Feb 2, 2014

One "Ono" Hawaiian Pound Cake

Lilikoi-Lime Pound Cake
Click on photo to view larger











Lilikoi-Lime Pound Cake
Hawaii purple and yellow lilikoi
Click on photo to view larger
Lilikoi is the Hawaiian word for passion fruit. If you haven't tasted lilikoi, do yourself a favor and find some. Fortunately for the people who live in Hawaii, lilikoi (when in season) and Tahitian limes are plentiful here. 

It's easy to extract the juice/pulp from lilikoi, simply cut them in half and spoon out the seeds, which have a pulpy sweet-sour coating on them. The seeds are crunchy, and can be eaten. If you just want the pulp, put the contents of several lilikoi in a blender and pulse once or twice, then strain the seeds out and use the pulp for this recipe. When lilikoi is in season, I freeze the pulp in ice trays, then put the frozen lilikoi cubes into a zip-loc freezer bag for later use. I don't use bottled lilikoi juice or bottled lime juice, they are not the same as fresh.

This beautiful Hawaiian lilikoi-lime pound cake is moist, dense, and has the perfect mix of tropical sweet and tart flavors. The glaze compliments the cake with a wonderful flavor and the surprise of the crunchy seeds. You might even want to double the glaze recipe because it's so "ono".

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened, plus 2-3 tablespoons for greasing your pan
1/2 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons lime zest
1/4 cup fresh lime and lilikoi pulp mixed together

Lilikoi-Lime Glaze Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon fresh lilikoi pulp
1 teaspoon lime zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons lilikoi seeds with the pulp left on (optional)

Procedure:
Preheat oven to 325˚F. Beat butter and shortening at medium speed with a heavy duty electric stand mixer until creamy.

Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add one egg at a time, beating until just blended after each addition.

Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until just blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla, lime zest, and a mixture of fresh lime juice and fresh lilikoi pulp.

Pour batter into a well greased and floured 10 inch (12 cup) Bundt pan*. Bake at 325˚F for about 1 1/2 hours* or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 20 minutes; carefully remove from pan to wire rack to cool completely, then transfer to a large cake plate to apply the glaze. Note: Make sure the cake is completely cool before putting on the glaze.

To make a lilikoi-lime Glaze, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, 1 tablespoon fresh lilikoi pulp/juice, 1 teaspoon lime zest, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons lilikoi seeds with pulp left on, until smooth. Immediately drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake, letting it drip over the sides. Let sit for 1 hour. Makes one "ono" (Hawaiian slang for "delicious") Hawaiian pound cake, or 8 to 10 servings.

Note*: You make this recipe in a tube pan or Bundt pan, muffin tins, mini-muffin tins, or loaf pans. Baking time depends on the size of the pan you bake in. Mini muffin tins will take less time.

No comments: