Yoghurt and Passionfruit Syrup Cake

A recent issue of Donna Hay Magazine featured a beautifully photographed spread on passion fruit desserts. The pictures, along with memories of making passion fruit sorbets and chocolate/passion fruit ganache tarts at work, were too much. I needed to bake. It had to be today, and it had to involve passion fruit.

I decided to bake the yoghurt and passion fruit syrup cake. I imagine bakers in Australia and New Zealand are knee deep in passion fruit. Passion fruit must be economical somewhere, otherwise the magazine wouldn't have published so many recipes requiring so much pulp. I hear you can buy it in cans.

Some fruits are ridiculously priced in Pittsburgh stores. Today, I saw fresh figs for 1.60 each. Passion fruits were 1.99 each. I only bought enough for half of the passion fruit syrup recipe, and even then it was painful. On Saturday I will see if the Strip District has better deals.

I split the batter between two loaf pans and glazed one of the finished cakes. It was good; the passion fruit syrup paired well with the moist, light, and tangy cake. I cooked the syrup a little too long, so it was more jammy than syrupy. Some people might not like the seeds, but I don't mind them.

This cake is great with tea. It's simple and elegant, but it's not worth breaking the bank. If you feel compelled to buy passion fruits, I suggest using them for curd or a longer-lasting component. If I find some for a better price, i'll probably try the magazine's cheesecake slice recipe.

Yoghurt and Passionfruit Syrup Cake
adapted from Donna Hay Magazine
yoghurt cake
150g butter, softened
1 cup (220g) caster (superfine) sugar [regular sugar works.]
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 cup thick Greek-style natural yoghurt [2% is fine.]
2 cups (300g) self-raising flour, sifted [or 2 cups all purpose flour + 1 tbsp baking powder +1 tsp table salt]

passionfruit syrup
1 cup (250ml) passionfruit pulp
1/2 cup (125ml) water
1/2 cup (110g) caster (superfine) sugar

Preheat the oven to 160C/320F. To make the passionfruit syrup, place passionfruit pulp, water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cook for 10-15 minutes or until syrupy. Set aside.

Place the butter, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 10-15 minutes or until pale and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add yoghurt and beat until well combined. Fold in the flour. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 24cm/9in bundt pan and bake for 35 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Remove cake from the tin and place on a serving plate. Spike all over with a thin skewer, drizzle cake with syrup and serve while still warm. Serves 8.