This Passion Fruit Cake recipe yields a moist, passion fruit-flavored cake with a passion fruit curd and vanilla bean mascarpone whipped cream. This passion fruit cake can be dressed up for a special occasion, like a birthday, or dressed down for everyday snacking.
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I was having major FOMO when I saw folks, like Kassie from @ibakemistakes, in California on Instagram baking with passion fruit that they plucked from trees there. I went on a major hunt to find some here in Nebraska, which is not known for its produce availability. Luckily, I can count on Whole Foods for unusual produce. I sent Cody out to get some, not realizing how expensive it would be for how many I would need for a whole cake. So although I put some of those to use in this cake, I also sought a cheaper swap. I found that Walmart sells frozen passion fruit cubes. It is essentially the pulp, sans seeds and it is just as flavorful. I cooked it down, reducing it by half to use in this recipe.
I used the same cake base from my Coconut Snack Cake, but gave it a passion fruit upgrade. I wanted to keep it light for the frosting so I adapted Red Currant Bakery’s mascarpone whipped cream and added even more mascarpone for richness. If you can’t find mascarpone, you can use cream cheese, or you can make a traditional cream cheese frosting, like the one from my Easy Strawberry Crunch Cupcakes.
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Why you’ll love this recipe
- This cake is flavored naturally with real passion fruit.
- This recipe does not require a stand mixer.
- The whipped cream frosting has a light texture but also has a rich, creamy flavor.
Ingredients
- Cake flour brings a tender crumb to the cake.
- Vegetable oil provides moisture that lasts to the cake.
- Granulated sugar sweetens the cake and the curd.
- The kosher salt and vanilla bean paste/extract balance the overall flavor profile.
- Eggs give structure to the cake.
- Sour cream gives moisture and richness to the cake.
- Passion fruit provides flavor to the cake and curd.
- Powdered sugar sweetens the cake and the whipped cream.
- Baking powder gives rise to the cake.
- Lemon juice brings even more tartness to the curd.
- Unsalted butter brings richness to the curd.
- Mascarpone brings richness and structure to the whipped cream.
- Heavy whipping cream is the base of the frosting.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and variations
Here’s how to customize this cake to your liking:
- Coconut frosting — make the coconut frosting from my Coconut Snack Cake.
- Layers — this cake can be made in one layer or cut in two for filling in the middle.
- No sour cream — swap for full fat greek yogurt.
- Just egg whites — this cake can be made with just egg whites, no yolks, if necessary.
- Passion fruit — for the cake, I used this frozen passion fruit, defrosted it then cooked it down in a saucepan to reduce by half before measuring. You can also use fresh passionfruit (it is just more expensive.) I used half real passion fruit pulp in the curd to have the seeds.
- Cake soak — make a cake soak with ¼ cup passionfruit pulp and equal parts water and sugar, cooked into a simple syrup. Strain out the seeds and douse the cooled cake layers in it before assembly.
- No curd — omit the curd or make a passion fruit jam instead.
This recipe has not been tested with any substitutions or variations. If you try any, please let me know how it turned out by commenting below!
How to make passion fruit cake
Step 1: In a large bowl, combine the vegetable oil and sugar and whisk until incorporated. Add the eggs one by one, mixing with beaters (or by hand) to fully incorporate before adding another then whisk for a full minute, until it’s light and creamy. Add the salt, vanilla and passion fruit pulp, and whisk until combined. Add the sour cream and whisk again. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cake flour, powdered sugar and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients and fold into the batter with a rubber spatula until smooth. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 40-48 minutes at 350°F, until a cake tester comes out clean and the top is golden brown.
Step 2: In a heatproof bowl, add all of the passion fruit curd ingredients except the butter. Beat together with a silicone whisk and place the bowl over a bain-marie (a saucepan with one inch of water in the bottom that does not touch the bowl when the bowl is placed on top) over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, this can take 10-15 minutes. Remove the bowl carefully from the heat. Add the butter and stir in. Pour into a clean, heat-proof bowl and cover with plastic wrap or parchment, making sure it touches the surface to prevent a skin forming. Cool in the refrigerator until completely chilled.
Step 3: In a stand mixer or large bowl with beaters add the mascarpone and ⅓ cup of the heavy cream. Beat together until there are no lumps. Remove this mixture to a separate bowl. In the bowl you whipped in, add the rest of the whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla bean paste. Beat until stiff peaks. Add the beaten mascarpone into the whipped cream. Beat just until combined.
