Description
Brighten your day with this stunning Passion Fruit Mirror Glaze Cake! Layers of vanilla sponge, tangy passion fruit curd, and a glossy mirror glaze.
Ingredients
Scale
- Vanilla Sponge Cake:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Passion Fruit Curd:
- 1 cup fresh passion fruit pulp (about 10–12 passion fruits), strained
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large egg yolks
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- Mirror Glaze:
- 5 gelatin sheets (or 2 ½ tsp powdered gelatin)
- ½ cup water (if using powdered gelatin to bloom)
- ½ cup fresh passion fruit pulp, strained
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup glucose syrup (or light corn syrup)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 7 oz good quality white chocolate, chopped
- Optional: yellow or orange food coloring
- Garnish & Finishing Touches:
- Fresh passion fruit halves
- White chocolate curls or shavings
- Edible flowers (optional)
Instructions
- Bake the Vanilla Sponge:: First things first, preheat that oven to 350°F (175°C) and get your cake pans ready, usually two 8-inch rounds. Grease and flour them, or use parchment circles, whatever works for your sanity! Cream together your softened butter and sugar until it’s light and fluffy, like a cloud. Then beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next. This is where I always get impatient, but trust me, it pays off for a tender cake. Sift your dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, a pinch of salt – and alternate adding them with the milk. Don’t overmix, just until combined!
- Craft the Tangy Passion Fruit Curd:: This curd is honestly the heart of this dessert. Whisk your passion fruit pulp, sugar, eggs, and a touch of butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Keep whisking, like you’re stirring a magical potion, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. You’ll feel it, it gets silky. Don’t let it boil, or you’ll end up with scrambled eggs – I learned that one the hard way, oops! Strain it through a fine-mesh sieve to get rid of the seeds, unless you like them, which I kinda do sometimes. Let it cool completely, then chill it in the fridge until firm.
- Assemble Your Cake Layers:: Once your cakes are cooled, level them if they domed a bit – a serrated knife works wonders. I usually just eyeball it, honestly. Spread a generous layer of chilled passion fruit curd between your cake layers. Then, give the whole cake a thin “crumb coat” of your favorite vanilla buttercream or ganache. This seals in all those loose crumbs and gives you a smooth canvas for the mirror glaze. Pop it in the fridge or freezer for at least 30 minutes to firm up. Don’t skip this, it’s crucial for a clean glaze!
- Prepare the Passion Fruit Mirror Glaze:: This is the fun, slightly nerve-wracking part! Bloom your gelatin sheets in cold water (or dissolve powder). Gently heat the passion fruit pulp (strained), sugar, and glucose syrup until the sugar dissolves. Take it off the heat, stir in the bloomed gelatin until totally melted. Then pour this hot mixture over your white chocolate and heavy cream in a heatproof bowl. Let it sit for a minute, then emulsify with an immersion blender, making sure not to incorporate too many air bubbles – tilt the blender, don’t lift it! You want it super smooth and glossy. Strain it again for good measure.
- Achieve the Perfect Glaze Pour:: Now, for the magic! Let your Passion Fruit Mirror Glaze cool to between 90-95°F (32-35°C). This temperature is critical; too hot, it’ll slide off; too cold, it’ll be too thick and clumpy. Place your chilled, crumb-coated cake on a wire rack over a baking sheet (to catch the drips, trust me, there will be drips!). Pour the glaze slowly and evenly over the top, starting from the center and working your way out, letting it cascade down the sides. Don’t touch it, just let gravity do its thing! It should look incredibly shiny and vibrant. I always hold my breath during this step, honestly.
- Chill and Garnish Your Masterpiece:: Once your cake is fully glazed, let it sit for a few minutes to set a bit, then carefully transfer it to a serving plate. I use two wide spatulas for this, being super gentle. Pop it back into the fridge for at least an hour to let the glaze firm up completely. When it’s ready, you can garnish it with fresh passion fruit halves, maybe some delicate white chocolate curls, or even a few edible flowers if you’re feeling fancy. The contrast of the shiny glaze and fresh fruit is just stunning. Every time I see the finished cake, I still get a little gasp!