Durian in the news

The infamous durian recently caused a false alarm in Sydney when its pungent smell was mistaken for a gas leak :) Read more here.

In celebration of our nation's beloved fruit, I have baked several fresh durian cream cake for friends and family over the last few weeks. 

The duck pond cake was for my niece's full moon party.  Don't be fooled by the innocent looking pond, for there is an explosive amount of very pungent durian cream lurking beneath :)

Sponge cake

Ingredients A:

3 large egg yolks
45 g sugar

Ingredients B:
65 ml milk
45 ml corn oil

Ingredients C:
105 g cake flour
15 g corn flour
1 t double action baking powder
1/2 t sea salt

Ingredients D:
3 large egg whites
40 g sugar
1/8 t cream of tartar

Filling and frosting

250 g cold heavy cream

500 g cold durian puree (or more, if you like)

To make the cake:

Preheat oven to 180 deg C.  Set aside a 20 cm round pan but do not grease nor line with parchment paper.  Sift Ingredients C together.

Whip Ingredients A until light and fluffy.  Add in Ingredients B and mix till well-blended. Fold in Ingredients C. In another bowl, whip Ingredients D until stiff peak. Fold in Ingredients D into the egg yolk batter, mix gently until well incorporated. 

Bake for 30 minutes.  Invert cake pan and let cake hang until cool.  

To make the filling and frosting:
Whip the heavy cream until it holds firm peaks. Fold durian puree into the whipped cream with a light touch.

To assemble the cake:
To assemble the cake, cut the cake into 3 or 4 equal layers.  Place one layer right-side up on a cardboard round or a cake plate protected with strips of wax or parchment paper. 

Smooth some of the durian cream equally over the layers.  Frost entire cake with balance durian cream.

Refrigerate the cake for at least 3 hours (or for up to 1 day) before serving.  This cake is best served cold.  Enjoy !