I had some cubed cantaloupe on-hand and my daughter suddenly decided that she was no longer in love with the fruit, so I decided to concoct a new recipe for you. The cake recipe is dense and moist, so it would also be great for muffins or bread. I was in the mood to make a cake, so that is what I did. With the citrus curd and coconut it has a nice light fresh fruity flavor. Next time I might make this recipe as muffins with the orange curd on the side... perhaps some freshly whipped cream to go with it 🙂
Cantaloupe Cake with Orange Curd Filling and Coconut Topping Recipe
Print Pin RateServings: 12
Calories:
Ingredients
Cantaloupe Cake
- 2 c. pureed cantaloupe
- ¾ c. vegetable oil
- 1 c. light brown sugar
- ¼ c. white sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. ground cardamom
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. Kosher salt
- 3 c. self rising flour
Orange Curd Filling
- 1 c. white sugar
- ½ c. milk
- 1 c. orange juice
- 1 tsp. lemon extract
- 1 large egg plus 2 yolks
- 3 tbs. corn starch
- 2 tbs. all purpose flour
- generous pinch of kosher salt
- sweetened coconut to top off cake
Instructions
Prepare Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Add ingredients to mixer bowl in order shown. Mix well.
- Pour batter into pans.
- Bake approximately 20 minutes, until toothpick pulls clean from center.
- Place on racks to cool.
Make Orange Curd Filling
- Place all ingredients in a sauce pan (one that you can whisk in well)
- Turn burner to med-high.
- Whisk steadily, especially as temperature starts to rise.
- Once the curd is thickened, take it off burner. Pour into a non-porous bowl.
- Refrigerate until thick and spreadable.
Assembly
- Once the cake and curd have both cooled. Top one cake layer with half the orange curd, then place second layer on and top off with the rest of curd. Generously sprinkle sweetened coconut on top of the cake. Serve in small slices, as this is somewhat filling.
Notes
I use fewer egg yolks in this curd by using corn starch and flour to help thicken. I kept some in to still get that silkiness they impart.
Stefani says
Sounds and looks YUMMY to me. I don't think I have ever made anything with cantaloupe, so this is a great little twist you have created.
Kayla says
looks so delicious!
Melinda-LooKWhatMomFound..and Dad too! says
OMG this sounds soooo good and really unique
Shop with Me Mama (Kim) says
OH that looks and sounds so good!
Kathleen says
Definitely can say that I have never ever heard of this before. It looks beautiful though.
Tiff @ Babes and Kids says
That looks incredible. What a unique recipe to use cantaloupe like that.
Virginia from That Bald Chick says
Beautiful. I wonder if it would work with lemon curd, as I am NOT a fan of orange anything.
Kasey@AllThingsMamma says
WOW! It is beautiful!!! I bet it tastes as good as it looks!
gina says
What a fantastic idea!! It truly looks & sounds so fabulous...I wish I could eat cantaloupe, but it makes my tonsils itchy.
Curt says
Cantaloupe! What an awesome flavor for a cake!
Natasha says
I'm not normally a cantaloupe person, but in a cake, I think I could deal. Especially with orange and coconut. This is lovely!
Leonard says
I wish someone would rate the cake instead of rating the photo's. We can all see how it looks.Some of us would like to know how it taste!
kvartan says
I can't believe the amount of oil in this recipe; the cake probably fries in the pan; it has to be one of those cakes that feel greasy in your mouth.
Robin Gagnon says
It has been quite some time since I made this & it does seem like quite a bit of oil. I don't have my hand written notes for this anymore, so it looks like I'll be making this again soon to make sure it isn't a typo.
Karen Vartan says
I got a lot of great comments on the cake, but, I made adjustments for shortening, baking time, leavening and filling.
Cantaloupe Cake
• 2 scant cups pureed cantaloupe
• 2/3 cup butter
• 1 c brown sugar plus ¼ cup white sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp each vanilla and cinnamon, ¾ tsp cardamom
• 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
• 3&1/4 cup sifted cake flour* sifted with leavening agents
o 2 tsp baking powder
o 1 tsp baking soda
Pans: 2 small cake pans, 6” in diameter are ideal. Prepare baking pans by using a pastry brush and vegetable oil; brush pan sides and bottom lightly with vegetable oil. Cut parchment to fit the pan bottom; oil the parchment.
Filling: Any spicy jam or fruit butter , such as lemon curd or American Spoon Fruit Ginger Pear Butter. Optional: cream sherry
Topping: (¼ cup) freshly grated coconut or fresh, toasted slivered almonds
*To make your own cake flour: (sifted all purpose flour. Measure 1 cup, remove and replace 2 T of flour with cornstarch. Sift together 5 times to achieve proper distribution.)
Preheat oven to 350*. In standard mixer: Cream together butter, eggs and sugar; add puree and spices. When well blended, add flour, baking powder and soda. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute; pour batter into baking pans which have been lightly oiled and which have an oiled parchment covered bottom. Bake 20 minutes then cover with aluminum foil to prevent over browning. Cool 20 minutes, remove cake from pan, then cool thoroughly in a refrigerator. At least 2 hours before serving, split cake into 2 or 3 layers with a bread or electronic knife. If desired, sprinkle each layer with 2 Tb of a good cream sherry, then spread each layer thinly with lemon Curd or a tangy fruit butter. After cake is reconstructed, spread the top layer with the curd or fruit butter and decorate with coconut or nuts.
Emily Harsin says
I used a 13 X 9 Pan and it took longer to cook. I added 7 more minutes and it came out great.
Thanks for the recipe. We were given 2 cases of cantalope and am trying new recipes.
Mandy says
Great recipe, I reduced it by 1/3 and baked it in a loaf tin which took a little longer but it turned out perfectly.
For the curd, I replaced the orange juice with puréed cantaloupe which worked really well. I just served the curd alongside the cake rather than icing it.