Passion Fruit Pudding Cake offers two treats in one – an airy, soufflé-like cake on top and a creamy pudding-like sauce on the bottom. A luscious treat in one pan!
If you were to ask me to pick an exotic fruit, I would choose, hands down, passion fruit, no doubt about it – it’s intriguing, alluring, and captivating, even for a tropical girl like me. And the seductive aroma of the tropics gets to me every time. Not to mention the taste; a little sweet and partly tart, citrusy, and refreshing all at once.
Aah! I’m super excited to share this easy passion fruit cake pudding with you and win you over to join me in my passion fruit craze. 😉
What’s Behind the Name Passion Fruit?
Believe it or not, the flower’s name is related to Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. In 1700, missionaries from Brazil named the passion flower “flor das Cinco Chagas” or flower of five wounds. It was their way of introducing Christianity to the indigenous inhabitants through their educational program.
And, of course, passion fruit comes from the passion flower or passiflora species. In Spanish, it’s called maracuya, a little sour but so full of flavor.
Recipe Ingredients
Let’s get going with this easy pudding cake. You can make this dessert with frozen passion fruit puree any time of the year. And it will be just as good as the fresh ones without the seeds.
- Passion Fruit – This sweet and tart fruit contains nutrients such as vitamin C and A, antioxidants, and minerals, like potassium, magnesium, iron, and calcium. And oh, keep the seeds and pulps because they add flavor and texture to our mousse cake.
- Milk and Butter – Thanks to these two, our passion fruit pudding cake turns out creamy and buttery every time.
- Meringue – The whipped egg whites and sugar make it irresistibly soft and smooth with melt-in-your-mouth delectable goodness.
- All-Purpose Flour – But, of course, our dessert won’t hold without the flour. It will help to stabilize our fruity-based mousse.
- Rum and Lemon – Their complex flavors complement the cake as a whole, giving it a bright and refreshing citrusy goodness with a kick of robust flavor. Feel free to skip the rum to make this heavenly dessert alcohol-free.
How to Make Passion Fruit Pudding
Make the Cake Batter
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C – Grease a 2-quart oven-safe dish (ceramic, glass, or Pyrex custard cups) or eight 4-ounce ramekins generously with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Whisk Dry Ingredients – Whisk together granulated sugar, salt, and flour in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients – In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, butter, milk, rum, lime zest, lime juice, passion fruit puree, and passion fruit pulp until thoroughly combined.
- Combine – Add the wet mixture to the flour mixture and whisk until combined.
Make the Meringue
- Beat Until Stiff Peaks Form – Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites for about a minute, then add about a tablespoon of sugar if desired – it’s optional. Continue mixing on medium-high until stiff peaks form; this may take 2-3 more minutes. (Photos 1-2)
- Fold– Using a spatula, carefully fold in ¼ of the egg whites mixture, and then fold in the remaining until well incorporated. (Photos 3-4)
Bake the Pudding
- Pour the Batter into a buttered baking dish, place in the large baking or roasting pan, then carefully pour hot water into the baking pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins or casserole dish.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top of the cake turns light golden and puff slightly (do a test with your finger, it should feel spongy and spring back a bit but hold a shallow indentation.
- Refrigerate Before Serving – Let the cake cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for 2 hours or more before serving (you can refrigerate it for 24 hours).
Recipe Variations
- Fruity Additions – Take this passion fruit mousse cake to another level by incorporating more fruits into the batter. Coconut, mango, lime, and pineapple are excellent choices for this.
- Toppings – Aside from powdered sugar, you can go all out with toppings, such as whipped cream and vanilla ice cream, to make our pudding more delectable and enticing.
Tips and Tricks
- If you want sauce at the bottom of the cake, you must use a water bath. The bain-marie should be in a baking or roasting pan larger than whatever you are baking the cake in (ramekins, casseroles, or baking dish).
- The water level usually determines how creamy the layer is at the bottom of the dish – the middle of the casserole is an excellent place to start.
- Be sure that the water you pour into the outer pan is hot, and, to be on the safe side, put the pan inside the oven before you pour the hot water into it.