Step 4: Slice the cake in half with a sharp serrated knife to make two even layers. Pipe or spoon a border of the cream on top of the bottom layer. Fill with some of the passion fruit curd. Place the final layer of cake on top. Pipe or spoon as much or as little of the mascarpone whipped cream on top (you may have some leftover) and spoon on the remaining passion fruit curd. Decorate with passion fruit halves and fresh flowers, if desired.
Hot tips
- I used this frozen passion fruit, defrosted it then cooked it down in a saucepan to reduce by half before measuring. You can also use fresh passionfruit (it is just more expensive.)
- If you want the black seeds in your curd you can just supplement the frozen passion fruit with the seeded pulp from one or two fresh passion fruits. Alternatively, if you are using all fresh passion fruit pulp and do NOT want the seeds in it, you can strain them out before or after cooking.
- To substitute the cake flour for all-purpose flour, use 2 tablespoons less of all-purpose flour.
Recipe FAQs
You can, but it can get expensive. I used a mix of real passion fruit pulp and this frozen passion fruit. I defrosted it then cooked it down in a saucepan to reduce by half before measuring, which is also optional.
Yes, if swapping all-purpose flour for cake flour just use 2 tablespoons less of all-purpose.
Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
More recipes you’ll love
Lastly, if you make this Passion Fruit Cake recipe be sure to leave a comment or give it a rating. I love to see when people make my recipes, so please tag me @youthsweets on Instagram if you post!
📖 Recipe
Passion fruit cake
Ingredients
Passion fruit cake
- 1 cup vegetable oil (216g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (205g)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- ¾ cup sour cream (173g)
- ¼ cup passion fruit pulp* see note (65g)
- 2 cups cake flour (250g)
- ¼ cup powdered sugar** (32g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
Passion fruit curd
- ½ cup passion fruit pulp (about 3-4 passion fruits)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50g)
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (86g) room temperature, sliced
Vanilla bean mascarpone whipped cream
- 8 oz mascarpone room temperature (226g)
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream (476g) cold
- ½ cup powdered sugar (100g)
- 2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Instructions
Do ahead
- Grease and line a 9×9 baking dish (metal is preferable) with parchment paper with overhang (if you plan to remove the cake from the tin for serving).
Make the cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, combine the vegetable oil and sugar and whisk until incorporated.
- Add the eggs one by one, mixing with beaters (or by hand) to fully incorporate before adding another then whisk for a full minute, until it’s light and creamy.
- Add the salt, vanilla and passion fruit pulp, and whisk until combined. Add the sour cream and whisk again.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the cake flour, powdered sugar and baking powder.
- Add the dry ingredients and fold into the batter with a rubber spatula until smooth. Pour into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 40-48 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean and the top is golden brown.
Make the passion fruit curd
- In a heatproof bowl, add all of the passion fruit curd ingredients except the butter. Beat together with a silicone whisk.
- Place the bowl over a bain-marie (a saucepan with one inch of water in the bottom that does not touch the bowl when the bowl is placed on top) over medium heat.
- Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, this can take 10-15 minutes. Once thickened, remove the bowl carefully from the heat. Add the butter and stir until the butter is completely melted in and combined.
- Pour into a clean, heat-proof bowl and cover with plastic wrap or parchment, making sure it touches the surface to prevent a skin forming. Cool in the refrigerator until completely chilled.
- Make the vanilla bean mascarpone whipped cream
- In a stand mixer or large bowl with beaters add the mascarpone and ⅓ cup of the heavy cream. Beat together until there are no lumps. Remove this mixture to a separate bowl.
- In the bowl you whipped in, add the rest of the whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla bean paste. Beat until stiff peaks.
- Add the beaten mascarpone into the whipped cream. Beat just until combined.
Assemble
- At this point, you can either slice the cake in half to fill it or leave it whole and just top it with the curd and cream. I chose to slice mine in half to fill it for more filling in each bite.
- Slice the cake in half with a sharp serrated knife to make two even layers.
- Pipe or spoon a border of the cream on top of the bottom layer. Fill with some of the passion fruit curd. Place the final layer of cake on top.
- Pipe or spoon as much or as little of the mascarpone whipped cream on top (you may have some leftover) and spoon on the remaining passion fruit curd. Decorate with passion fruit halves and fresh flowers, if desired.
