If you love a cake that's soft, moist and full of flavour, you're going to want a slice of this granadilla coconut loaf cake with cream cheese frosting. The fresh granadilla pulp provides a lovely tang that cuts through the sweetness, and the coconut keeps it beautifully soft and tender. Topped with a slightly tart icing, it's the sort of cake that makes you go back for 'just one more piece'.
Many years ago, when I was growing up in South Africa, most people had a granadilla vine growing along their garden fence. It had pretty purple flowers, which developed into a thick-skinned purple fruit filled with tangy pulp and edible black seeds. You may have heard of the granadilla being referred to as passion fruit.
Fresh granadillas are not so common in the UK, so I normally buy pre-packed granadilla pulp from Marks and Spencer - it makes a super granadilla cheesecake. But today, one of my friends arrived and presented me with a pack of fresh granadillas. And not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth (so to speak), I made a granadilla and coconut loaf cake!
This coconut loaf cake is a simple recipe, which I based on my orange and walnut drizzle cake batter. You start by creaming butter and sugar until they turn light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs, followed by the granadilla pulp and coconut. The mixture might look a little curdled at this point, but once you've folded in the flour and milk, it comes together in a smooth batter.
And as it bakes, the cake fills the kitchen with gorgeous tropical aromas of passion fruit and coconut. You just want to dig and cut a slice straight out of the oven.
However, if you exercise patience and manage to wait until the loaf cake has cooled, you can smother it in the most delicious icing (or frosting) made with icing sugar, cream cheese, butter and a little of the yummy passion fruit pulp. The tartness of the passion fruit cuts through the sweetness of the icing perfectly.
Finish with a sprinkle of coconut over the top, and NOW you're ready to slice, devour and enjoy!
Jump to:
Why you should try this coconut passion fruit cake
- Incredibly simple to make - just a couple of mixing bowls and a few easy steps - nothing complicated.
- Fresh granadilla adds a delicious tang - it's not too pronounced, more like a pleasant background flavour that you can't quite put your finger on.
- Coconut provides a beautifully soft, moist texture - this cake stays fresh for up to 5 days.
- The cream cheese frosting is the perfect match - it complements the flavours of the granadilla and coconut perfectly.
Recipe information
- ⌚ Prep time - about 25 minutes - 15 minutes to mix the cake batter and another 10 to make the icing and spread it on the cake.
- ⌛ Cooking time - 25 to 30 minutes
- 🆒 Cooling time - 30 minutes - if you try to ice the cake before it is completely cool, the icing will melt and just slide off.
- 🍚 Yield - 8 to 10 slices
Ingredients for this easy coconut and granadilla cake
**You can find the exact ingredient measurements on the printable recipe card at the end of this post**
Coconut loaf cake
- Granadillas. If you can find fresh ones, they would be perfect. However, they are not always easy to come by in the UK (update - I saw them in Sainsbury's the other day), so I tend to buy prepacked granadilla pulp, which is stocked by Marks and Spencer. In South Africa, I used to buy granadilla pulp in small cans - but I haven't seen those in the UK shops.
- Flour. You can use either self-raising flour or plain flour plus a teaspoon of baking powder for each cup (140 grams) of flour.
- Butter. This should be at room temperature for easy mixing, and cut into smallish blocks. It is used in both the cake batter and the icing. Salted or unsalted are both fine to use, but if you use unsalted butter you might want to add a pinch of salt to the cake batter.
- Eggs. I normally use large eggs, weighing about 2 ounces (or 58 grams) each.
- Sugar. Caster sugar is preferable as it mixes more easily, but you could substitute with white granulated sugar.
- Milk. For the moisture content. Either full-fat or semi-skimmed.
- Vanilla. Optional, but does add extra flavour.
Icing
- Icing sugar. You may know it as powdered sugar or confectioner's sugar.
- Cream cheese. You can use any brand of cream cheese - just make sure you buy the unflavoured one - you don't want the flavour of garlic or chives in the icing!
Instructions
Step 1: Cut 4 granadillas in half and scoop the pulp and seeds into a small bowl. Set aside while you mix the cake batter.
Step 2: Place the sugar and butter into a mixing bowl and beat until well combined. I used an electric hand mixer, but you could use a wooden spoon instead.
Step 3: Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one.
Step 4: Stir in the granadilla pulp and vanilla if using.
Step 5: Stir in half of the flour, all the coconut and half of the milk. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir, so that you don't overwork the batter. Stir in the remaining flour and milk until completely combined.
