
This chocolate passionfruit cake is rich and delicious. It actually came about because I had just so much passionfruit pulp leftover from making my Mango Passionfruit Entremet Cakes that used a passionfruit gelee for the center. This chocolate passionfruit cake can be made in a regular size three tiered cake, or you can use a ring mold to make 3 mini cakes, which is what I did as they are the perfect 2 person sharing dessert. Yes, that’s right, this is a fantastic date night dessert to really impress someone.
The chocolate cake is just my standard and favorite Best Chocolate Cake, which incidentally is one of the most popular recipes here on Cooking To Entertain. I always make it for any recipe that uses chocolate cake in some way. Of course, I didn’t make a chocolate frosting this time as the filling in between the layers is a simple passionfruit curd.

Chocolate Passionfruit Cake – 4 Ways Of Passionfruit Usage
So for this recipe we are using passionfruit four different ways. Don’t worry, one of them is just fresh passionfruit pulp so you only need 3 separate recipes. These are:
Passionfruit Curd: This is used in between the chocolate cake layers, as well as the flavor for the passionfruit whipped cream.
Passionfruit Creme Anglaise: This is a super delicious way to spruce up cakes (especially chocolate) and is used as a base on the plate before you put the cake down.
Passionfruit Whipped Cream: This is a dense whipped cream that we are using instead of frosting for this cake. After all, the chocolate is rich enough we don’t want it to be TOO heavy.
Passionfruit Pulp: And finally, the fresh passionfruit pulp. You’ll need about 400 grams in total to make all components of this cake. Of course there will be some leftover curd and creme anglaise, which both hold well in the fridge.

The first thing you should make is the passionfruit curd. This is super easy, and it stores well in the fridge. Therefore you can use it for more recipes other than this cake. Some specialty stores sell passionfruit curd as well, so if you want to go for store-bought that is okay.
For the curd you need about 50 grams of passonfruit pulp strained from the seeds. You also need lemon juice, sugar, butter, and egg yolks. The recipe is quite simple, but it does take about a half hour so it’s best to do this the morning of, or even the day before. Otherwise it is like making any other fruit curd.

The passionfruit creme anglaise is similar to my recipe for blood orange creme anglaise, which I made specifically for my Blood Orange Cointreau Souffle. For this you only need 30 grams (about 2 tbsp) of seedless passionfruit pulp. Then it’s a simple method of making creme anglaise using the passionfruit pulp for the main flavor.

To assemble the cake just set down your layers. If you are making mini cakes like me, use a ring mold to cut three mini layers out of each larger layer. Then put down a layer, a thin spread of passionfruit curd, and repeat for three layers per cake.

To make the passionfruit whipped cream is probably the easiest step. I used a stand mixer and just mixed 2 tbsp of passionfruit curd with 200 ml of heavy cream. I let it run until a thick whipped cream formed. Then I used an offset spatula to spread it around and on top of the cake.
Plating
To plate the cake pour down some passionfruit creme anglaise directly on the plate that you will serve. Then set the cake right in the middle. Pour on top some fresh passionfruit pulp with the seeds and let it flow over the sides. Serve chilled and enjoy.


Chocolate Passionfruit Cake
Equipment
- Cake Molds
- Ring Molds (optional)
- Baking Tray
- Oven
- Stand Mixer (optional)
- Whisk
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 180 grams Flour AP
- 120 grams Cocoa Powder
- 5 grams Salt
- 5 grams Vanilla Powder
- 6 grams Baking Soda
- 2 grams Baking Powder
- 300 ml Beer porter or stout
- 225 grams Butter unsalted
- 300 grams Granulated Sugar
- 3 large Eggs
- 100 ml Mayonnaise
Passonfruit Curd
- 50 ml Passionfruit Pulp strained from the seeds
- 25 ml Lemon Juice
- 50 grams Sugar
- 75 grams Butter unsalted
- 4 Egg Yolks
Passionfruit Creme Anglaise
- 2 large Egg Yolks
- 225 ml Heavy Cream
- 65 grams Granulated Sugar
- 30 grams Passionfruit Pulp strained from seeds
Passionfruit Whipped Cream
- 2 tbsp Passionfruit Curd
- 200 ml Heavy Cream aka whipping cream.
Passionfruit Topping
- 200 ml Passionfruit Pulp with seeds (In total you will need about 300 ml of passionfruit pulp more or less. It's about 12-15 passionfruits depending on the size.
Instructions
Passionfruit Curd
- Make the passionfruit curd first as it can be stored and chilled for a long time. Make a double boiler and put the passionfruit pulp and the sugar in the top bowl. Stir to combine while it heats up.
- In a separate bowl whisk together the egg yolks and the lemon juice. Then slowly trickle the hot passionfruit pulp into the egg yolk mixture whisking constantly to avoid cooking the eggs. When everything is combined, pour the mixture back into the top bowl of the double boiler.
- Lower the heat to a simmer and add the butter. Whisk the contents constantly for about 15-20 minutes, or until thick (curd consistency).
- Place the curd in a glass jar and set in the fridge to chill.
Passionfruit Creme Anglaise
- In a saucepan on the lowest heat setting add the heavy cream, sugar, and egg yolks. Use a rubber spatula to mix everything together constantly stirring so the eggs to scramble. Make sure to scrape the spatula along the bottom at all times so no part of the sauce overheats.
- After about 2 minutes add the strained passionfruit pulp and stir for another 3-4 minutes, or until the perfect consistency.
- Strain the Crème Anglaise through a fine mesh sieve into a ramekin or other container. Place plastic wrap directly on top of the liquid so a film does not develop. Place in the fridge to chill.
Chocolate Cake
- Using a stand mixer with whisk attachment cream together the butter and the sugar until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time on low speed until mixed.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla powder, and salt.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients into the stand mixer on low speed, scraping down the sides when need be. Add the beer during this time as well. I jump between adding some dry, then some beer, then some dry and so forth until everything is combined. Add the mayonnaise at this point and let it combine, then turn off the mixer.
- Preheat your oven to 160 degrees Celsius. In three cake tins butter the bottoms and edges then pour the batter evenly into each of the three tins. Place in the oven to bake for 35 minutes. Do the toothpick test to check for done-ness.
- Remove the cakes from the tins and place on a wire wrack to cool. The cakes should be completely cool (room temperature) before you begin or it will ruin the curd and whipped cream. If you are making mini cakes you also should wait until the cakes are cool before cutting out disks.
Passionfruit Whipped Cream
- In the stand mixer add the passionfruit curd (now chilled) and the heavy whipping cream. Whip until a thick whip cream is formed.
Chocolate Passionfruit Cake Assembly
- Lay down a layer of cake then spread a thin amount of passionfruit curd on top. Repeat for all three layers.
- "Frost" with the passionfruit whipped cream.
- On your serving plate pour a little passionfruit creme anglaise. Just enough to thinly coat the bottom of the plate.
- Place the cake on the middle of the plate. Pour over fresh passionfruit pulp and let it drip off the sides. Serve chilled.