Indulge in Tropical Bliss: The Ultimate Passion Fruit, White Chocolate & Coconut Layer Cake Recipe

There’s an undeniable charm to a beautifully crafted three-layer cake, especially when baked in 15cm/6-inch pans. These perfectly proportioned cakes offer an impressive height without being overwhelmingly large, making them ideal for a wide range of occasions, from intimate family gatherings to elegant celebrations. For many home bakers, 6-inch cake tins quickly become a go-to size, proving far more convenient than larger alternatives when you’re not feeding a massive crowd. Their ability to deliver a visually stunning presentation in a manageable serving size is truly a game-changer. I even dream of acquiring some truly 10cm ones to craft adorable, towering miniature cakes!

The Perfect Tropical Flavor Harmony

This delightful three-layer passion fruit, white chocolate, and coconut cake is a symphony of flavors and textures that transports you straight to a tropical paradise. Each element has been carefully chosen to create a rich, creamy, and wonderfully fresh dessert. It begins with tender, moist coconut cake layers, meticulously brushed with a vibrant passion fruit syrup. This syrup not only locks in moisture but also infuses every bite with an extra burst of exotic tang. Nestled between these layers is a luxurious, tangy passion fruit curd, its bright yellow hue a visual promise of the deliciousness within. Capping it all off is a silky, ethereal white chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream, adding a refined sweetness and a cloud-like finish. The combined effect is a rich, creamy indulgence perfectly balanced by the exhilarating freshness of passion fruit, making it an ideal treat for any occasion, especially vibrant, summery celebrations.

Crafting the Moist Coconut Cake Layers

The secret to this cake’s deep, authentic coconut flavor lies in a dual approach: incorporating both rich, full-fat coconut milk and finely shredded desiccated coconut directly into the batter. This combination ensures a profoundly moist crumb and an intense, natural coconut taste that permeates every layer. To further amplify the tropical notes, a hint of coconut extract can be added, though its inclusion is optional, and the cake will still be wonderfully fragrant and flavorful without it. The process begins by gently heating the coconut milk and allowing the desiccated coconut to steep within it. This crucial step not only softens the coconut but also ensures its essence fully infuses the liquid, creating a deeply aromatic foundation for your cake. Once cooled, this rich coconut mixture is then carefully folded into the batter, promising a cake that is moist, tender, and bursting with tropical goodness.

Tangy & Velvety Passion Fruit Curd: A Burst of Freshness

The bright, tangy passion fruit curd is a true highlight of this cake, providing a refreshing contrast to the richness of the coconut and white chocolate. Its vibrant yellow color adds to the cake’s sunny appeal, making it as beautiful to behold as it is delicious to eat. Surprisingly, this luscious curd is remarkably easy to make. The process involves simply whisking together fresh passion fruit pulp, a splash of lemon juice, eggs, egg yolks, and sugar, then gently stirring the mixture with cubed butter over a low heat. The key to achieving that perfect, silky consistency – much like a rich custard – is patience. You must stir continuously and, most importantly, resist the temptation to increase the heat too quickly. Allowing the mixture to boil will cause the eggs to curdle, resulting in an unfortunate batch of sweet scrambled eggs rather than a smooth, luxurious curd. With careful attention, you’ll be rewarded with a gorgeously tangy, creamy curd that is utterly irresistible.

Versatile Passion Fruit Curd: More Than Just a Cake Filling

This recipe thoughtfully yields a bit more passion fruit curd than you’ll need for the cake, and that’s certainly not a problem – it’s a delightful bonus! This excess curd is incredibly versatile and stores beautifully for up to two weeks in sterilized jars in the refrigerator, making it an ideal component to prepare ahead of time to streamline your baking process. However, be warned: in most households, these delectable leftovers don’t stand a chance of lasting that long! The curd is seriously good piled generously on warm toast, swirled through creamy yogurt for an exotic breakfast, or used as a vibrant filling for other desserts like tarts or cupcakes. And, if we’re being entirely honest, simply eating it by the spoonful is a perfectly acceptable (and highly recommended) indulgence! Should fresh passion fruit be difficult to find, or if you simply prefer a different citrus note, lemon curd makes a fantastic substitute, transforming this into an equally delicious lemon, coconut, and white chocolate cake.

