Makes 1 x 25cm cake

New York caterer, cookbook author and friend Serena Bass introduced me to her to die for Lemon Curd Cake. Check it out on www.ruthpretty.co.nz. Here today is an extension really of Serena’s recipe.

INGREDIENTS
170g unsalted butter, diced and at room temperature
300g sugar
4 eggs
1 tablespoon lime juice
3 tablespoons finely grated lime zest
1/2 cup thread coconut, lightly toasted
210g flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup Passionfruit Honey {also called passionfruit curd}
40g ground almonds
300g blueberries, fresh or frozen
Vanilla Yoghurt Cream, for serving


METHOD
Preheat oven to 180ºC. Line base and sides of a 5cm diameter cake tin with two layers of baking paper and lightly grease paper with baking spray.

Into a bowl place butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition. Add juice, zest and coconut and beat to combine.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt over butter mixture and with a spatula fold together.

Pour into prepared cake tin and smooth out the top of the cake batter to reach edges of the cake tin.

Spread Passionfruit Honey over cake batter leaving a 1cm empty rim around the outside of the cake.

Evenly sprinkle ground almonds over Passionfruit Honey and top entire cake with blueberries.

Place into preheated oven and cook for 55-65 minutes or until cake, when gently shaken does not wobble in the centre.

Remove from oven onto a cake rack. When cool enough to handle easily remove from cake tin. Remove baking paper.

Serve with Vanilla Yoghurt Cream. Best eaten on the day it is made but fairly delicious for up to two days.

Passionfruit Honey

Makes 435ml

I always use thawed frozen passionfruit pulp to make this recipe.

INGREDIENTS
3 eggs
200g sugar
50g butter, cut into cubes
1/2 cup passionfruit juice, obtained by straining passionfruit pulp


METHOD
Place eggs and sugar in a microwave-proof jug and whisk until combined.

Add butter and passionfruit juice and whisk briefly. Cook on high for 6-8 minutes, whisking every minute, until mixture is smooth and creamy.

Cool for a few minutes then pour into a clean container. Once cold, cover and store in refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Vanilla Yoghurt Cream

Makes 560ml

INGREDIENTS
250ml cream
125ml yoghurt
1 tablespoon vanilla sugar {or sugar}
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract or essence


METHOD
Pour cream into a small bowl and whisk until soft peaks form.

Add vanilla sugar, yoghurt and vanilla and fold into cream. If not using immediately store covered in refrigerator overnight and reconstitute by folding mixture together with a spatula.