Make-Ahead Instructions
I recommend making this cake a day ahead since it needs time to set and firm up in the refrigerator. And I guarantee it will taste much better the next day because the flavors meld beautifully.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Once cooled, cover the dish tightly with a cling wrap and refrigerate. The pudding cake will keep in the fridge for four days or two months in the freezer. You can do the same with the leftovers. When ready to serve, defrost it naturally in the fridge overnight or for 1-2 hours on the countertop.
You can also store passion fruit puree for future use. Keep the puree in an airtight glass container for four days. You can also use an ice cube tray for easy storage. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to a freezer-safe resealable bag and freeze again. They will keep for six months. Thaw and use them to make passion fruit desserts and juice anytime. 😉
FAQs
Some doctors say passion fruit boosts the immune system, improves blood flow, and reduces stress. This is because passion fruit is packed with antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, despite its high water content.
Aside from this delicious self-saucing pudding, you can also make cakes and pastries, such as cheesecake, mousse, tart, pavlova, and roulade. Passion fruit also makes refreshing beverages.
A pudding that produces a sauce at the bottom after it is done baking. The water bath or bain-marie creates a luscious dessert with a special sauce, making it even more enjoyable.
What to Serve with Passion Fruit Pudding Cake
Complete your perfect dessert with the easy and refreshing cocktail recipes below.
- Mai Tai
- Pina Colada
- Jungle Juice
- Peach Bellini
- Strawberry Daiquiri
More Fruity Desserts to Try
Conclusion
These health benefits from passion fruit are enough reasons to make you fall in love quickly with this fruit. Not to mention all the fantastic recipes you can make with them. What was your first experience with passion fruit? Let me know in the comments! 😉
Watch How to Make It
This blog post was originally published in October 2015 and has been updated with additional tips and a video.
Passion Fruit Pudding Cake
Ingredients
- 2 fresh passion fruit, sub ¼ cup passion fruit puree
- ¼ cup (60ml) passion fruit puree
- ⅔ cup (120g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (40g) all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs, separated
- ⅓ cup (75g) butter, melted
- ¾ cup (177ml) whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon (1.5g) salt
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) lemon or lime juice
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) rum, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Grease a 2-quart oven-safe dish (ceramic, glass, Pyrex custard cups) or eight 4-ounce ramekins generously with cooking spray and set aside.
- Whisk together granulated sugar, salt, and flour in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, butter, milk, rum, zest, lime juice, passion fruit puree, and passion fruit pulp until fully combined.
- Add the wet mixture to the flour mixture and whisk to combine.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites for about a minute, then add about a tablespoon of sugar if desired – it's optional. Continue mixing on medium-high until stiff peaks form; this may take about 2-3 more minutes.
- Using a spatula, carefully fold in ¼ of the egg white mixture, and then fold in the remaining until well incorporated.
- Pour the batter into a buttered baking dish, place in the large baking or roasting pan, then carefully pour hot water into the baking pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins or casserole dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top turns light golden and puff slightly (do a test with your finger, it should feel spongy and spring back a bit but hold a shallow indentation.
- Let the cake cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for 2 hours or more before serving (up to 24 hours).
Tips & Notes:
- If you want sauce at the bottom of the cake you have to use a water bath. The water bath should be a baking/roasting pan that is larger than whatever you are baking the cake in (ramekins, casseroles, or baking dish).
- The water level usually determines the creamy layer at the bottom of the dish – the middle of the casserole is a good place to start.
- Be sure that the water you pour into the outer pan is hot, and, to be on the safe side, put the pan inside the oven before you pour the hot water into it.
- This cake can be made ahead of time, up to 4 hours, refrigerate, and then baked when ready.
- Sub passion fruit puree with mango or pineapple puree.
- Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
HappyFox says
Great recipe but to get it as tall as pictured it need to be doubled or tripped, or make it in a tiny dish. I had no milk so substituted with buttermilk and it turned out delicious! Definitely a keeper, thanks!
Imma says
Great to hear your story. Thank you for sharing your experience with us, stay tuned for more amazing recipes 🙂
Nicki E. says
This turned out deliciously!
Amina says
Hurry!!! Thank you and stay tuned for more delicious recipes.
