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Ever since I shared my Passion Fruit Martini Cupcakes recipe, I have had several requests for a larger cake version. So here it is, a Passion Fruit Martini Cake! As with the cupcakes, this cake is inspired by the most popular cocktail in the UK. The Passion Fruit Martini (which also goes by a much more risque name!) is a vanilla vodka cocktail with passion fruit juice, Passoa (a passion fruit liqueur), and lime juice. It’s also commonly served with a shot of prosecco. I've made this cake with a lime and vanilla sponge, then I've filled and topped it with both a fruity passion fruit curd and a sweet prosecco buttercream, to decorate I've added fresh passion fruit and some sprinkles. This is one of my favourite flavour combinations ever, I just love citrus and tropical flavours in cakes! This cake would make a fabulous celebration cake for a birthday or special event.

Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information

Make sure all your ingredients (particularly the butter and eggs) are at room temperature before you start baking.
You can use shop bought or homemade passion fruit curd to fill the cake. The one I used was bought from Waitrose. Lots of other brands sell it and you can buy it online too. If you're struggling to find it, lemon curd is also a tasty option!
I used a baking spread for the cake and unsalted butter for the buttercream.
If you can get hold of prosecco extract or flavouring for the buttercream (I got mine from Sainsburys and you can also get other brands online like Foodie Flavours) this provides a stronger flavour in the buttercream. You'll also need to add some milk to the buttercream to loosen it, around 2-3 tbsp.
Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales*. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons* and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to make Passion Fruit Martini Cake

To make the cake, mix the butter and sugar together until fluffy, then mix in the eggs, lime zest and vanilla extract.

Next, mix in the self raising flour, and divide the mixture between the cake tins.

Bake them, then leave them to cool. Before stacking them, brush each sponge with a lime juice syrup. To decorate, pipe the buttercream between the layers and drizzle over the passion fruit curd.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

Where can you get passion fruit curd from?

I bought a jar from Waitrose for this recipe. It is made by lots of brands and you can buy it online too in several places. If you want to make your own passion fruit curd, there are lots of recipes you can find via Google. If you make a big batch, leftovers would be delicious on toast, with meringue and whipped cream, or for a tropical twist on a Victoria Sandwich cake. Or if you can't find it at all, and you don't want to make it, use lemon curd instead.

How long does the cake last for and can it be frozen?

The cake will last for 2-3 days in an airtight container in a cool place. You can freeze both the cake and the buttercream. To freeze them separately, wrap the cake well in cling film or put it in an airtight container. The buttercream can be frozen in a sealed tub. To freeze it decorated, freeze the cake on a plate until frozen solid, then carefully wrap in cling film. Remove the cling film when you take the cake out of the freezer to defrost, as if it defrosts with it still on it could damage the buttercream. Or you can freeze slices of the cake, again well wrapped in cling film or in airtight containers.

Can you make the cake with plain/all purpose flour?

Self raising flour, which is very commonly used in the UK where I am based, already contains a raising agent and a little salt too. Therefore if you want to swap it for plain or all purpose flour, you will need to add some additional baking powder and also a little salt if you like. Some people like to add salt to cake recipes and some don't, so I'll leave that up to you as it won't affect the bake. The general advice is to add 2 teaspoons baking powder (a measuring teaspoon, not the kind you stir your coffee with) per every 200g plain or all purpose flour. So for this recipe I'd recommend adding 4 teaspoons baking powder. Please note, I have not tested this recipe using plain or all purpose flour.

Can the cake be made gluten or dairy free?

Yes! For gluten free you can replace the self raising flour with a gluten free self raising flour blend. If you only have a gluten free plain flour blend, you will need to add baking powder. The general advice is to add 2 tsp baking powder per 200g flour, so for this recipe I'd recommend adding 4 teaspoons baking powder. You may also like to add ½ tsp Xanthan Gum for better texture. For a dairy free version, use a dairy free baking spread for the cupcakes and the buttercream. Please check the labels of all the ingredients you use if you are serving this to someone with an allergy or intolerance.

Do you need an electric mixer to make this recipe?

No, you can absolutely make this recipe by hand. However, an electric mixer will help to beat more air into the cake batter making it lighter and giving it a better rise. It will also help the buttercream to be smoother and lighter too. You don't have to use an expensive stand mixer, there are lots of budget electric hand mixers that do a great job too!

Can this cake be made in different size cake tins?

Yes! If you would like to make this cake in different size tins, please check my Conversion Guide to find out how to adjust the cake recipe.

Can this cake be made into a two layer cake?

Yes! This cake recipe can be easily divided into a two layer (or even one layer) cake. Please check the recipe notes for the ingredient amounts.

Can this cake be made into cupcakes?

Yes! I have a Passion Fruit Martini Cupcake recipe that you can follow to make this recipe into cupcakes.

More tips for making the Passion Fruit Martini Cake:

I piped the buttercream onto the cake using a Wilton 8B nozzle, but you can use any piping you nozzle or spread it on with a spoon.
I decorated the cake with some fresh passion fruit seeds and bronze sprinkles. You could also decorate with halves of passion fruit, just like a real passion fruit martini! A sprinkle of lime zest would be an easy option. Or some popping candy would add a fun fizz effect!

Troubleshooting

If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!

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