Passionfruit Curd Cakes

Over the weekend, I was back in the kitchen. It's been some weeks since I created a yummy sweet treat to enjoy and a family lunch for our niece's seventh birthday was just about the best excuse to get baking again. Being an occasion for the young ones, I wanted to take along a little something more for the adults. As it turned out, this one pleased both young and old.

I have flicked past this recipe many a time, during a search for that elusive 'perfect' cake to try. I realised it may have been my reluctance to attempt anything with the word 'curd' in it's name. Such an unattractive word and in my ignorance I failed to appreciate the beauty that is curd. Upon closer inspection I discovered this recipe actually calls for some of my favourite ingredients. And boy, have I been missing out. This, is a cake for passionfruit lovers, it literally oozes with the stuff. Filled with relatively basic ingredients and fairly simple steps. The only consideration being the number of steps involved... there are a few. But SO worth it. Sweet and soft and creamy and DELICIOUS. My Women's Weekly Cupcakes & Cookies pocket cookbook does it again.

Passionfruit Curd Cakes

90g butter, softened

1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar

2 eggs

1 cup (150g) self-raising flour

1/4 cup (60ml) passionfruit pulp*

85g packet passionfruit jelly

1 cup (250ml) boiling water

1 cup (80g) desiccated coconut

1/2 cup (125ml) thickened cream, whipped**

Passionfruit Curd

2 eggs, beaten lightly

1/3 cup (75g) caster sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 cup (60ml) passionfruit pulp

60g butter, chopped coarsely

Make passionfruit curd

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180/160 degrees fan-forced

Line a 12 hole muffin pan with paper cases

Combine butter, sugar, eggs and flour in small bowl of electric mixer

Beat on low speed until ingredients are just combined

Increase speed to medium

Beat until mixture is changed to a paler colour

Stir in passionfruit pulp

Divide mixture among cases, smooth surface

Bake about 20 minutes

Turn cakes top-side up, onto wire rack to cool

Dissolve jelly in boiling water

Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until set to the 

consistency of unbeaten egg white

Remove cases from cakes

Roll cakes in jelly

Leave cakes to stand in jelly about 15 minutes,

turning occasionally

Roll cakes in coconut; place on wire rack over tray

Refrigerate 30 minutes

Passionfruit Curd (method)

Combine ingredients in small heatproof bowl

Place over small saucepan of simmering water

Stir constantly until mixture thickens slightly and

coats the back of a spoon

Remove from heat

Cover tightly; refrigerate curd until cold

* Instead of using fresh passionfruit, I used a can of John West passionfruit pulp in syrup... did the job perfectly

** Whenever I whip cream I cannot help myself from turning it into chantilly cream, 

adding a few drops of vanilla extract & a tablespoonful of icing sugar... so SO tasty