Candyce says
Wow! I loved this cake! I picked up some passion fruits on a whim and have been trying to find something to do with them and i came across this recipe. Didnt have the puree or rum, but just used 1/2 cup of fresh passionfruit and that did the trick. it came out perfectly! Im going to make this again and bring it to a friend. Thanks so much
Amina says
Great to hear about your story. Thank you so much for your love and feedback!!!
Taylor says
When you sayd “sub ¼ cup passionfruit” if we do not have 2 fresh passionfruit, do you mean sub with puree?
ImmaculateBites says
Yes , sub with puree.
Ryno Jardin says
Guestimated to metric and made it double. Amazing
Anna says
This was super easy and turned out perfectly! It was a perfect Easter dessert & I’d even say it was better the next day after the liquidy part settled a bit. I’d love to try it with the pineapple substitution you mentioned next time. Thanks!!
Immaculate Bites says
Yes, Anna, try it and let me know how it turns out 🙂 Enjoy!
Mercedes C. says
Hi! Thank you for sharing this recipe, I can’t wait to make it for my Mum this weekend. Any specific recommendations or suggestions for the rum?
Immaculate Bites says
Hi Mercedes! Any rum you have on hand or easily available in your nearest store, is fine 🙂 Good luck and let me know how your mom likes it. Enjoy!!
Mercedes C. says
Imma you foodie angel! Thank you, thank you. My Momma can be difficult to please when it comes to all things culinary – but oh my, I couldn’t stop her from scraping the dish clean! (in my defense, we were separated by the patio door so the plate stood no chance). It was the sweetest birthday treat that certainly lifted spirits since being separated due to COVID.
Thank you again for helping to make my Momma smile and keep our bellies full Xx
Ps – I’m already thinking ahead to the next bake attempt where I may incorporate raspberries (compote, purée, whipped cream). Endless possibilities for that combo 🙂
Lissette says
Can I use frÃa en passion fruit not the purée?
Immaculate Bites says
You may try using the fruit, Lissette 🙂 Let us know how it turns out!
Lissette says
Will do! Thanks so much. All your recipes look DEVINE! Can’t seem to figure out what I want to make first, haha.
Lissette says
Imma, I meant to ask if I can use frozen passion fruit! My Spanish keyboard kicked in and jumbled my question. Thanks!
Claire says
This recipe is amazing-thanks so much. Was so delicious.
Kelsey says
This was yummy! Simple to prepare, although I may have overbaked it because it wasn’t getting golden. I used just puree and it was good, quite tart!
Alana Daniels says
This cake look so beautiful cant wait to try it, Just a question can i make this the day before serving it? will it not affect the texture?
Sajida M says
This recipe came out very well , my family just loved it
Imma Adamu says
Thank you for the feedback, Sajida!
I’m glad that they loved it!
Caryl says
Delish!!! Easy yo prepareand ingredientes readily available
Caleb Flanagan says
The lime was a strong flavor in this, it was a bit different to what I was expecting but very satisfying with a bit of whipped cream.
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks for the feedback!
Kajal says
Hi, the recipe looks perfect and I cant wait to try it. A quick question though. Can I just use a normal cake tin in the water bath? Or smaller ramekin bowls rather than a dish? Or does it have to be a proper dish as pictured? I have fresh passion fruit, so is it ok if I just use 1/2 cup of fresh passion fruit with seeds rather than 1/4 cup puree?
ImmaculateBites says
Hello Kajal! No it doesn’t have to be a proper dish . A cake dish or ramekin bowls would do just fine . And 1/2 cup fresh passion fruit would work just as well.
Enjoy!
Heather says
What a great recipe! Thank you for sharing this… I will undoubtedly make it again and again 🙂 I used 4 fresh passion fruits (I didn’t have any puree available) and it was perfect. I left my cake in the oven a few minutes too long waiting for the golden brown color in the photos here, which made the cake a bit dry, so I will follow instructions next time for time/texture and not worry too much about the color. It’s a unique dessert that totally wows anyone with a love for passion fruit. Goes great with a little whipped cream!
ImmaculateBites says
YAY! So happy to hear this! Thanks so much!!