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sponge cake on a plate topped with passion fruit icing.
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4.43 from 14 votes

Passion Fruit Sponge Cake

Passionfruit sponge cake, made from scratch. Fluffy and feather-light sponge cakes are sandwiched with clouds of whipped cream and topped with tangy passion fruit icing. Tall, light and airy, this luscious sponge cake is easy to whip up for afternoon tea or a special celebration.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Australian, English
Servings: 8
Calories: 433kcal
Author: Andrea Geddes

Ingredients

  • 4-5 large eggs at room temperature, separated. Egg whites should weigh 150 grams and yolks 70 grams.
  • 1 tablespoon custard powder 9 grams
  • 1 cup cornflour add the custard powder to a 250ml cup and then fill the rest of the cup with cornflour (125 grams)
  • ½ teaspoon bi carb soda 3 grams
  • pinch salt
  • ¾ cup caster sugar 160 grams
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar 5 grams

For the whipped cream

  • 400 ml cream thickened, whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon icing sugar

For the passion fruit icing

  • ¼ cup fresh passion fruit pulp approx. 3-4 fresh passion fruit. Use fresh, or frozen pulp where possible.
  • lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 3 cups icing sugar
Metric - US Customary

Instructions

  • Separate the eggs, placing the whites into one bowl and the yolks in another. Lightly beat the egg yolks. Cover the egg whites and yolks and set them aside to come to room temperature. Make sure there are no traces of egg yolk in the egg whites.
  • Pre-heat oven to 170°C/338F fan-forced (recommended) (190°C conventional). Line 2 x 20 cm springform cake tins with baking paper on the bottom (not the sides). Lightly grease the sides of the tin with butter or oil spray. Dust the greased sides with a little flour and shake the excess flour from the tins.
  • Place one tablespoon (9 grams) of custard powder into a 250ml measuring cup. Fill the rest of the cup with cornflour (125 grams).
  • Sift the cornflour, custard powder and bicarb soda together three times and set aside.
  • Place the egg whites and a pinch of salt together in a clean bowl or stand mixer and beat on low-medium speed, until the mixture is white, foamy and forms soft peaks.
  • While continuing to beat the egg whites, gradually add the sugar (1 tablespoon at a time) until combined. Turn the speed up to medium and beat for around 5 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is thick, glossy and forms stiff peaks. Beat in the cream of tartar.
  • Using a spatula or large metal spoon, fold in the beaten egg yolks, a little at a time, being careful not to over-mix.
  • Sift one third of the cornflour mixture over the top of the egg whites and fold until combined. Continue to add the cornflour mixture in thirds, folding between additions, until combined.
  • Gently divide the mixture into the prepared cake tins and bake for 16-18 minutes, or until cooked. Carefully test the sponges by gently pressing on the top. They will be lightly golden and spring back when ready.
  • Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to sit in the tins for five minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. You can cover with a clean, dry towel to prevent the sponges from drying out.

For the cream

  • Beat the cream, vanilla and icing sugar together with an electric or hand held mixer until the cream forms soft but firm peaks. Be careful not to overbeat.

For the passion fruit icing

  • Combine the passion fruit pulp and icing sugar in a mixing bowl with enough lemon juice to make a firm but spreadable icing and stir to combine. If it is too runny, add a little more icing sugar.

To decorate

  • When the cakes are cool, top one cake with whipped cream, then place the remaining sponge layer on top and cover with passion fruit icing. Place in an airtight container in the fridge to firm up slightly before slicing.

Notes

  1. Use fresh, room temperature eggs. Room temperature eggs will whip more easily than cold eggs and achieve more volume. Separate the eggs and let them reach room temperature before baking.
  2. Make sure there is no yolk in your egg whites! Yolk contains fat and even small amounts can interfere with how the egg whites foam up.
  3. Sift the flour three times and add it to the batter in stages. Sifting removes lumps and results in a lighter batter.
  4. Don’t overbeat the egg whites. Whisk until the meringue is glossy and thick with firm peaks. If it is grainy and dull, it has been overbeaten.
  5. Gently fold the flour into the egg whites with a spatula or large metal spoon. Do this gently, to keep the air in the mixture. If you are too heavy-handed, the mixture will become runny and your sponge won’t rise. Fold from the bottom of the bowl, lifting and folding the batter over itself only until everything is combined. Don’t overmix.
  6. Don’t over-grease the tins. The batter sticking to the sides actually helps the sponge hold its shape as it cooks. Line only the bottom of the tins with baking paper and leave the sides bare, with a little oil spray that is coated in flour. Tap out any excess flour before adding the cake batter. The flour helps the cake to 'hold on' to the sides as it rises.
  7.  Temperatures for both fan-forced and conventional are listed in the recipe card, but I recommend cooking with a  fan-forced oven where possible. Fan-forced ovens are good for baking sponges, as the fan helps to lift the sponge and give it more volume.
  8. To ensure the cakes cook evenly, place both cake tins in the middle rack on the same shelf.
  9. This recipe uses two cake tins to make two sponges that are stacked with cream and icing. You can also bake in one large cake tin, or one ring tin. Baking times will vary (approximately 40 minutes for one tin or 28-30 minutes for a 23cm ring tin).
  10. Accurately measure and weigh your ingredients. Use a baking scale, for best results.
  11. Watch the bake time. Baking times can vary, depending on the type of cake tin and the oven that you use. Ovens can vary vastly in temperature and this can affect the cooking time. If the sponge is under-baked, it will sink in the middle. And over-baking the sponge will make it dry. Remove the cake from the oven when it is lightly golden all over and springs back if lightly pressed in the middle.
  12. Don’t open the oven door during the baking process. A sudden temperature change can make the sponge collapse.
  13. Allow the sponge to cool completely before assembling. Otherwise, the cream and icing will melt.
  14. Freezing; Un-decorated sponge cakes will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to wrap them well and keep them in an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature when ready to eat.
  15. Storage; While sponge cake is best eaten fresh in the first 1-3 days, an un-decorated sponge cake can be kept for up to 5 days at room temperature. It needs to be covered with clingfilm or stored in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out. If you have decorated the cake with cream and icing, it needs to be kept in the fridge and will last for around 3-4 days. 
  16. Please note that the nutrition information is based on the cake being divided into 8 slices, with one slice being one serve. The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any additional toppings or sides served with the cake.
  17. This recipe is made using Australian cups and spoon measurements. Any reference to cups or spoons in this recipe is in Australian metric. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary. 

Nutrition

Calories: 433kcal | Carbohydrates: 83g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 115mg | Sodium: 116mg | Potassium: 129mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 65g | Vitamin A: 380IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg