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    Passion Fruit Martini Cake

    18/12/2020 by thebakingexplorer 8 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
    Passion Fruit Martini Cake

    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.

    This post may contain affiliate links. I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Passion Fruit Martini Cake

    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 cupcakes. Waitrose 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.

    Click on the image to order your copy!
    Passion Fruit Martini Cake

    Where can you get passion fruit curd from?

    My favourite is my Homemade Passion Fruit Curd, it's creamy, sweet and so zingy! You can also buy it from Waitrose. You can buy it online too in several places. 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!

    Passion Fruit Martini Cake

    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!
    Passion Fruit Martini Cake

    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!

    Recommended equipment & ingredients

    • 8″ cake tins
    • Mixing bowls
    • Cooling rack
    • Kitchen scales
    • Electric hand mixer
    • Piping bags
    • Zester
    • Prosecco flavouring
    • Passion fruit curd

    I earn a small amount of money if you buy the products after clicking on the links. You will not be charged anything extra for this. Thank you for supporting The Baking Explorer!

    Passion Fruit Martini Cake

    More passion fruit recipes...

    • Passion Fruit Martini Cupcakes
    • Passion Fruit Martini Cheesecake
      Passion Fruit Martini Cheesecake (No Bake)
    • Passion Fruit Tart
      Passion Fruit Tart (No Bake)
    • Homemade Passion Fruit Curd
      Homemade Passion Fruit Curd
    Passion Fruit Martini Cake

    Passion Fruit Martini Cake

    Zesty passion fruit and lime cake with prosecco buttercream
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: British
    Keyword: Cake
    Prep Time: 1 hour hour
    Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes
    Servings: 16
    Author: thebakingexplorer

    Ingredients

    For the sponge

    • 500 g Butter or baking spread softened, unsalted
    • 500 g Caster sugar also known as superfine sugar
    • 3 Limes zest only
    • 9 Eggs large
    • 3 tsp Vanilla extract
    • 500 g Self raising flour

    For the syrup

    • 3 Limes juice only
    • 1 tbsp Caster sugar

    For the buttercream

    • 350 g Butter softened, unsalted
    • 700 g Icing sugar
    • 4-5 tbsp Prosecco or Prosecco flavouring, see notes

    For filling and decoration

    • 125 g Passion fruit curd Shop bought or homemade, I used Waitrose
    • 2 Passion fruits
    • Sprinkles optional
    Metric - US Customary

    Instructions

    • Pre-heat your oven to 160C Fan/180C/350F/Gas Mark 4, and grease and line three 8" cake tins (that are at least 2" deep)
    • Make the sponge by mixing the butter and caster sugar in a large bowl, ideally with an electric mixer, until fluffy and pale - about 3 minutes
    • Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and whisk until fully incorporated
    • Add the self raising flour and whisk in gently until you can't see any flour anymore. Then fold in the lime zest
    • Divide the mixture between the tins, use scales for accuracy
    • Bake them for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave them to fully cool either in the tins or on cooling racks
    • While they are baking, mix the lime juice and sugar together for the syrup, stir it occasionally, the sugar will dissolve eventually
    • If the cakes have domed on top, level them off with a cake leveller or a serrated knife
    • Poke the cakes all over with a thin skewer, then brush the syrup evenly over them
    • To make the buttercream, mix together the butter and icing sugar, this is best done using an electric mixer
    • When it starts to come together add the prosecco (or prosecco flavouring and milk if using), and whisk until smooth
    • Stack the sponges up on your plate or cake stand, piping or spreading buttercream between each layer. Drizzle the passion fruit curd over each layer of buttercream
    • When you get to the last layer, pipe larger rosettes all around the edge and smaller ones in the centre, drizzle over more passion fruit curd and add some fresh passion fruit and sprinkles too, if you like
    • Serve immediately, store leftovers in an airtight container in a cool place and eat within 3 days
    Made this recipe?Share on Instagram with me @TheBakingExplorer or tag #thebakingexplorer!

    Video

    Notes

    For a two layer cake, use 335g of butter/caster sugar/self raising flour, 6 eggs, 2 limes and 2 tsp vanilla. For the buttercream, 230g butter and 460g icing sugar.
    For a one layer cake use 175g of butter/caster sugar/self raising flour, 3 eggs, 1 limes and 1 tsp vanilla. For the buttercream, 115g butter and 230g icing sugar.
    • 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 cupcakes. Waitrose 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.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 869kcal | Carbohydrates: 108g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Cholesterol: 206mg | Sodium: 443mg | Potassium: 141mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 81g | Vitamin A: 1609IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg

    If you like this, check out more of my Cake recipes!

    « Biscoff Swiss Roll
    Nutella Meringue Roulade »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sisley White

      December 21, 2020 at 3:19 pm

      5 stars
      What a beautiful cake! I love a cocktail cake and I will definitely be adding this to my favourites.

      Reply
    2. Chloe Edges

      December 21, 2020 at 3:46 pm

      5 stars
      Fresh and delicious - I'm totally in!

      Reply
    3. Liz

      October 28, 2021 at 5:47 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve just made this cake and it is absolutely lovely! All three layers rose perfectly which never happens for me usually! The sponge is lovely and light & moist and the flavours are great! A really good recipe thank you! I’m so glad I found it and will certainly make this again.

      Reply
    4. L.McKenzie

      May 13, 2023 at 7:43 pm

      5 stars
      I made this cake for 'International Nurses Day' bake-off completion at my hospital and I won! Just loved the idea of putting our passion for nursing at the heart of the bake, and the flavours where amazing.

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        May 13, 2023 at 9:03 pm

        That's amazing, well done!!

        Reply
    5. Claire

      July 13, 2023 at 11:00 am

      5 stars
      Another fab recipe! Turned out perfect! Made this for a base tier and iced it, was delish! I just omitted the Prosecco from the buttercream and put a splash of no-cesso in the lime and sugar syrup instead (as was for a baby shower!). Thank you for this recipe was fantastic.

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        July 14, 2023 at 11:50 am

        Thank you for your lovely feedback!

        Reply
    6. Daphne Morgan

      July 06, 2024 at 5:05 pm

      5 stars
      Such an attractive looking cake which I didn’t get to taste but it all went so I can only presume it tasted as good as it looked.
      Made with GF flour, not that you could tell, possibly slightly more crumbly in texture which I tend to find with GF cakes.
      I used a good quality passion fruit preserve & a sparkling wine food flavouring which needs to be used sparingly as it could be easy to over do the flavour & end up with a chemical taste.
      Definitely a slice of sunshine!

      Reply

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