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Tropical Coconut Passionfruit Tiered Cake

A magnificent three-tier celebration cake featuring tender coconut layers, tangy passionfruit curd, and smooth white chocolate buttercream, decorated with tropical flowers.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 3 hours
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 40 slices
Course: Cake, Dessert
Cuisine: American, Tropical
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Coconut Cake Layers
  • 4.5 cups cake flour sifted
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 1.5 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1.5 cups unsalted butter room temperature
  • 2 cups canned coconut milk full fat
  • 8 large egg whites
  • 1 tbsp coconut extract
Passionfruit Curd Filling
  • 1 cup passionfruit puree
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 6 large egg yolks
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter cubed
Swiss Meringue Buttercream
  • 9 large egg whites
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 cups unsalted butter room temperature
  • 8 oz white chocolate melted and cooled
Decorations
  • 1 set tropical sugar flowers and leaves or food-safe artificial flowers
  • 1 Happy Retirement cake topper

Equipment

  • Cake pans (10-inch, 8-inch, 6-inch)
  • Cake boards and dowels
  • Stand Mixer
  • Bench scraper and piping bags

Method
 

  1. Bake the cakes: Whisk dry ingredients. Beat in butter until sandy. Combine coconut milk, egg whites, and extract. Gradually mix wet ingredients into dry until smooth. Bake in prepared 10-inch, 8-inch, and 6-inch pans at 350°F (175°C). Cool completely.
  2. Make the curd: Whisk puree, sugar, and yolks in a saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in butter until smooth. Chill until set.
  3. Make the buttercream: Heat egg whites and sugar over a double boiler until sugar dissolves (160°F). Whip until stiff peaks form and the bowl is cool. Gradually beat in butter, then melted white chocolate.
  4. Assemble the tiers: Level the cakes. Fill each tier with buttercream dam and passionfruit curd. Stack on individual cake boards. Crumb coat and chill.
  5. Frost each tier with a final smooth layer of buttercream. Insert support dowels into the bottom and middle tiers. Carefully stack the tiers.
  6. Pipe a pearl border around the base of each tier. Decorate with a cascading arrangement of tropical flowers and leaves. Insert the topper before serving.

Notes

Always use support dowels when stacking a cake of this size. A central dowel driven through all three tiers is highly recommended for stability.