Dragon Fruit Cake

Learn how to prepare this delicious dragon fruit cake recipe that uses dragon fruit as the star ingredient to make a stunning cake batter and frosting.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 35 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins
• Calories: 934 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 (16 ounce) package vanilla buttercream frosting
• 1 dragon fruit, peeled and cubed
• 2 tablespoons simple syrup, or to taste
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1.5 cups white sugar
• 0.75 cup milk
• 1.5 cups cake flour
• 0.75 tablespoon salt
• 1.75 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour two 8-inch cake pans.

Step 3

Sift cake flour, all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.

Step 4

Combine milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract together in a cup and set aside.

Step 5

Let cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes; turn out onto wax-paper lined racks and cool 5 minutes more. Brush tops and sides of cakes with simple syrup.

Step 6

Place dragon fruit flesh in a blender or food processor and purée. Transfer purée to a bowl and set aside.

Step 7

Cream 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1 cup butter together in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time; beat until yolks disappear.

Step 8

Add 1/2 flour mixture to creamed butter mixture, beating until just combined. Add 1/2 milk mixture. Add remaining flour mixture and beat until just combined. Add remaining milk mixture and stir until mixed thoroughly. Add 1/2 cup dragon fruit purée and very lightly swirl into cake batter.

Step 9

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in center of a cake comes out clean, about 35 minutes.

Step 10

While cakes are cooling completely, beat cream cheese and butter together in a bowl until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar slowly and beat 3 minutes more. Add vanilla and 2 tablespoons dragon fruit purée, beating until combined and purée is completely incorporated.

Step 11

Place one cake layer top-side up on a serving plate; place strips of waxed paper under edges of cake to keep the plate clean. Spread approximately 1/2 vanilla buttercream frosting on top. Top with second layer, bottom-side up and lightly frost top and sides with remaining vanilla buttercream frosting.

Step 12

Apply dragon fruit cream cheese icing to top and sides of cake, leaving some of vanilla buttercream frosting showing through.