Coconut, Passionfruit and Orange Syrup Mini Loaves
Photography by Claire Aldous.
Passionfruit are in abundance at the moment and make a wonderful fragrant syrup to be poured over these light-as-air cakes.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup rice bran oil
1 cup caster sugar
2 x #7 eggs (large)
1 cup plain yoghurt
finely grated zest and juice 1 large orange
1¼ cups plain flour
1 cup desiccated coconut
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
To finish
cooled passionfruit syrup, recipe below
mascarpone to serve
10 x 150ml capacity cake tins - see notes below
Passionfruit Syrup
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup orange juice
½ cup water
1 cup caster sugar
½ cup passionfruit pulp (about 6 passionfruit)
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 160°C fan bake.
Whisk the oil and sugar together then beat in the eggs until creamy. Stir in the yoghurt, orange zest and juice. Fold in the combined flour, coconut, baking powder and salt until just combined. Don’t over-mix or the cakes will be heavy.
Pour into the tins and bake for about 23-25 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Spoon half of the the cooled syrup evenly over the hot cakes.
Cool completely in the tins. Serve with the remaining syrup and a dollop of cream. Makes 10.
Passionfruit Syrup
Place all of the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for 15 minutes until reduced and syrupy. Cool. Syrup can be made three days ahead.
Tins: I used an 8 hole mini loaf tray, greased and lined with a strip of baking paper, bringing it up the narrow ends of the tins plus 2 extra greased 150 ml cake tins. You can also use a 12 x ½ cup capacity muffin tin. Grease and line the bases with baking paper.
Syrup: When using a syrup the rule of thumb is: Use a hot syrup over a cold cake or a cold syrup over a hot cake. If using tins where the presentation side requires them to be turned out, use the hot syrup/cold cakes method.

Keep up to date with
dish weekly recipes,
food news, and events.
latest issue:
Issue #120
As the days become shorter, and the nights cooler, the latest issue is perfectly timed to deliver delicious autumn dishes. From recipes using fresh seasonal produce such as feijoas and apples, to spectacular soothing soups and super-quick after-work meals in our Food Fast section, we’ve got you covered. With Easter on the horizon, we feature recipes that will see you through breakfast, lunch and dinner over a leisurely weekend holiday, and whip up chocolatey baking treats sure to please. We round up delicious dinners for two and showcase a hot new Korean cookbook before heading south to Dunedin to check out all that’s new in food and dining.The latest issue of dish is on sale NOW at all good bookstores and supermarkets – don’t miss it!