Luxurious White Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream

The crowning glory of this tropical cake is the white chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream. Unlike traditional buttercreams, Swiss meringue buttercream is celebrated for its incredibly smooth, light, and silky texture, along with its remarkable stability. It’s a dream to work with, pipes beautifully, and melts exquisitely in your mouth. The addition of high-quality white chocolate elevates its creamy richness, providing a delicate sweetness that perfectly complements the bold flavors of passion fruit and the comforting notes of coconut. You might find yourself with a little extra buttercream after frosting your cake, which is excellent news! This particular buttercream freezes exceptionally well. Simply store it in an airtight container, and when you need it for an unexpected dessert emergency or just a quick batch of cupcakes, let it thaw to room temperature and then re-whip it until it’s perfectly smooth and fluffy again. This elegant frosting not only adds a touch of sophistication but also ties all the vibrant flavors of the cake together with its luscious, creamy embrace.

Expert Tips for a Flawless Tropical Layer Cake

Pan Perfection: Using 15cm/6-inch round cake pans is key for achieving the impressive height and perfect proportions of this layer cake. Always grease and line your pans meticulously to ensure easy release.
Enhanced Coconut Flavor: For the most pronounced coconut taste, ensure you use full-fat coconut milk and good quality, unsweetened desiccated coconut. The initial step of boiling the milk and steeping the coconut is crucial for infusing flavor and softening the coconut flakes.
Curd Craftsmanship: When preparing the passion fruit curd, maintain a low heat and stir constantly with a heat-resistant spatula to prevent scorching and ensure even thickening. Avoid letting it boil at all costs to prevent curdling. A thermometer helps ensure it reaches the right consistency without overcooking.
Syrup Saturation: Don’t underestimate the power of the passion fruit drizzle! Generously brush the syrup onto your warm cake layers, poking holes with a toothpick to help it soak in. This step is vital for adding extra moisture and intensifying the cake’s tropical flavor.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream Troubleshooting: A perfectly clean bowl is non-negotiable for stable meringue. When adding the butter, your buttercream might look separated or soupy – this is normal! Keep whisking, and it will miraculously transform into a smooth, silky consistency. If it stays soupy, chill for 15-30 minutes, then re-whip. If it remains curdled, melt a small portion and slowly drizzle it back in while whisking at high speed.
Patience with Cooling: Always allow your cake layers to cool completely in their tins on a wire rack before attempting to unmold or frost them. Rushing this step can lead to crumbling cakes and melted buttercream.
Precise Assembly: For a clean and professional finish, use piping bags for both the white chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream and the passion fruit curd. Pipe a dam of buttercream around the edge of each cake layer before filling with curd to prevent it from oozing out.
Choosing Passion Fruit: Look for passion fruit that feels heavy for its size and has slightly wrinkled skin, indicating ripeness. Smooth, unwrinkled fruit might not be as flavorful or juicy.

The Recipe: Passion Fruit, White Chocolate & Coconut Layer Cake

Passion fruit, white chocolate and coconut layer cake

5 from 1 vote

Passion Fruit, White Chocolate & Coconut Layer Cake

serves 10

Author Domestic Gothess

Ingredients

Passion Fruit Curd

The pulp of 6 large passion fruit (about 120ml/1/2 cup)
juice of ½ a lemon
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
150 g (¾ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
100 g (1 stick) butter, cubed

Cakes

150 ml (½ + ⅛ cup) full fat coconut milk
40 g (½ cup) unsweetened desiccated coconut
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp coconut extract optional
200 g (1 cup) caster (superfine) sugar
170 g (⅔ cup + 1 tbsp) softened butter
2 large eggs
200 g (1 + ⅔ cup) plain flour
1 ¾ tsp baking powder

Passion Fruit Drizzle

3 large passion fruit
30 ml (2 tbsp) water
25 g (2 tbsp) sugar

White Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream

3 medium egg whites
140 g (¾ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
210 g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) butter, softened but still cool
150 (5 oz) white chocolate, chopped
1 tsp vanilla paste

Instructions

To Make The Passion Fruit Curd

Whisk together the passion fruit pulp, lemon juice, eggs, yolks and sugar in a heavy bottomed saucepan until smooth. Add the butter and place the pan over a low heat. Stir constantly until the butter has melted and the curd has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon; it should be the consistency of custard. Do not allow the mixture to boil or it may curdle. Pour the hot curd into a couple of sterilised jars and keep in the fridge.