Step 6: Transfer the mixture to a greased 4 x 7 inch cake tin (10 cm x 18 cm) which has been lined with baking parchment. Leave a little overhang to help you remove the cake from the pan.
Step 7: Bake in a preheated oven (180C / 360F) for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out with no batter sticking to it. The cake should be firm to the touch.
Leave the cake to cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes, then tip it out and carefully peel off the baking parchment.
Icing
Step 8: Place the butter, cream cheese and icing sugar into a bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer or wooden spoon until smooth. The mixture should be quite thick.
Step 9: Scoop the pulp from 2 granadillas and stir it into the mixture.
Step 10: Spread the icing evenly over the top and sides of the cake, and sprinkle the top of the cake with a little coconut. Leave the cake in the refrigerator until the icing has firmed up before slicing.
Tips for a successful outcome
Here are my top tips to ensure your granadilla coconut loaf cake with cream cheese frosting always turns out perfectly:
- Make sure the butter is at room temperature - if you keep the butter in the refrigerator, place it on the counter half an hour before you plan on making the cake, to give it time to soften.
- Sometimes, when you add eggs to butter and sugar, it seems as though the mixture is curdling. This is nothing to worry about, but you can prevent it from happening by adding one tablespoon of the measured flour with the first egg. The addition of a little flour helps emulsify the mixture.
- Stir in half of the flour with half of the milk and all the coconut, and once it's all combined, fold in the rest of the flour and milk. Work as gently as possible so you don't knock all the air out of the cake mixture.
- You will need about a quarter cup of granadilla pulp for the cake batter - I used 4 granadillas. If they are on the large side, you may only need 3.
- The time to bake the cake may vary, depending on the size of the pan. For my cake (baked in a 4 x 7-inch loaf tin), it took 25 minutes. I tested it after 20 minutes because it looked quite brown, but there was still a little batter clinging to the toothpick. I tented the cake with tinfoil for the final 5 minutes to prevent further browning.
- When making the icing, take care if you use an electric mixer. Icing sugar is light as a feather, and the electric mixer can make the icing sugar fly out of the bowl all over the kitchen.
- If the icing seems too thin once you've added the granadilla pulp, stir in a little extra icing sugar to firm it up a bit. The butter in the icing will help it set once you place the cake in the refrigerator.
Serving suggestion
Only one suggestion - serve slices of this cake with either tea, coffee or a glass of milk!
Equipment
These are the main items of equipment you will need for this passion fruit coconut loaf cake:
- Mixing bowl - for the cake batter.
- Small bowl - to hold the granadilla pulp.
- Electric hand mixer or wooden spoon - for mixing
- Mixing bowl - to make the icing
- Palette knife - to spread the icing on the cake
- A 1-pound loaf tin (normally 4" x 7" in size) to bake the cake
I find a metal cake tin conducts the heat, and consequently cooks the cake, faster than a ceramic or glass baking dish. Bear this in mind when baking the cake.
Storage
Because of the cream cheese in the icing, I would recommend you store the cake in the refrigerator. You can place it in a plastic container or simply cover the cake with a sheet of aluminium foil.
I haven't tried freezing it, but if you do want to make it and keep it for any length of time, you should wrap the unfrosted cake in a layer of aluminium foil and then place it in a large freezer bag. You can freeze it for up to 4 months. Let it defrost and make the icing fresh.
FAQ
A granadilla (in South Africa and the UK at least) is a small dark purple-skinned fruit with the inside comprising black seeds and a sweet yellowish pulp. Both the pulp and the seeds are edible.
The granadilla belongs to the passion fruit family, and you may sometimes hear it referred to as passion fruit.
A granadilla is at its sweetest when the outer skin starts to crinkle, but you can absolutely eat them while the skin is still smooth - they just have a slightly more tart taste, making them ideal for using in cakes.
You may also find granadilla is sometimes spelt grenadilla - both are correct, just different variations on the same word.
It's not as soft and fluffy as a Victoria sponge; in fact, it's quite dense thanks to the coconut. But it's wonderfully moist and absolutely packed with flavour.
Save for later
If you would like to try this granadilla coconut loaf cake, why not save the recipe to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily? Just click the image below.
Alternatively, you can save the recipe by clicking on the floating heart icon on the right-hand side of the screen.
Related recipes
Visit my cakes, biscuits and dessert recipes page for other tasty treats. Here are a few you might enjoy:
📋The recipe
Granadilla coconut loaf cake with cream cheese frosting
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Mixing bowl for the cake batter
- Small bowl to hold the granadilla pulp
- Electric hand mixer OR
- Wooden spoon
- Small mixing bowl for the icing
- Palette knife for spreading the icing on the cake
- 1-pound loaf tin 4" x 7" in size.
