Chocolate cake with passion fruit and lime

A crowd-pleasing cake that’s easier to make than it looks.

Serves 10 • Ready in 45 mins, plus cooling and decorating

185g unsalted butter, softened

225g caster sugar

1tsp vanilla extract

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

250g plain flour

50g cocoa powder

1tsp baking powder

1tsp bicarbonate of soda

150ml milk

For the lime ganache:

100g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

15g unsalted butter, cut into cubes 1tbsp cocoa powder

50ml lime juice (about 2 limes)

3tbsp golden syrup

For the passion fruit cream:

400ml whipping cream

6 passion fruit, halved

2tbsp icing sugar

You will need:

3 x 20cm cake tins, bases and sides greased and lined with baking paper 1 Heat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and creamy, mix in the vanilla, then gradually beat in the eggs. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into the cake mixture and fold in until combined. Gently mix in the milk, then divide between the prepared tins, smoothing the tops down. Bake for 15-20 mins, until just firm to the touch. Leave to cool.

2 For the ganache, put all the ingredients in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water.

Allow it to melt gently, then stir until smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside briefly to cool and thicken slightly. 3 For the passion fruit cream, pour the cream into a bowl. Scoop the pulp out of the passion fruit halves with a teaspoon and add to the cream with the icing sugar. Whip until thick enough to just hold its shape. Using a palette knife, spread half the cream over the top of one sponge, top with another sponge and spread over the remaining cream. Put the last sponge on top and lightly press down to hold the cake in place. Pour the ganache over the top of the cake, spreading gently to the edges, allowing it to drip down the sides in places.

Per serving: 629 cals, 39g fat,

23g sat fat, 59g carbs >>