Ingredients
Passionfruit curd
Cake
Meringue
Frosted fruit
Method
1.Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease two deep 22cm round cake pans, line bases with baking paper.
2.Make passionfruit curd. Stir passionfruit, water, lemon rind, butter and water in medium heatproof bowl over saucepan of simmering water until mixture thickly coats wooden spoon. Cover, cool; refrigerate.
3.Next make cake. Beat eggs and sugar in medium bowl with electric mixer about 10 minutes or until thick and sugar is dissolved. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Gently fold one-third of triple-sifted flours into egg mixture, then fold in remaining flours. Divide mixture evenly between pans.
4.Bake cakes about 20 minutes or until cooked when tested. Turn cakes onto wire racks to cool.
5.Meanwhile, make meringue. Stir sugar and the water in small saucepan, until sugar is dissolved. Boil, uncovered, without stirring, until syrup reaches 116°C on candy thermometer or when a teaspoon of syrup, dropped into cold water, forms a soft ball when rolled between fingers.
6.Remove pan from heat. Meanwhile, beat egg whites in small bowl with mixer on high until soft peaks form; add remaining sugar, beat until dissolved. While mixer is operating, add hot syrup in thin stream; beat on high speed about 10 minutes or until mixture is thick and cool.
7.Split cakes in half. Place bottom layer of one cake on oven tray. Reserve 1 cup passionfruit curd in small bowl. Spread cake layer with one-third of the remaining curd, top with another cake layer. Spread with half of the remaining curd, top with cake layer. Spread with remaining curd and top with remaining cake layer. Spread cake all over with reserved curd.
8.Increase oven temperature to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Spread meringue all over cake. Bake about 3 minutes or until meringue is lightly browned.
9.Brush cherries, grapes, limes and leaves individually with egg white; dip wet fruit and leaves in extra sugar. Place frosted fruit and leaves on baking-paper-lined tray. Leave about 1 hour or until sugar is dry.
10.Centre cake on plate; secure ribbon around cake and decorate with frosted fruit and leaves.
A 30cm glass stand was used for this cake, but a prepared 30cm round board can be used instead. Fruit can be varied, depending on season and availability.
Note