Ingredients
Granadilla and coconut loaf cake
- ½ cup / 113 grams butter softened or room temperature
- ¾ cup / 150 grams caster sugar or use granulated
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup / 140 grams self-raising flour or use plain flour with 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
- ½ cup / 50 grams desiccated coconut
- 4 ripe granadillas (pulp only) about ¼ of a cup.
- ½ cup / 120 ml milk
Granadilla cream cheese frosting
- 1½ cups / 150 grams icing sugar
- 2 ripe granadillas (pulp only)
- 1½ ounces / 45 grams butter at room temperature
- 2 ounces / 60 grams cream cheese
Instructions
Granadilla and coconut loaf cake
- Preheat the oven to 180°C / 360°F.
- Cut 4 granadillas in half and scoop the pulp and seeds into a small bowl. Set aside while you mix the cake batter.4 ripe granadillas (pulp only)
- Place the sugar and butter into a mixing bowl and beat until light and creamy. I used an electric hand mixer, but you could use a wooden spoon instead.½ cup / 113 grams butter, ¾ cup / 150 grams caster sugar
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one.2 large eggs
- Stir in the granadilla pulp and vanilla if using.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Stir in half of the flour, all the coconut and half of the milk. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir, so that you don't overwork the batter. Stir in the remaining flour and milk until completely combined.1 cup / 140 grams self-raising flour, ½ cup / 50 grams desiccated coconut, ½ cup / 120 ml milk
- Transfer the mixture to a greased 4 x 7 inch cake tin (10 cm x 18 cm) which has been lined with baking parchment. Leave a little overhang to help you remove the cake from the pan.
- Bake in a preheated oven (180°C / 360°F) for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out with no batter sticking to it. The cake should be firm to the touch.
Granadilla cream cheese frosting
- Place the butter, cream cheese and icing sugar into a bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer or wooden spoon until smooth. The mixture should be quite thick.1½ cups / 150 grams icing sugar, 1½ ounces / 45 grams butter, 2 ounces / 60 grams cream cheese
- Scoop the pulp from 2 granadillas and stir it into the mixture.2 ripe granadillas (pulp only)
- Spread the icing evenly over the top and sides of the cake, and sprinkle the top of the cake with a little coconut. Leave the cake in the refrigerator until the icing has firmed up before slicing.
Notes
- Make sure the butter is at room temperature - if you keep the butter in the refrigerator, place it on the counter half an hour before you plan on making the cake, to give it time to soften.
- Sometimes, when you add eggs to butter and sugar, it seems as though the mixture is curdling. This is nothing to worry about, but you can prevent it from happening by adding one tablespoon of the measured flour with the first egg. The addition of a little flour helps emulsify the mixture.
- Stir in half of the flour with half of the milk and all the coconut, and once it's all combined, fold in the rest of the flour and milk. Work as gently as possible so you don't knock all the air out of the cake mixture.
- You will need about a quarter cup of granadilla pulp for the cake batter - I used 4 granadillas. If they are on the large side, you may only need 3.
- The time to bake the cake may vary, depending on the size of the pan. For my cake (baked in a 4 x 7-inch loaf tin), it took 25 minutes. I tested it after 20 minutes because it looked quite brown, but there was still a little batter clinging to the toothpick. I tented the cake with tinfoil for the final 5 minutes to prevent further browning.
- When making the icing, take care if you use an electric mixer. Icing sugar is light as a feather, and the electric mixer can make the icing sugar fly out of the bowl all over the kitchen.
- If the icing seems too thin once you've added the granadilla pulp, stir in a little extra icing sugar to firm it up a bit. The butter in the icing will help it set once you place the cake in the refrigerator.
- Because of the cream cheese in the icing, I would recommend you store the cake in the refrigerator. You can place it in a plastic container or simply cover the cake with a sheet of aluminium foil.
- I haven't tried freezing it, but if you do want to make it and keep it for any length of time, you should wrap the unfrosted cake in a layer of aluminium foil and then place it in a large freezer bag. You can freeze it for up to 4 months. Let it defrost and make the icing fresh.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
If you made this recipe and enjoyed it, I'd love it if you could give me a star rating in the comments below. And if you'd like to get in touch, you can email me at [email protected]. I'd love to hear from you. And don't forget to subscribe to my mailing list so you can grab yourself a copy of my FREE COOKBOOK!
If you'd like to continue browsing, just click on this link to all my recipes.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!