Chocolate Cake with Chili & Passionfruit

Whether you’re hosting a dinner party or just craving a cake with personality, this Chocolate Cake with Chili & Passionfruit is a memorable treat indeed. This adventurous dessert balances dark chocolate, tart passionfruit, and a hint of chili heat in a rich six‑layer cake. It’s perfect for anyone who loves bold flavors and dramatic contrasts. It’s sweet, tangy, spicy, and deeply chocolatey.

I’ve always loved this indulgent tropical flavor trio – it hits all the right notes. You get dark chocolate, bright fruit, and an intriguing hint of spice. The freshness of the passionfruit ginger curd, the silkiness of the chili‑ginger ganache, and the moist cake crumb all come together in perfect harmony.

This is one of my more complicated dessert recipes on the site, but it’s totally worth the extra effort.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Unexpected flavor fusion. Deep, fudgy devil’s food cake meets tangy passionfruit curd and fresh chilies.
• Rich but balanced. The bright acidity of the passionfruit curd cuts through the decadent chocolate layers.
• Subtle heat. Fresh ginger and chili add warmth without overpowering, bringing a whisper of spice to the ganache.
• Layered textures. Moist cake, silky curd, velvety ganache. 
• Show‑stopper centerpiece. This cake looks and tastes impressive, perfect for celebrations or impressing friends.

Quick overview: how to make this cake

For full details and ingredient measurements, see the recipe card below.

Chocolate cake layers

1. Prep pans & oven: Butter three 6″ cake tins and line the bottoms with parchment paper; preheat oven to 350 °F (180 °C).
2. Dry ingredients: Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. Chocolate base: In a heatproof bowl, whisk bittersweet chocolate, cocoa powder, instant coffee (optional), and boiling water until smooth.
4. Cream butter and sugar: Beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Mix in sour cream and vanilla.
5. Combine & bake: Add dry ingredients, then slowly pour in chocolate mixture while mixer runs. Pour evenly into pans and bake. Cool completely.

Passionfruit ginger curd

1. Whisk: Combine passionfruit purée, lime juice, grated ginger, egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a bowl.
2. Cook: Set it over simmering water, whisk until thick enough to coat a spoon, then whisk in butter.
3. Strain: Pour the curd through a fine sieve into a clean bowl. Chill until cool.

Chili ginger ganache

1. Heat & infuse: Warm heavy cream with chili, ginger, and salt until the cream is just bubbling at the edges.
2. Whisk: Pour over chopped chocolate in a bowl. Whisk gently until smooth. Remove solids.
3. Cool: Let the ganache cool slightly before layering.

Assembling the cake

1. Prep cakes: Slice cooled cakes in half to make 6 total layers. 
2. Layer: Alternate passionfruit curd and ganache between layers (curd on bottom, ganache next), ending with cake top. Chill briefly.
3. Finish: Apply a thin ganache “crumb coat,” chill again, then pour remaining ganache over top, allowing it to drip slightly down the sides. Decorate as desired.

Tips for perfect passionfruit curd

• Slow, even heating: Use a double boiler to gently thicken the curd without causing the eggs to break. Stir frequently to prevent scorching.
• Check doneness: The curd is ready when it can coat the back of a spoon or registers around 170–175 °F (77–80 °C). It will thicken more after it cools.
• Strain: This removes fibrous ginger bits and any lumps, resulting in a silky-smooth curd.
• Skin prevention trick: Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the warm curd before chilling to avoid a skin forming on top.

Troubleshooting ganache

Ganache is deceptive in its simplicity. Because chocolate is infamously finicky, a lot can go wrong when making ganache. Here’s how to deal with common ganache issues:

Seized or grainy ganache:

Overheated cream can cause separation. Be sure to warm the cream very gently, do NOT boil it, and stir slowly from the center outward when whisking it into the chocolate.

If your ganache splits, whisk in a teaspoon or two of cold heavy cream to bring it back together.

Too thick to pour:
If your ganache cools and thickens too much, warm it back up gently until pourable. I like to warm it over a double boiler (or a bowl over a pot of warm water) for best results. Whisk it gently but often to distribute heat evenly.

Runs off too quickly:
Let the ganache cool to room temperature before pouring over the cake so it stays in place better and drips elegantly. The ganache should be pourable, but not thin.

If you love rich chocolate desserts, you should also check out my recipes for Mini Chocolate Cakes with Salted Caramel Sauce, Pumpkin Chai Spice Cakes with Salted Ganache, and Chocolate Chili Cupcakes.