More birthdays at work means more baked goods for my co-workers. Did I mention how glad I am to have a place that welcomes regular donations of high-calorie food? The only thing that causes an occasional problem is transportation - there are many treats that I’d like to bring but would be too difficult to maneuver in the car or on the bus. Still, cupcakes, cookies, bars, and simple cakes are manageable by any reckoning. I suppose this also helps save me from trying to get overly dramatic. The thought of myself, pre-coffee, trying to spin sugar at 8:00am…man, would that be one scary scene!
For the latest baking occasion, I decided to go a little tropical (and help usher in summer) by making a coconut layer cake with passion fruit curd filling and passion-fruit meringue frosting. It’s no secret that coconut and passion fruit are two of my favorite flavors, so I couldn’t resist the potential for an amazing combination. I’m glad to say that it was very good indeed, and the cake is on its way to being a new favorite.
The original recipe was for a single-layer cake that I split into two 8-inch pans. It was rich, buttery, and delicious; easily good enough to stand on its own with little or no accompaniment. For a simpler presentation, it can be made in one pan and decorated with a sprinkle of freshly grated coconut strips or just some sliced fresh fruit. I’m eager to make it again this way and serve it for casual visitors or just to keep around for nibbling (I suspect it would freeze well, too). It does bear mentioning that since the texture is that of a pound cake, some people may find it slightly on the dense side to use for layering. I’ll also add that my colleagues all enjoyed it immensely and one asked for the recipe, so the layering decision is probably best left to individual preference.
For the passion fruit curd filling, I made a departure from my usual curd recipe (as I had several egg yolks to use up) and used Emily Luchetti’s lemon curd recipe from Classic Stars Desserts, substituting passion fruit purée for the lemon juice. The meringue frosting is just ye olde classic 7-minute frosting but with passion fruit in place of the water. The lightness of the frosting was a good foil to the cake’s richness, and I bet whipped cream would be a tasty, equally lofty, and less sweet option.
The cake was easy to transport in a cake-carrier, and only frosting the top meant there was no worry about unsightly filling leakage or other mishaps. Everyone at work was intrigued by the passion fruit, as many people had never tasted it before, so I was glad to have introduced them to something unconventional yet tasty. And once it was cut, the whole thing was demolished in mere moments. That, of course, is the best compliment of all!
Coconut Cake with Passion Fruit Filling
Adapted from epicurious and Emily Luchetti
For coconut cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 large eggs at room temperature
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup unsweetened dried coconut
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 8- by 2-inch round cake pans (or one 10-inch cake or springform pan) and line bottom with a round of wax paper or parchment. Grease paper and dust pan with flour.
In a small bow, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a standing mixer, beat butter until creamy. Gradually beat in sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add vanilla, then eggs, one at a time.
Alternately add flour mixture and coconut milk in 3 batches, with mixer running on low speed. Then, increase speed to medium and beat batter 1 1/2 minutes, or until smooth. Fold in dried oconut.
Transfer batter to cake pans, dividing batter equally. Bake at 350º until lightly golden and tester comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Let cakes cool on rack for one hour, then invert onto rack (removing paper lining) and cool completely before filling.
When completely cooled, transfer one layer to serving dish. Spoon passion fruit curd onto center of cake, spreading to the edge with a spatula. Carefully place second layer atop curd, pressing down gently if you want a “dripping” effect. Top with any frosting, fruit, or nothing at all.
For passion fruit curd
4 large egg yolks
1 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup passion fruit purée
Place all ingredients in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan and stir to mix. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to thicken, about 5-7 minutes. When mixture is started to become thick, remove from heat and strain into a bowl. Refrigerate until completely chilled (mixture will thicken as it cools), about 1-2 hours.
For passion fruit seven-minute frosting
1 egg white, room temperature
3/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
3 tablespoons passion fruit purée
Whisk all ingredients together in a medium metal bowl. Place bowl over a double boiler or a saucepan filled with 2 inches of gently simmering water. Whisk continuously until mixture feels hot to the touch and the sugar has dissolved (the mixture will feel smooth rather than grainy between your fingers) - about 140º if you’re using a thermometer. Transfer bowl to an electric mixer and beat on medium-high speed for 5 minutes or until bowl is no longer hot at all - mixture will have become fluffy and marshmallow-like. Smooth over cake with a spatula. Refrigerate if not using right away, but do not let the frosting sit overnight - it is best eaten shortly after making. Also, be careful not to let it sit in a very warm room for a long time, as it may begin to wilt and lose its shape.
lovely, lovely!
June 22nd, 2008 at 6:42 am