This Almond Lilikoi Cake is a light and sweet almond cake that's finished with a lilikoi buttercream frosting and sliced almonds. I use a lilikoi puree for this frosting, making it a beautiful yellow color, naturally!
If you're looking for more light and fruity layer cakes, then check out some of my other favorites like my Eggless Strawberry Shortcake, Orange Carrot Ginger Cake, or my Hummingbird Naked Cake.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
If you're unfamiliar with lilikoi, this fruit is also known as passion fruit, they are the same thing. Lilikoi is the Hawaiian name for passion fruit, so that's what we call it in my house. This fruit is usually only found in tropical areas, Hawaii being one of them. When Delaney and I were back visiting, I tasted a fresh off the vine lilikoi and there is nothing like it! It's a very seedy fruit with a sweet and tart flavor.
Delaney's mom is visiting and brought me a lilikoi puree that is bright in yellow color just like the inside of the fruit and I used it for the frosting, it colored this cake naturally! The puree was really tart, which made it the perfect addition to flavor the buttercream as it actually made this cake not too sweet at all.
We are in the middle of a huge snow storm right now. So, I found it ironic that I was making a Hawaiian inspired cake this week!
Ingredients for Almond Lilikoi Cake
Costco Kirkland Organic Cane Sugar
Frontier Co-Op Organic Almond Extract
Organic Valley Heavy Whipping Cream
Food to Live Organic Sliced Almonds
Food to Live Organic Unsweetened Wide Flake Coconut
Florida Crystals Organic Powdered Sugar
Lilikoi Puree
Why Organic
Why use organic ingredients in this recipe? You all know I’m a huge organic advocate, and I bet you may be thinking sometimes, Why would I even bother to use organic ingredients in something that is so sweet and indulgent? But, that is the exact reason why you should use organic ingredients! Sweet things need to have flavor in order to be good, otherwise they are just sweet and they don’t taste like much else. Organic ingredients are more pure than conventional ones, therefore they actually have more flavor than the non organic options. Say it with me, organic means more flavor! And not just more flavor but a more true and pure flavor. And organic ingredients are much healthier for you to eat in general as they do not contain GMOs or anything artificial. Plus, you are being environmentally friendly when you choose organic ingredients!
So, I highly recommend that you buy the best organic ingredients for this recipe! You can also shop my Amazon Storefront for all my favorite organic ingredients here. Tip – hover over each ingredient to see the name. And if you want to learn more about organic foods and the difference, read my post here on Food Labels and What They Mean.
This Almond Lilikoi Cake is naturally pastel yellow, thanks to the lilikoi puree. I love the color of this stunning cake, and it the flavor will impress even your most bouji friends!
Ingredients
- Batter
3 large organic egg whites
1/2 cup (113 grams) organic salted butter, softened
170 grams (3/4 cup) organic cane sugar
2 teaspoons organic almond extract (like Fontier Co-Op)
170 grams (1 cup plus 3 tablespoons) organic cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 cup organic heavy whipping cream, room temperature
1/4 cup organic milk, room temperature
- Topping
28 grams (1/4 cup) organic sliced almonds with their skins
15 grams (1/4 cup) organic unsweetened wide flake coconut
- Frosting
454 grams (3 cups plus 3 tablespoons) organic powdered sugar, sifted
1 cup (226 grams) organic salted butter, softened
2 tablespoons lilikoi puree
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line three 6-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
- To make the batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk egg whites on low and as they thicken, gradually increase speed to high and whisk until stiff peaks form. Remove from mixer and transfer to separate mixing bowl and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (you can use the same bowl, no need to wash), add the butter, cane sugar, and almond extract. Mix on low until combined and there are no chunks of butter.
- In a separate bowl, add the cake flour, baking powder, and sea salt and whisk together. Add the cream, milk and flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low until combined. Remove the bowl from the sand mixer and fold in the egg whites with a spatula. Continue to fold until you have a smooth cake batter.
- Measure out the batter evenly into each pan, about 215 grams each. Spread evenly, and bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool completely before starting the frosting.
- To make the topping: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread out the almonds and coconut evenly. Bake for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown and toasted. Remove from oven, set aside.
- To make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the powdered sugar, butter, and lilikoi puree. Mix starting on low until combined, then gradually increase the speed to high and mix for 1 minute or until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- To assemble: On a cake stand or cake spinner, place the first layer of cake. Place a generous amount of frosting on top and spread evenly, top with the second cake layer and repeat this process. Crumb coat the cake. Frost the cake smooth and add the topping around the sides.
- Put the remaining frosting in a piping bag fitted with decorating tip #864 and pipe dollops around the top of the cake.
- Store in a cake dome for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Gluten Free – Replace the cake flour with 170 grams (1 cup plus 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon) organic gluten free flour blend.
- High Altitude – Bake the cake at 350°F for 17 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Bake the topping as noted.
- To learn how to crumb coat a cake, visit my tutorial How to Crumb Coat a Cake.
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Make sure to check out my Strawberry Whipped Cream Cake recipe, which I'm sure you'll love too! And, share it with someone who you think may also like it!