Make The Cakes

Place the coconut milk in a small pan and bring to the boil, remove from the heat and stir in the desiccated coconut then the vanilla and coconut extracts. Set aside for about half an hour until the mixture has cooled and the desiccated coconut has softened.
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4, grease three 15cm/6in round cake tins and line the bases and sides with greaseproof paper.
Beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Fold it into the butter mixture a little at a time, alternating with spoonfuls of the cooled coconut mixture.
Divide the batter between the prepared tins and level it, bake in the centre of the oven for 20-25 minutes, until risen and golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
While the cakes are baking make the passion fruit syrup. Press the passion fruit pulp through a sieve to extract the juice, really scrape the seeds to get as much juice as possible.
Place the juice in a small pan (discard the seeds) with the water and sugar, heat until the sugar has dissolved.
When the cakes are baked, place them on a wire rack (in their tins) and poke holes all over the surface with a toothpick. Brush the cakes with the syrup, giving them several coats until you have used all of the syrup. Leave the cakes to cool in their tins before turning out and removing the paper.

To Make The White Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Melt the white chocolate either in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, or in short bursts in the microwave, set aside while you make the meringue.
Place the egg whites and sugar in a large, spotlessly clean heatproof bowl (the bowl of your stand mixer if you have one) and place the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, do not let the base of the bowl touch the water. Gently whisk the mixture until the sugar has dissolved, if you rub some between your fingers you shouldn’t feel any graininess. It should reach 60C/140F on a thermometer.
Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk on a high speed with an electric mixer until it has formed a thick, glossy meringue and is completely cool to the touch, about 10 minutes.
Turn the speed down to low and add the butter a tablespoon at a time, whisking well after each addition, until you have added all the butter and the buttercream has become smooth and silky. It may become soupy or curdled looking, just keep whisking and it will come back together. (If it doesn’t, you may need to add a couple of tablespoons more of butter. Or if it remains soupy, refrigerate it for 15-30 minutes then carry on whisking on a high speed. If it remains curdled, place a couple of heaped tablespoons of the mixture in a separate bowl and microwave it until it melts, then drizzle it back into the rest of the buttercream slowly, while whisking on a high speed.)
Once the buttercream is smooth, whisk in the vanilla paste on a low speed, then fold in the white chocolate (which by now should have cooled, but still be melted).
Place the buttercream in a piping bag fitted with a large, plain nozzle.

Assemble

Scoop some of the passion fruit curd into a piping bag and snip off the corner just wide enough for the pips to pass through.
Place one cake layer on a cake stand or serving platter, pipe blobs of buttercream all over the surface (pipe a ring of blobs around the edge then another inside that etc), drizzle over a very generous amount of the passion fruit curd. Top with another cake layer and repeat, then again with the final layer.

Presentation & Serving Suggestions

Once assembled, this Passion Fruit, White Chocolate & Coconut Layer Cake is more than just a dessert; it’s a captivating centerpiece that commands attention. The vibrant, golden yellow of the passion fruit curd beautifully peeks out between the pristine, creamy white layers of buttercream, creating an inviting and visually stunning contrast. To further enhance its presentation, consider adorning the top with a few halves of fresh passion fruit, a delicate sprinkle of toasted coconut flakes, or elegant white chocolate shavings. This cake is perfectly suited for a wide array of occasions, from lively summer garden parties and sophisticated birthday celebrations to simply serving as a luxurious, well-deserved treat to brighten any ordinary weekend. Each meticulously crafted slice offers a delightful journey through tropical flavors and luxurious textures – promising a truly unforgettable experience for all senses.

We hope you thoroughly enjoy the process of baking and the sheer delight of savoring this magnificent tropical creation. It’s a recipe designed to bring a little sunshine and a lot of happiness to every plate!

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