We pick our Panama Gold passionfruit from late summer (February) to early winter (June). Ours are generous vines and we always have plenty to gift visitors and neighbours if they have a passion for the fruit.
This recipe was developed in late April, when we finally felt the welcome cooler temperatures of autumn creep in after a long hot summer — even on the mountain where it has been unseasonably warm. The cool change was also accompanied by a little overdue rain. So, in light of the weather, we naturally craved a piece of warm cake (made with healthy ingredients, of course) and a cup of hot tea, and we set about making something delicious.
We enjoyed the cake with a spoonful of goat’s milk yoghurt and a drizzle of honey. But, for an utterly decadent touch, here I’ve added a luscious passionfruit curd to this quick and easy-to-make-and-bake gluten-free cake recipe.
Coconut and almond cake with passionfruit lime curd
gluten free | dairy-free option
Coconut almond cake
150 g golden caster sugar
3 eggs
150 ml organic coconut oil, melted and cooled
100 g buckwheat flour, sifted
200 g raw almond meal
50 g shredded coconut
1 scant teaspoon baking powder, sifted
1 scant teaspoon bi carb, sifted
½ teaspoon vanilla powder or paste
150 g plain yoghurt (goat, sheep or coconut are fine here)
Passionfruit lime curd
makes about 1½ cups
3 egg yolks
½ cup golden castor sugar
½ cup passionfruit pulp
30 ml lime juice (about 1 lime)
60 g organic coconut oil, solid and cold from the refrigerator
To make the cake, preheat the oven to 160 degrees. Grease and line a 20 cm round cake tin with baking paper. Place the sugar and eggs in a stand mixer, and mix on high until pale and thick, for about 3–4 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly drizzle the coconut oil in to incorporate. This process is similar to preparing mayonnaise. Remove the bowl and add the flour, meal, coconut, leaveners, vanilla and yoghurt. Gently fold the ingredients into the emulsion, until just mixed through. Scrape the batter into the cake tin and bake for 30 minutes or until you can insert a skewer and it comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 20 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the curd, whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl until pale and thick, for about 3–4 minutes. Transfer the egg mixture to a medium heavy-based saucepan and heat on a medium heat. Add the passionfruit and lime, and continue to whisk until thick — similar to the consistency of thick custard — for about 5–6 minutes. It is important you don’t let the curd overheat; if you have a thermometer, make sure the curd is no hotter than 160 degrees. Remove from the heat and whisk in the solid coconut oil, one heaped teaspoon at a time. Wait until the oil is fully incorporated before adding the next spoonful. Cool and pour into a jar, screw the lid on and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. When you serve the cake, place 2 tablespoons of curd in a bowl and beat with a whisk to loosen. Use a spatula to spread the curd over the top of the cake. Serve.