller. The passion fruit syrup can be prepared ahead of time and it’s a must for adding intense flavor!
- Fresh passion fruit – you will need at least eight! Remember that those with slightly wrinkly skin are riper and sweeter. We will be using their pulp in the batter, frosting and to make the syrup.
- The cake uses everyday ingredients: self raising flour, sugar, butter, eggs and milk in addition to the passion fruit pulp.
- The frosting is made of mascarpone (or cream cheese), heavy cream a little powdered sugar and vanilla bean paste. Then you fold in fresh pulp or some of my passionfruit jam – it is so delicious!
- The syrup is made with sugar, passion fruit and a little water or lime juice.
HOW TO MAKE PASSION FRUIT CAKE
Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!
Make the passion fruit syrup
Add the passion fruit pulp, sugar and lime juice to a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Take off the heat and let it cool down completely. The syrup will thicken as it cools.
Prepare the cake
Preheat the oven to 320°F/ 160°C. Mist an 8 inch deep cake pan with cake release and line with baking paper. Sift the self raising flour into a mixing bowl. Add the sugar and stir to combine.
Add the cubed butter and rub it in with your fingertips as you would if you were making crumble. You want to create a fine breadcrumb consistency. You could also do this in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Now add the milk, passion fruit pulp and eggs. Stir to combine until the batter is smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and level. Bake in the middle of the oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the is golden and feels firm to the touch. A skewer or toothpick inserted in the centre should come out clean.
Run a knife around the edge of the cake tin and gently turn the cake out onto a wire rack. Make sure the cake has completely cooled down before slicing in half horizontally.
Make the frosting
Place the mascarpone, heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla bean paste into a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on a low speed setting until the frosting holds peaks. Don’t over-whip. Stir passion fruit pulp into the frosting and keep chilled until you are ready to use it.
Assemble the Passion Fruit cake
Put the bottom cake layer on a plate or cake stand and brush with the syrup.
Spread with a generous amount of frosting and sandwich with the top layer.
Spread the remaining frosting on top of the cake and swirl it. Drizzle with passion fruit syrup. Decorate with halved passion fruit or edible flowers and serve!
TIPS & VARIATIONS
This cake is sliced in half in the manner of a Victoria Sponge. But if you would rather skip the frosting and serve the cake whole, you can turn this into a Passion Fruit Drizzle cake!
Use a skewer to make holes all over the cake. Drizzle the cake with syrup while it is still warm and still in the cake tin. Allow the cake to cool before turning out – be careful because the top will be sticky!
If you want to make a triple layered passionfruit cake then follow my Pornstar Martini Cake recipe!
Passionate about passion fruit? Try these recipes!
HAVE YOU MADE MY PASSION FRUIT CAKE RECIPE? Please leave a rating, post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram with @supergolden88 and the tag #supergoldenbakes and make my day!
Passion Fruit Cake
Equipment & Tools
Ingredients
Passion Fruit Syrup
- 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
- 60 g (¼ cup) passion fruit pulp from 3 large fruit
- 2 tbsp lime juice
For the Cake
- 260 g (2 cups) self raising flour or see notes
- 250 g ( 1 ¼ cup) sugar caster or granulated
- 2 large eggs
- 115 g (½ cup) cold unsalted butter cubed
- 60 ml (¼ cup) milk
- 60 g (¼ cup) passion fruit pulp from 3 large fruit
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Frosting
- 250 g (1 cup) full fat mascarpone cheese or cream cheese
- 240 ml (1 cup) cream heavy / double cream, cold
- 5 tbsp powdered sugar icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
- 60 g (¼ cup) passion fruit pulp from 3 large fruit
To decorate (optional)
- fresh passion fruit
- mini meringues
Instructions
MAKE THE PASSION FRUIT SYRUP
- Add the passion fruit pulp, sugar and lime juice to a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Take off the heat and let it cool down completely. The syrup will thicken as it cools.
PREPARE THE CAKE
- Preheat the oven to 320°F/ 160°C. Mist an 8 inch deep cake pan with cake release and line with baking paper. Sift the self raising flour into a mixing bowl. Add the sugar and stir to combine.
- Add the cubed butter and rub it in with your fingertips as you would if you were making crumble. You want to create a fine breadcrumb consistency. You could also do this in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Now add the milk, passion fruit pulp and eggs. Stir to combine until the batter is smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and level. Bake in the middle of the oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the is golden and feels firm to the touch. A skewer or toothpick inserted in the centre should come out clean.
- Run a knife around the edge of the cake tin and gently turn the cake out onto a wire rack. Make sure the cake has completely cooled down before slicing in half horizontally.
MAKE THE FROSTING
- Place the mascarpone, heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla bean paste into a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on a low speed setting until the frosting holds peaks. Don’t over-whip. Stir passion fruit pulp into the frosting and keep chilled until you are ready to use it.
ASSEMBLE THE PASSION FRUIT CAKE
- Put the bottom cake layer on a plate or cake stand and brush with the syrup.
- Spread with a generous amount of frosting and sandwich with the top layer.
- Spread the remaining frosting on top of the cake and swirl it. Drizzle with passion fruit syrup. Decorate with halved passion fruit or edible flowers and serve!
Shirley DeWolf says
Hello. I would love to try this recipe but I do not have self raising flour on hand. How can I substitute?
Lucy Parissi says
Hi – you can use all purpose / plain flour plus two teaspoons of baking powder.
Spencer says
It’s so unique, and it opens up a whole world of amazing tropical flavors that I had no idea belonged on a cake!