White Chocolate and Passionfruit Celebration Cake

I had an eye on this White Chocolate and Passionfruit Cake for a long time and was waiting for an occasion to try it. Finally on our 20th Wedding Anniversary last week I decided to make this cake to celebrate.  This is a time consuming, very rich and dense cake and just as its name suggests "a true celebration cake". The whole cake is huge for a small family like ours, so I halved the recipe and baked two 8 inch round cakes which gave me a two layer cake. If you are making half the amount you can also bake it in three 5 inch round pans to get 3 layers. Finally, I decorated the cake with sugar paste roses.  

White Chocolate and Passionfruit Celebration Cake

(Recipe Adapted from The Australian Women’s Weekly)

Ingredients:

White Chocolate Cake

540 gm - White cooking chocolate, chopped coarsely

400 gm - Butter, chopped coarsely

2 cups (500ml) - Milk

1 1/2 cups (330gm) - Caster sugar

1 tbsp - Vanilla extract

5 - Eggs beaten lightly

2 cups (300g) - Plain flour

1 1/3 cups (200g) - Self-raising flour

Passionfruit syrup

12 -Passionfruit

1/3 cup (80ml) -Water

2/3 cup (150g) - Caster sugar

Whipped white chocolate ganache

1/2 cup (125ml) - Thickened cream

180 gm - White cooking chocolate, chopped coarsely

Passionfruit Ganache

300 gm - Thickened cream

600 gm - White cooking chocolate, chopped coarsely

1 cup (160gm) -Icing sugar

Method:

• Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease 3 x 26cm springform cake pans and line the base and side of each with baking paper.
• Place the chocolate, butter, milk and sugar in a large saucepan. Stir constantly, over low-medium heat, until the chocolate just melts and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and leave to cool at room temperature for 20 minutes.
• Whisk vanilla and eggs into chocolate mixture. Sift the plain and self-raising flours together into large bowl of an electric mixer. Add 1/3 of chocolate mixture and beat on low speed until just combined. Gradually add the rest of the chocolate mixture and beat slowly until combined and smooth. Do not over-beat or the cake texture may become heavy.
• Divide the mixture among the prepared cake pans. Bake for 45 minutes or until the cakes are firm to touch and cooked when tested with a skewer. Cool cakes completely in the pans.
• To make passionfruit syrup; strain passionfruit pulp through a sieve, pressing with the back of a spoon (you will need 125ml of the juice). Reserve both the juice and seeds. Combine the reserved passionfruit seeds, water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to the boilBoil for about 4 minutes or until mixture reduces to a syrupy consistency, keep an eye on the mixture to ensure it does not boil over and skim any scum from the top as it boils. Remove from the heat and cool completely. It will thicken as it cools.
• To make whipped white chocolate ganache; bring cream to the boil in a small saucepan. Pour cream over chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl and stir until smooth. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour or until firm. Using an electric mixer, beat chocolate mixture for 30 seconds or until it becomes slightly paler in colour.
• To assemble, place a cake layer on a serving stand or plate. Spread with half passionfruit syrup, then half whipped white chocolate ganache. Place a second cake layer on top, spread with remaining passionfruit syrup and the remaining whipped white chocolate ganache. Place the final layer of cake on top; press down lightly. Refrigerate cake for 30 minutes or until ganache is firm.
• To make passionfruit ganache; bring reserved passionfruit juice and cream to a simmer in medium saucepan. Pour over chocolate in large heatproof bowl and stir with metal spoon until smooth. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour or until the mixture is of a spreadable consistency.
• Stir the sifted icing sugar into the chocolate mixture until just combined. Using an electric mixer, beat chocolate mixture on low speed for 20 seconds or until mixture becomes slightly paler (don't over-beat or mixture may curdle)
• Spread top and sides of cake with passionfruit ganache. Decorate with sugar flowers or fresh flowers, if desired.